Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire" updated?

Question

If Billy Joel were to write a follow-up to his classic song "We Didn't Start The Fire" using key people, places and events from 1989 to today, what and whom would he include in the song?

http://360.yahoo.com/M_I_Goff
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/M_I_Goff

Answer 1

I actually think about that every time I hear the song! I love that song. I'm guessing he would talk about the collapse of the Soviet Union, September 11, Hurricane Katrina, the Tsunami, global warming/ "An Inconvenient Truth", Y2K, the 2000 election controversy (when Bush stole Gore's position as president), boy bands, grunge, the return of punk/pop punk, emo, the Rwandan Genocide, international terrorism, Saddam Hussein, immigration, iPods, "Friends", "Seinfeld" and other TV shows, notable deaths (including Frank Sinatra's, Princess Diana's, and Mother Teresa's), Kosovo/Albanian revolution, rising gas prices/energy crisis, overpopulation in Asia, HIV/AIDS prevalence in Sub-Saharan Africa, the global phenomenon of "Harry Potter", the Internet, the Iranian hostage taking of British navy officers, Guantanamo Bay, embezzlement, the Gulf War, the Wars in Afghanistan & Iraq, notable movies: "Star Wars": 1,2,3, "Lord of the Rings", etc., the Live 8 concert...the list could go on and on...

Answer 2

Hey, I can relate to your confusion. To me, we can only go by what we can experience with our senses. If we can see it, hear it, feel it, taste it or smell it then it is how our creator intended for us to know about our world and him. I am not an atheist or a christian. When I need answers I go to find answers in creation. It is evident to me we were created because of the complexity and interdependent design of our world. For instance, the flycatcher plant needs the fly to survive, drawing from it the nutrients it needs. The fly is drawn to the plant because it produces a substance it needs. Tiny hairs inside the plant are triggered when the fly steps on them with a very precise amount of pressure, closing the "jaws" of the plant around the fly. Everything about the plant and the fly are symbiotic. And so it is throughout nature. I believe, as it says in the Declaration of Independence, that all men are created equal. Since we are all equal, anything written by someone else should be judged in the same way you or I would write. Therefore, when someone writes something that is different that what you know to be true, they need to produce proof that what they are saying is true. If they cannot do that, then it probably isn't true. I do believe there is a God that created our world and is holding it all together. However, I find very little evidence that God actually interacts with the world. While I do find some things that happen unexplainable, most of the time amazing things happen due to explainable circumstances. I wouldn't worry about losing faith in God. I would focus on knowing yourself, good and bad, and then appreciating who you are so that you truly love yourself. By doing this you will have what it takes to love others and have a happy life.

Answer 3

He would probably throw in things like Saddam, OJ Simpson, Blackhawk Down, Bosnia, Clinton/Lewinsky, Bush, Supreme Court, 9-11 and Iraq.

Answer 4

Oh! i just came up with a few verses. Here we go! (sing in tune to the song):

Bombing of the twin towers
ending of iraqui powers
video games are so big
and britteney spears now wears a wig

global warming heats the sun
afghanistan is on the run
terminator, govenator
Brand new candy: Now and later

planes and cars are new and nifty
minimum wage now 6.50
michael jackson went so pale
when he was locked up in the jail

blood and sex now on TV
and characters like mini-me
white strips: teeth clean as pearls
backstreet boys, n'sync, spice girls.

Answer 5

The War is Vietnam is very parallel to the War we have in Iraq
Both were wars we got into without fully understanding the mindset of the people we were "freeing" and after we entered, civil errupted in both nations.

Answer 6

This is an awesome question! He'd probably talk about iraq, bush, steroids, 9/11, terrorism, korea, olympics, super bowl janet jackson. It's such a shorter time period compared to his previous song so it's harder to make it. Great question though!

Answer 7

MacDonalds, Burger King, carbon footprints, internet
911, Bush & Blair, Tsunamis, alcopops, mobile phones
Widescreen TV's, Paris Hilton, Big Brother, Immigration.

Sorry Im bored now..............

Answer 8

Dude! That is such a GREAT QUESTION. Wish I would've thought of it! Kudo's to you!! WOW!! The freakin' question, stunned me so much? I'm at a loss for an answer!

Answer 9

Why would you do a sequl to that crap. He's right up there with Barry Manilow and Neal Diamond.

I thought he was dead.

Answer 10

most likely the war in iraq and the superbowl incident, 9/11, thats wat i would write bout.