Four decades ago, the legendary band The Cars inadvertently overwhelmed the donation hotlines across the U.K. during the iconic Live Aid concert, marking a pivotal moment in music history.

The group had already performed their hit song "Drive" during their set at Live Aid in Philadelphia, just a few hours before a powerful video produced by Canada’s CBC Television was introduced by the iconic David Bowie following his memorable performance at Wembley Stadium in London.

The song, crafted by Ric Ocasek and featured on their acclaimed 1984 album Heartbeat City, had already achieved significant commercial success, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. (the highest chart position ever for The Cars) and No. 4 in the U.K. The accompanying music video, directed by actor Timothy Hutton and showcasing Ocasek’s then-girlfriend, the 19-year-old model Paulina Porizkova, was a staple on MTV and various music video outlets.

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However, the CBC crew transformed the original footage into something even more profound. They utilized “Drive” to provide a haunting soundtrack to heart-wrenching footage of a young, malnourished child in Ethiopia desperately trying to stand against the backdrop of famine.

In his memoir, Is That It?, Live Aid organizer Bob Geldof reflects on the striking contrast: “The juxtaposition was so bizarre. The child’s pitiful courage turned the poignancy of the song into a profound sadness. Who’s gonna pick you up when you fall down? We can’t go on saying nothing’s wrong. Who’s gonna drive you home tonight?”

During his daily series of three-minute interviews, CBC presented the poignant video to Geldof. He recounts, “They said, ‘Our journalist Brian Stewart has put this film together. We couldn’t show it on CBS because it’s too extreme. They won’t show it, but we want to give it to you… We just want to see your reaction.’

Experience CBC’s Live Aid ‘Drive’ Video

Geldof brought the video to the record label office where he was working. “I slipped the video on and I started looking and I put the phone down, mid-conversation,” he recalls. “The editor in Addis Ababa, at the Hilton, was piecing together the film they couldn’t use… and was listening on his Walkman to (“Drive”). And halfway through, he suddenly realized he was cutting to the suggestions of the lyrics and the beat of the song… layering that over this appalling horror.

“At 11 o’clock, I had to meet (Live Aid promoter) Harvey Goldsmith and David Bowie to discuss what songs he would perform. Upon arrival, before we began, I proposed to David, ‘We should watch this.’ David sat there, tears streaming down his face. He said, ‘I’m giving up a song, and I’ll introduce this.’ I countered, ‘Look, don’t give up a song. If you give up a song, the world goes and makes itself a cup of tea, and we’ve lost them.’ He insisted, ‘I’m giving up a song and I’m announcing this, or I’m not doing the concert.’ I glanced at Harvey, and he merely shrugged.

“Clearly, the great showman, Bowie, understood perfectly the significance of the moment. He didn’t overdo it; he performed ‘Heroes’, and the crowd sang along — it was youth in all its beauty and health, girls dancing on their boyfriends’ shoulders, celebrating life. Then, Bowie stated, ‘Thank you very much. I’d like you to look at this,’ and The Cars video played.

This unforgettable moment is featured in the new multi-part documentary, Live Aid: When Rock ‘n’ Roll Took on the World, premiering on July 13 on CNN and BBC. “It’s extraordinary to observe the audience’s reactions,” Geldof notes. “The girls instinctively tried to cover themselves, almost as if they felt shame for their bare skin, while the boys stood frozen, holding their girlfriends’ legs on their shoulders, captivated by the screen’s message. The phone lines were overwhelmed.”

The powerful CBC video was aired twice by the BBC as well as in Canada, but notably not during the MTV and ABC broadcasts in America. Geldof describes in Is That It? that “The impact of the film was traumatic for everyone who witnessed it” — this included BBC hosts who were visibly moved to tears after the airing — “but it also provided crucial context for the concert.”

He also mentions that Ocasek was deeply affected when Geldof shared the video with him. Bowie later expressed to BBC Radio that, “I thought it was a very important piece of footage. The focus was not on promoting singles; rather, it was about raising awareness of the critical situation.”

The Band Aid Charitable Trust, which Geldof established alongside the all-star benefit single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, continues its vital work toward combating famine and poverty globally. Donations can be made at bandaidtrust.co.uk.