On Black Friday, when shoppers were out jabbing and jostling each other for bargain-priced video game consoles and HDTVs — with one woman pepper-spraying her early-bird rivals in an alarming attempt to gain a competitive advantage — I can think of no better way to begin the holiday season in earnest than with a tune that speaks to the better angels of our nature.

Today in 1984, top UK pop stars (plus Jody Watley and Kool & The Gang, the only American artists present) gathered at SARM Studios in London at the behest of Bob Geldof. In a 24-hour recording and mixing session, they recorded the now famous charity song, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, written by Geldof and Midge Ure of Ultravox, who also served as producer. Four days later, on November 29, 1984, the single, credited to Band Aid, was released to the public, with all proceeds benefiting famine relief efforts in Ethiopia.

In a way, it’s odd that “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” has become such an evergreen holiday standard, now 27 years removed from that moment in history. The song’s aim was pure, to be sure, but the lyrics are a real downer when you pay attention. “The greatest gift they’ll get this year is life,” “The clanging chimes of doom,” followed by Bono’s infamous intonation, “Tonight, thank God it’s them instead of you!”

But the track’s all-star power more than sold the bleak message to the masses back then (and buying the 45 to help was a simple thing for the public to do), while the song’s continuing resonance can be chalked up to the world’s unending love for everything ’80s. Over two decades later, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” has become just another song for those 24-hour holiday music stations, sandwiched between spins of Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas.” Still, there’s something comforting about Band Aid faithfully reminding us it’s Christmas time again:

Purchase Band Aid – “Do They Know It’s Christmas” via iTunes, Amazon MP3.