Posted on 12/09/2010 12:42:36 PM PST by Tom Hawks
The song, "We Didn't Start The Fire" by Billy Joel, hit number one in the charts today in 1989. If you listen closely to the lyrics, you will notice that it is a history of the world as Billy Joel recalls them from when he was born in 1949 up to the moment he wrote the song in 1989. That is a period of time when the world went from rebuilding the world from the devastation of WWII until two years before the Soviet Union collapsed.
I always liked the song because I like history, and it is my belief that those who forget the past will inevitably repeat it. So we study history in order that we will learn from our mistakes and improve upon society for our future. Unfortunately, the leftists who control the education system in our country do not believe in teaching history. The result has been a repeat of the worst economic times America has ever experienced.
For those who find it difficult to remember what happened on September 11, 2001, the song will be like listening to ancient history. However, for those who know and understand historical facts, this video will be a somewhat pleasant and hurtful reminder of the many things that has happened in America and around the world from 1949 to 1989. Under the Video with Joel's song is a list of all the historical events and or people that are mentioned in the song, along with a description that has been put together.....
(Excerpt) Read more at ChicoER Gate...
“Trouble in the Suez”...
Geez, Billy, we’re still having lots of trouble in the Suez Canal...
Vienna is my favorite.
I agree. I like the music and the historic premise, but as usual, it’s sort of a “it’s not OUR fault” whiny brat OT1H, and pro-lib anti-cons OTOH.
“Until the Night” is mine. Every song is great off of that album. “Zanzibar” reminds me of a Steely Dan song.
I haven’t heard Vienna in ages.
My only copy of The Stranger is on LP and I haven’t had a record player for decades. I guess I gotta head over to Napster now...
"Poison apples in the store", a reference to Alar,
but they took the apples out of the stores pretty quickly.
And then, just as quickly, China was under martial law.
They recorded the song as released it "before something else happens".
I believe that was Billy's tribute to "The Righteous Brothers."
What’s weird (at least I think) is I really like every song on the 52nd street album - except for 52nd Street track itself.
He had already lost part of his range by the late Eighties. On his tour of the Soviet Union, he had a backup singer sing the high notes on “Innocent Man” because he couldn’t hit them anymore.
That said, the live album he released from one of those concerts is one of the best live albums I’ve ever heard.
Yeah, his attempts to sing like a black guy (Everybody Has a Dream, as well), were pretty embarrassing.
They (Billy & Elton) came through Denver last summer, but I got the dates wrong! Was soooooo mad at myself!
my favorite Billy Joel song is Innocent Man... i love that song...
OMG, the wifey and me saw the duo in Cleveland. The place rocked for 3 and 1/2 hours straight. It was the greatest rock show I have ever seen!!! Will never forget it.
“I haven’t heard Vienna in ages.”
Haven’t you realized that it waits for you :-)?
Which was nothing more than a thinly veiled ripoff of REM's "It's the End of the World As We Know It" which came out a couple years prior (which by their own admission was heavily influenced by Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues"). I despised (and still do) that song (BJ's) since day 1.
The song is on my regular playlists. I’ve used it as background to family photo shows from the era. It is like a boomer anthem.
21 years on, it could use updating.
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