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The event was broadcast on NBC in the United States

The Music for UNICEF Concert: A Gift of Song was a benefit concert of popular music held in the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on January 9, 1979. It was intended to raise money for UNICEF world hunger programs and to mark the beginning of the International Year of the Child. The concert was videotaped and broadcast the following day on NBC in the U.S. and around the world. The moderator was David Frost, with Gilda Radner and Henry Winkler also introducing some of the performers. Henry Fonda made a short appearance. Each performer signed a large parchment declaring support for UNICEF's goals.

The concert was the idea of impresario Robert Stigwood, the Bee Gees, and David Frost, who originally conceived it as an annual event. Not all of the performances were truly live, with ABBA lip-synching their new song "Chiquitita." [1] It raised less than one million dollars for UNICEF. [2] but thanks to numerous re-issues that figure has more than tripled.

The Music for UNICEF Concert featured some of the biggest names in pop music at the time, and the performers donated their performance royalties and those from one song each to UNICEF. However, some artists released the royalties for only a limited time. The Bee Gees song "Too Much Heaven", however, was still making money by 2003. Royalties for that song alone were valued at more than 7 million dollars. Most of the songs performed were not specifically about the issue of child poverty.

Elton John was scheduled to perform but did not appear.

A recording of the concert was released on an LP on Polydor Records several weeks later, with performances in a different running order.

• ABBA — "Chiquitita"
• Bee Gees — "Too Much Heaven"
• Andy Gibb— "I Go For You"
• Andy Gibb and Olivia Newton-John — "Rest Your Love On Me"
• Olivia Newton-John — "The Key"
• John Denver — "Rhymes & Reasons"
• Earth, Wind & Fire — "September"
• Rita Coolidge and Kris Kristofferson — "Fallen Angels"
• Rod Stewart — "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?"
• Donna Summer — "Mimi's Song"

There were also opening and closing songs, performed by all participants:

• Opening medley, ending with part of ABBA's "He is Your Brother"
• Closing song: Jackie DeShannon's "Put A Little Love In Your Heart"

• Concert for Bangla Desh
• Live Aid

• Short page about the album
• ABBA page mentioning the concert
• Images of rehearsals
• Screen shots
• The Music for UNICEF Concert: A Gift of Song at the Internet Movie Database