....about all the historical events that happened from 1949 to 1989. I found this video put to the lyrics that is really interesting. What do you think of the events that Joel thought important enough to include in the song? Here's the video if you want to watch it. It's pretty cool, actually.
http://yeli.us/Flash/Fire.html
2007-10-11 12:27:05 · 18 answers · asked by Senator D*L*P™ 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
Scholarly Persuits- No, I dond't do that...but wasn't it awesome?!?! I take AP Government and Politics (SR in high school), and I was looking for something online, and I found this. I thought it was awesome, because I am majoring in History Education in collee, and this covers my favorite time period in history. (My speciality being the Holocaust). I just thought it was an amazing video, and yes, I danced with it as wll. It's kinda addicting!
2007-10-11 12:39:27 · update #1
I learned of the true meaning of this song only a few years ago. Billy Joel has always been one of my favorites, but never in a million years would I have guessed that he was a history buff. How can anyone write a song with such meaningful lyrics that rhyme, are in chronological order of their happening, and yet still maintain a great melody? Simple... it's Billy Joel.
This song isn't my favorite in terms of music, but in terms of pure brilliance, it's No. 1 on my list.
2007-10-11 12:32:02 · answer #1 · answered by Bojo 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
In a phrase popular in the Sixties, he "tells it like it is"~or was. It's a mindbogglingly compex song that hits so many very important moments, showing that all sorts of problems go much farther back than young people realize. It's a dazzling display of selecting exactly the right words and phrases to bring rushes of memory.
But, do younger generations even care to find out what the song is about? It's a crash course in history, that's for certain!
It has to be one of the most powerful, amazing, remarkable songs ever written.
"We Didn't Start the Fire" has a message that most people don't seem to understand: Bad things have happened for as long as man has been around. Baby Boomers have been taking the blame for a lot of bad, and Billy Joel's song says, "You're wrong!" Actually, Boomers have done a great deal to help. Most of you don't remember what highways used to look like~unending trash, billboards and signs~not just road signs but all sorts of advertising. You probably don't remember black and gray smoke belching forth from factories' smokestacks before "scrubbers" were demanded. Lead-free gasoline, nutritional information on packages, vitamin-enriched products, and a lot more came about, as did the need to build better schools and larger everything because Boomers encompass more people than any generational group before (1946-64, by the way). Many things had to change to accommodate us. Besides, would you be sitting at a PC right now?
2007-10-11 12:33:32 · answer #2 · answered by MystMoonstruck 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are many opinions on the origins of the song: the most commonly related is that Billy Joel overheard his teenage nephew complaining over a history essay that 'No history ever happens these days'. Inspiration fired, Joel set out to prove, in musical format, just how much had happened over the last 40 years. He chose to begin with 1949, the year of his birth, and painstakingly built up a chronological list of events, to form one of the most memorable and enduring 'list' songs in pop history.
2007-10-11 12:32:57 · answer #3 · answered by s2h13 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Tonight I'm Loving You- Enrique Iglesias Give Me Everything Tonight- Pitbull FT. NeYo Hollywood Tonight- Michael Jackson
2016-05-21 23:39:31 · answer #4 · answered by marybeth 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I love the song "We didn't start the fire." It's cool how he puts about 40 years of history into a 4 minute song, that takes real talent.
2007-10-11 12:31:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Sorry. I was always annoyed by that song. Billy Joel is OK though.
2007-10-11 12:53:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I just think "Okay. What is this a riddle? Multiple choice? Short answer essay? I give up. You tell me, Mr. Joel, WHO started it? You make us all think it was Marilyn Mon - Row"
2007-10-11 14:58:14 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Its basically avoid blame and place it on everyone else. A truely miserable song. who elected the people that commited the errors he sings about. Who started it if it wasnt the blameless people hes singing to?
2007-10-11 12:32:53 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
i only have one thing to say.... YES HE DID START THE FIRE!!! I CANT BELIEVE HE WOULD START A umm... what was it he started on fire again.... oh well at least i got 2 points... oh yah heres a tip its really simple 9-1-1 and then scream AHHH!!!!!! FIRE!!!!!!!! AHHH!!!!! and then they will be all calm (until they find out it was there house and then they will be just as panicey as you are) and then... uh ho... im babbling again...
2007-10-11 12:33:13 · answer #9 · answered by candy 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Billy joel has a cool name
2007-10-11 12:29:46 · answer #10 · answered by joel_ramirez5867 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋