Final Project: Analyzing Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire"
Throughout the course of modern history, music has been used to act as a mirror of sorts, reflecting the current times; how people live, what the celebrate and what they struggle with. Through themes and lyrics, musical artists are able to address many issues, including inequality and injustice, love, loss and personal struggles, creating a timely commentary on the human condition. Music also serves as a time capsule, capturing the trends, ideals and values of a given period.
A song I loved as a kid and that my 12-year-old son has recently discovered is Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” (Joel, American, 1989). Released when I was 8 years old, I remember being primarily captivated by the style of the song, which is a rapid-fire listing of pivotal moments in then-recent world history, spliced with references to celebrities set to Joel’s band.
"We Didn't Start the Fire" serves as both a loose record of the period of 1949 to 1989 and would serve as a great jumping off point for historians to research popular culture and current events of the time through the view of the American lens.
Joel wrote the song after turning 40 in 1989. He was talking to a 21-year-old man who commented on how it was a terrible time to be a young person. Joel commented that while things were definitely tough, they had been when he was his age, too. The younger man countered that Joel had grown up in the 50s, when nothing much happened. Hearing this, Joel was inspired to reflect on all of the influential events and people who had colored the history of the previously 40 years.
The message imparted by “We Didn’t Start the Fire” is that tough things have been going on throughout all of human history and though it might feel like things have never been worse, we’ve lived through and overcome so much in the past. We can make it through and thrive in whatever the present and future throws at us.
Musical elements
Billy Joel later commented that he doesn’t like the song. He likened the melody to the drone of a dental drill but I disagree. It’s a very specific style of song; completely of it’s time. I don’t think it’s the kind of song that should be recreated and yet, that’s exactly what Fall Out Boy decided to do in 2023 when they released an updated version of the song, covering events from 1989 to 2023 (Wentz, American, 2023).
Fall Out Boy Version
The message imparted by “We Didn’t Start the Fire” is that tough things have been going on throughout all of human history and though it might feel like things have never been worse, we’ve lived through and overcome so much in the past. We can make it through and thrive in whatever the present and future throws at us.
Musical elements
Billy Joel later commented that he doesn’t like the song. He likened the melody to the drone of a dental drill but I disagree. It’s a very specific style of song; completely of it’s time. I don’t think it’s the kind of song that should be recreated and yet, that’s exactly what Fall Out Boy decided to do in 2023 when they released an updated version of the song, covering events from 1989 to 2023 (Wentz, American, 2023).
Fall Out Boy Version
I actually like some of Fall Out Boy’s music, especially “Immortals” and “Uma Thurman” but I feel like this recording was a misstep on their part, not because it’s a bad idea but because it wasn’t executed well. Unlike Joel’s version, the Fall Out Boy interpretation doesn’t really try to tell a story in historical order.
In an attempt to make the lyrics rhyme, the song hops all over a 34-year timeline, from the events of the Arab Spring in 2021, to the LA Riots of 1992 and the beating of Rodney King in 1991, back to deep fakes concerns of today and the Oklahoma City bombing in the first stanza alone.
In an attempt to make the lyrics rhyme, the song hops all over a 34-year timeline, from the events of the Arab Spring in 2021, to the LA Riots of 1992 and the beating of Rodney King in 1991, back to deep fakes concerns of today and the Oklahoma City bombing in the first stanza alone.
It gives the sense that the band was completing some kind of world events MadLibs page to see what they could cobble together. They were widely criticized for not referencing the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and Pete Wentz’s response was that everyone was talking about Covid so it didn’t seem like it needed to be referenced. Interesting hot take, considering everyday life continues to be colored by the way the world was changed by the pandemic.
Wentz also explained that he wanted to be able to imitate the “JFK, blown away” line so the timeline had to be skewed in order to fit the “World Trade, second plane, what else do I have to say?” lyric. He then goes on to say that they were just giving the Internet something else to be mad about so I think he knew they’d put out a subpar product and didn’t want to take the responsibility for that choice.
I say this as someone who would have welcomed a well-done version of the song, so it’s not that I consider the original to be precious or untouchable. But if you’re going to tackle a song as well known as “We Didn’t Start the Fire” then you need to make an actual effort and not just huff and puff when you’re questioned about why you chose the direction you did.
Historical Meaning Behind Today’s Music
Historians will likely use modern music as a window into understanding the cultural and social landscape of our time. Through analyzing the themes, lyrics and musical styles in contemporary music, historians will be able to gain insight into the values, beliefs and concerns of our society.
For example, an examination of music from the past 30 years might reveal concerns about climate change (“Wake Up”, Arcade Fire, 2004), political unrest (“Killing in the Name”, Rage Against the Machine, 1992) or social inequality (“Same Love”, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, 2012). They might also learn about love (“All of Me”, John Legend, 2013) and love lost (“Rolling in the Deep”, Adele, 2011). Music is a means to help us share what we have in common, throughout time.
A Little Something Extra – Breaking Down “We Didn’t Start the Fire”
My son and I decided to tackle this song as a school assignment for both of us. He’s homeschooled and has a huge interest in history. We went line by line, examining the meaning of the song and learning more about the stories behind these short lyrical bursts. If you’d like to know more about the song, this was a good resource.
Reflecting on My Experience in this Class
I was originally registered for the art section of this class. Ms. Kljaich gave everyone registered the opportunity to switch to the music section, selling it as requiring 25% fewer assignments. Knowing I was starting a new, challenging job in the first month of the semester, I knew switching classes was the kind thing to do for myself.
I’m so glad I switched to this section because it’s giving me a greater appreciation for music and exposed me to different artists and genres I hadn’t listened to before, through the assignments my classmates submitted.
I found myself thinking of songs I liked in terms of whether they could be examined for an assignment and being disappointed when they didn’t quite fit the requirements. A couple of songs I wished I’d had the chance to use in an assignment are Norma Tanega’s “You’re Dead” and Shonen Knife’s “Sweet Christmas”.
“You’re Dead” was written in 1966 but feels like it could have been released yesterday. It’s the theme song for the show What We Do in the Shadows. “Sweet Christmas” was on the holiday playlist that my husband had been playing from November 1 until Christmas so by the time this class started, it was still rattling around in my head. It’s a fun, catchy song that you’ve probably never heard before. Enjoy!
Citations
Wikimedia Foundation. (2024, April 19). We didn’t start the fire. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Didn%27t_Start_the_Fire
Wikimedia Foundation. (2024a, April 17). We didn’t start the fire (fall out boy song). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Didn%27t_Start_the_Fire_(Fall_Out_Boy_song)
Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). All 119 references in “we didn’t start the fire,” explained. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/list/all-119-references-in-we-didnt-start-the-fire-explained
BPM and key for we didn’t start the fire by Billy Joel: Tempo for we didn’t start the fire. SongBPM. (n.d.). https://songbpm.com/@billy-joel/we-didn-t-start-the-fire
Ramazzotti, G. (2023, July 13). Billy Joel reveals “we didn’t start the fire” was ‘terrible’ at first and started out as a ‘country song.’ Smooth. https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/billy-joel/we-didnt-start-fire-country-song-video/
Greene, A. (2023, June 28). Hear fall out boy’s updated take on “we didn’t start the fire” that covers 1989 to 2023. Rolling Stone. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/fall-out-boys-we-didnt-start-the-fire-cover-1234779903/
Pete Wentz explains fall out boy’s updated “We didn’t start the fire.” Stereogum. (2023, June 28). https://www.stereogum.com/2228720/pete-wentz-fall-out-boy-we-didnt-start-the-fire-explanation/news/
Wentz also explained that he wanted to be able to imitate the “JFK, blown away” line so the timeline had to be skewed in order to fit the “World Trade, second plane, what else do I have to say?” lyric. He then goes on to say that they were just giving the Internet something else to be mad about so I think he knew they’d put out a subpar product and didn’t want to take the responsibility for that choice.
I say this as someone who would have welcomed a well-done version of the song, so it’s not that I consider the original to be precious or untouchable. But if you’re going to tackle a song as well known as “We Didn’t Start the Fire” then you need to make an actual effort and not just huff and puff when you’re questioned about why you chose the direction you did.
Historical Meaning Behind Today’s Music
Historians will likely use modern music as a window into understanding the cultural and social landscape of our time. Through analyzing the themes, lyrics and musical styles in contemporary music, historians will be able to gain insight into the values, beliefs and concerns of our society.
For example, an examination of music from the past 30 years might reveal concerns about climate change (“Wake Up”, Arcade Fire, 2004), political unrest (“Killing in the Name”, Rage Against the Machine, 1992) or social inequality (“Same Love”, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, 2012). They might also learn about love (“All of Me”, John Legend, 2013) and love lost (“Rolling in the Deep”, Adele, 2011). Music is a means to help us share what we have in common, throughout time.
A Little Something Extra – Breaking Down “We Didn’t Start the Fire”
My son and I decided to tackle this song as a school assignment for both of us. He’s homeschooled and has a huge interest in history. We went line by line, examining the meaning of the song and learning more about the stories behind these short lyrical bursts. If you’d like to know more about the song, this was a good resource.
Reflecting on My Experience in this Class
I was originally registered for the art section of this class. Ms. Kljaich gave everyone registered the opportunity to switch to the music section, selling it as requiring 25% fewer assignments. Knowing I was starting a new, challenging job in the first month of the semester, I knew switching classes was the kind thing to do for myself.
I’m so glad I switched to this section because it’s giving me a greater appreciation for music and exposed me to different artists and genres I hadn’t listened to before, through the assignments my classmates submitted.
I found myself thinking of songs I liked in terms of whether they could be examined for an assignment and being disappointed when they didn’t quite fit the requirements. A couple of songs I wished I’d had the chance to use in an assignment are Norma Tanega’s “You’re Dead” and Shonen Knife’s “Sweet Christmas”.
“You’re Dead” was written in 1966 but feels like it could have been released yesterday. It’s the theme song for the show What We Do in the Shadows. “Sweet Christmas” was on the holiday playlist that my husband had been playing from November 1 until Christmas so by the time this class started, it was still rattling around in my head. It’s a fun, catchy song that you’ve probably never heard before. Enjoy!
Citations
Wikimedia Foundation. (2024, April 19). We didn’t start the fire. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Didn%27t_Start_the_Fire
Wikimedia Foundation. (2024a, April 17). We didn’t start the fire (fall out boy song). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Didn%27t_Start_the_Fire_(Fall_Out_Boy_song)
Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). All 119 references in “we didn’t start the fire,” explained. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/list/all-119-references-in-we-didnt-start-the-fire-explained
BPM and key for we didn’t start the fire by Billy Joel: Tempo for we didn’t start the fire. SongBPM. (n.d.). https://songbpm.com/@billy-joel/we-didn-t-start-the-fire
Ramazzotti, G. (2023, July 13). Billy Joel reveals “we didn’t start the fire” was ‘terrible’ at first and started out as a ‘country song.’ Smooth. https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/billy-joel/we-didnt-start-fire-country-song-video/
Greene, A. (2023, June 28). Hear fall out boy’s updated take on “we didn’t start the fire” that covers 1989 to 2023. Rolling Stone. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/fall-out-boys-we-didnt-start-the-fire-cover-1234779903/
Pete Wentz explains fall out boy’s updated “We didn’t start the fire.” Stereogum. (2023, June 28). https://www.stereogum.com/2228720/pete-wentz-fall-out-boy-we-didnt-start-the-fire-explanation/news/
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