Conchords' charity single takes flight

Move over Michael Jackson and Bob Geldof, the guys from the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords have had their way with the traditional charity song in their new release Feel Inside (And Stuff Like That).

A choir of famous musicians remains in the formula, thanks to some local Kiwi artists, but the Conchords decided to move away from the traditionally stirring sentiments of charity song lyrics, and asked school children for some help.

The lyrics are all taken from a series of interviews with Kiwi primary school children, who offer their youthful thoughts on how the economy works, and the best ways to raise money.

What results is both a hilarious and touching fundraising ditty, which shot to number one on the iTunes chart less than two hours after airing on Red Nose Day: Comedy for Cure Kids, a 4.5-hour televised comedy marathon fundraiser for New Zealand organisation Cure Kids.

As a rule, listening to the song without watching the preceding interviews won’t be nearly as enjoyable as seeing the entire clip.

Getfrank online magazine reported that Feel Inside (And Stuff Like That) went gold (7,500 copies) in just two days and platinum (15,000 copies) in a week.

With the help of the Conchords and many more New Zealand celebrities, the first Red Nose Day: Comedy for Cure Kids raised $1.3 million on the night.

Feel Inside (And Stuff Like That) continues to add to that total through sales.

Cure Kids CEO Vicki Lee said the Red Nose Day: Comedy for Cure Kids event was a great success for the organisation.

“We are really overwhelmed by the generosity of New Zealanders. Comedy for Cure Kids was a New Zealand first and the donations go significantly beyond our expectations,” Ms Lee said.

“You never know which dollar will be the one that helps fund a breakthrough for our precious Kiwi children. This kind of cash investment will make a tremendous difference,” she said.

Cure Kids funds research into finding cures for life-threatening illnesses that affect many children, such as childhood leukaemia and other cancers, heart diseases and cystic fibrosis.

Notable charity songs

• Feel Inside (And Stuff Like That)
  • Cure Kids campaign including Kiwi singers such as Flight of the Conchords, Savage, Ruby Frost and Moana Maniapoto.
• We are the World 25 for Haiti
  • Haiti earthquake relief campaign including singers such as Snoop Dogg, Barbra Streisand, Justin Bieber, Pink and Usher.
• Voices That Care
  • A song created to boost the morale of troops fighting in Operation Desert Storm, including Celine Dion, Luther Vandross, Kenny G, Mike Tyson and Sissy Spacek.
• We are the World
  • One of the first big charity songs to raise money and awareness for the famine in Ethiopia, including singers such as Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Bette Midler, Diana Ross and Bruce Springsteen .
• Do They Know it’s Christmas
  • Another of the first big charity songs, with this one involving singers such as Bono, George Michael, Sting, David Bowie and Boy George .