Richard Curtis gave us Love Actually in 2003, one of the most iconic Christmas movies of this century. On December 4th, he is finally giving us another holiday film called That Christmas.
Curtis wanted to make the movie a little more magical, so he called his friend Ed Sheeran and asked him to write a song for his Netflix animated film. Today, the singer and the streaming service released Under the Tree.
“Richard Curtis made my fav Christmas film, and TV special,” Sheeran said. “He came round my house in 2021 and showed me a rough of his new one, then asked me to make a song for it. How could I resist. Having kids, I struggle to find great great movies for very young kids to watch at Christmas, and this ticks all the boxes. This song is written about a character in the film who wants to spend Christmas with his dad, but doesn’t get to. It’s a heartbreaking scene, and something so many people go through every year being alone at Christmas. Hope everyone loves the song.”
Even though it brought tears to my eyes, I still love it.
It sounds like I am also going to love the movie. That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about love and loneliness, family and friends, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys!
Get the tissues ready because it sounds like there are going to be some moments that are going to make you cry. Actually, I think it is going to give us all of the feels. Just like Love Actually did.
Last week, it was announced that we are getting a remix of Band Aid for the 40th anniversary, and Ed Sheeran and Fuse ODG are trying to stop the release of the single and the BBC documentary about it.
Fuse ODG, who said no to participating in the 30-year version, is the first to speak out.
10 years ago today, I said NO to Bob Geldof’s Band Aid – Do They Know It’s Christmas project due to the fact it’s a campaign that dehumanises Africans and destroys our pride and identity in the name of ‘charity’. He has decided to release another version, which demonstrates how much he still has not learned from the points I made clear to him on the negative impact of his project on Africa and its diaspora. The white saviour complex is an incredibly dangerous thing which is now playing out on an individual and corporate level.
African problems should be solved by Africans. We welcome anyone genuinely trying to support the continent but it needs to be a spirit of collaboration not patronisation, solidarity not charity. In 2024, there is no way we’d stay quiet and allow other people to continue to tell our story. We Know It’s Christmas.
Ed Sheeran, who did sing on that version, says he did not give permission to be on this updated version.
My approval wasn’t sought on this new Band Aid 40 release and had I had the choice I would have respectfully declined the use of my vocals.
A decade on and my understanding of the narrative associated with this has changed, eloquently explained by @fuseodg
This is just my personal stance, I’m hoping it’s a forward looking one.
Love to all x
There have been many complaints about the money raised and given to Africa not being delegated to the people it was meant to be given to.
Another complaint brought up by the Afrobeats singer is that it dehumanizes Africans.
So, now the two men are taking a stand against it being released on November 25th. Will it happen, and will other artists join the fight? We will find out next week.
Back when Ed Sheeran was in his early 20s, he wrote, “And darlin’, I will be lovin’ you til we’re 70.”
With that being nearly 50 years away for him at the time, he didn’t think much of it. But now he is realizing when his fans turn 71, they will be hating his ass.
The same way The Beatles fans hate their asses for asking if we will still love when they are 64. Since now that they and the two surviving members, who lived to surpass that age, are in their 80s.
If I were Sheeran, I would chat with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr and ask them what he should do when he turns 70. I am sure the two of them went through a lot of emotions when they turned 64, and their fans did, too.
The moral of the story is that you shouldn’t write old ages in your songs when you are in your 20s because one day you will be that old age.
Ed Sheeran is one of the biggest musicians of this century. But, have you ever wondered what he would have been if he wasn’t a singer and songwriter? He told us what he would be! And that is a virgin! Why? Because of his love of video games.
Personally, I doubt the married father of two would still be sexless. Because he is so charming, so how could the girls not like him?
