We Didn’t Start The Fire -
"We Didn’t Start the Fire" – Then and Now
Billy Joel’s "We Didn’t Start the Fire" (1989) and Fall Out Boy’s reinterpretation (2023) share a unique mission: chronicling history through a relentless stream of cultural, political, and societal events. While Joel’s original paints a vivid picture of the Cold War era and its ripple effects, Fall Out Boy picks up the baton to narrate a chaotic, interconnected 21st century. Both songs underscore a central theme: humanity’s ceaseless cycle of upheaval and resilience.
Joel’s song is a history lesson set to music, spanning 1949 (the year of his birth) to 1989. Its references evoke a mid-20th-century world gripped by the Cold War, nuclear threats, and groundbreaking cultural shifts. Events like the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and iconic figures such as JFK and Marilyn Monroe mark a period of transformation. Joel's reflective tone suggests that the "fire" of human conflict and progress is eternal, predating his generation and destined to persist.
Fall Out Boy’s version reimagines this approach for a post-millennial audience, encapsulating the chaos of globalization, digital revolutions, and social reckonings. From the Arab Spring to climate change, and phenomena like YouTube, Pokémon, and Stranger Things, the song navigates a world defined by technological acceleration and societal fragmentation. It feels faster-paced, reflecting the information overload of the internet age.
Historically, the comparison reveals a shift in focus. Joel’s timeline emphasizes geopolitical tension and cultural milestones shaped by superpowers. Fall Out Boy’s narrative, while global, highlights a more fragmented and decentralized era. The emphasis on pop culture phenomena like Michael Jordan and Harry Potter, juxtaposed with social tragedies such as Sandy Hook and George Floyd, underscores the evolving landscape of collective memory.
South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio
Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, television
North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe
Rosenbergs, H-bomb, Sugar Ray, Panmunjom
Brando, "The King and I" and "The Catcher in the Rye"
Eisenhower, vaccine, England's got a new queen
Marciano, Liberace, Santayana goodbye
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Joseph Stalin, Malenkov, Nasser and Prokofiev
Rockefeller, Campanella, Communist Bloc
Roy Cohn, Juan Peron, Toscanini, Dacron
Dien Bien Phu falls, "Rock Around the Clock"
Einstein, James Dean, Brooklyn's got a winning team
Davy Crockett, Peter Pan, Elvis Presley, Disneyland
Bardot, Budapest, Alabama, Krushchev
Princess Grace, "Peyton Place", trouble in the Suez
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Little Rock, Pasternak, Mickey Mantle, Kerouac
Sputnik, Chou En-Lai, "Bridge on the River Kwai"
Lebanon, Charlse de Gaulle, California baseball
Starkweather, homicide, children of thalidomide
Buddy Holly, "Ben Hur", space monkey, Mafia
Hula hoops, Castro, Edsel is a no-go
U2, Syngman Rhee, payola and Kennedy
Chubby Checker, "Psycho", Belgians in the Congo
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Hemingway, Eichmann, "Stranger in a Strange Land"
Dylan, Berlin, Bay of Pigs invasion
"Lawrence of Arabia", British Beatlemania
Ole Miss, John Glenn, Liston beats Patterson
Pope Paul, Malcolm X, British politician sex
JFK, blown away, what else do I have to say
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
Birth control, Ho Chi Minh, Richard Nixon back again
Moonshot, Woodstock, Watergate, punk rock
Begin, Reagan, Palestine, terror on the airline
Ayatollah's in Iran, Russians in Afghanistan
"Wheel of Fortune", Sally Ride, heavy metal, suicide
Foreign debts, homeless vets, AIDS, crack, Bernie Goetz
Hypodermics on the shores, China's under martial law
Rock and roller cola wars, I can't take it anymore
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
But when we are gone
Will it still burn on, and on, and on, and on
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
We Didn’t Start The Fire Song by Fall Out Boy
Deep fakes, earthquakes, Iceland volcano
Oklahoma City bomb, Kurt Cobain, Pokémon
Tiger Woods, MySpace, Monsanto, GMOs
Harry Potter, Twilight, Michael Jackson dies
Nuclear accident, Fukushima, Japan
Crimean Peninsula, Cambridge Analytica
Kim Jong Un, Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No, we didn't light it, but we're trying to fight it
More war in Afghanistan, Cubs go all the way again
Obama, Spielberg, explosion, Lebanon
Unabomber, Bobbitt, John, bombing Boston Marathon
Balloon Boy, War on Terror, QAnon
Trump gets impeached twice, Polar bears got no ice
Fyre Fest, Black Parade, Michael Phelps, Y2K
Boris Johnson, Brexit, Kanye West and Taylor Swift
Stranger Things, Tiger King, Ever Given, Suez
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No, we didn't light it, but we're trying to fight it
Sandy Hook, Columbine, Sandra Bland and Tamir Rice
ISIS, LeBron James, Shinzo Abe blown away
Meghan Markle, George Floyd, Burj Khalifa, Metroid
Fermi paradox, Venus and Serena
Oh-oh-oh, Michael Jordan, 23, YouTube killed MTV
SpongeBob, Golden State Killer got caught
Michael Jordan, 45, Woodstock '99
Keaton, Batman, Bush v. Gore, I can't take it anymore
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No, we didn't light it, but we're trying to fight it
Elon Musk, Kaepernick, Texas failed electric grid
Jeff Bezos, climate change, white rhino goes extinct
Great Pacific Garbage Patch, Tom DeLonge and aliens
Mars rover, Avatar, self-driving electric cars
SSRI's, Prince and The Queen die
World trade, second plane, what else do I have to say?
We didn't start the fire (we didn't start it)
It was always burning since the world's been turning (oh)
We didn't start the fire (we didn't start it)
But when we are gone, it will still go on (oh-yeah)
And on, and on, and on, and on
And on, and on, and on
We didn't start the fire (fire)
It was always burning since the world's been turning
We Didn’t Start the Fire: Japan Edition
Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Showa ends, Heisei starts
Shinkansen, Tokyo Tower, anime breaks international hearts
Osaka Expo, Sony Walkman, Godzilla stomps the silver screen
Tokyo Olympics, '64, Pachinko’s a national scene
(Chorus)
We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No, we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it
Economic boom, Plaza Accord, bubble bursts, the yen grows weak
Akihito’s coronation, Mount Fuji’s UNESCO peak
Fukushima, Kobe quake, Abenomics makes its mark
Nintendo consoles, Pokémon, Kyoto temples after dark
(Chorus)
We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No, we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it
Nagasaki pope visit, Tanaka bribery, JAL crash scene
Bullet train upgrades, Naomi Osaka’s Grand Slam dream
Ghibli films, Haruki Murakami, ramen craze worldwide
Sapporo Snow Festival, cherry blossoms as a guide
Tsukiji fish market closes, Tokyo Tower turns to red
Yoshinoya, karaoke nights, the salaryman bows his head
Anime cons, cosplay shows, Harajuku in the sun
2020 Tokyo Games, pandemic spoils the fun
(Chorus)
We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No, we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it
Osaka’s Expo returns, Kumamon keeps us smiling wide
Team Japan at World Cup fever, hikikomori hide inside
Ikigai and monozukuri, tradition meets the modern age
Samurai and cherry trees, history on every page
We Didn’t Start the Fire: Japan Post-2010 Politics & Scandal Edition
Reiwa dawns, Akihito retires, Shinzo Abe’s nationalist fires
Pandemic masks, Kishida takes charge, Olympic bids with bribes at large
Nissan scandal, Ghosn escapes, Fukushima water takes debate
Moritomo land deal sting, politics tainted everything
(Chorus)
We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No, we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it
Abe’s shooting, state funeral, right-wing ties controversial
Unification Church exposed, ties with leaders interposed
Tokyo Games delayed by fear, scandals mar the festive cheer
Yen sinks, trade wars, Kishida reforms stalled by flaws
Territorial disputes grow, China’s threats over islands show
Nuclear restarts spark divides, Okinawa’s base won’t subside
Constitution debates arise, Japan’s military’s global ties
Cyber hacks, election ploys, political mistrust destroys
(Chorus)
We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No, we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it
Gender gap remains a stain, #MeToo tries, but struggles gain
Corporate fraud, Olympus falls, Toshiba rocked by scandal’s calls
Power plant restarts delayed, energy debates replayed
Whaling sparks a global ire, Japan’s stance fans the fire
Kobe quake lawsuits filed, aging scandals drive the wild
Tokyo floods, typhoons rise, Japan’s climate battle cries
Okinawa protests ignite, U.S. bases remain in sight
Hokkaido rebuilds again, typhoons crush with heavy rain
(Final Chorus)
We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
But when we are gone
It will still go on, and on, and on, and on
We Didn’t Start the Fire: Japan Verse
Reiwa dawns, Abe’s plans, constitutional change in his hands
“My Number” cards stir public fear, personal data unclear
Digital push leaves elders lost, modernization at a cost
Carlos Ghosn’s escape in a box, Nissan’s shame, corporate shocks
TEPCO faces Fukushima’s ire, radioactive water feeds the fire
Whaling resumes in stormy seas, protests echo overseas
Territorial disputes with China rise, military expansion criticized
Shohei Ohtani breaks the mold, Japan’s baseball story retold
MVPs on the global stage, but tax evasion makes the page
Betting scandals taint the leagues, Koshien purity intrigues
National pride battles shame, scandals bruise the honored game
North Korea tests provoke dread, missiles over Hokkaido’s head
Evacuation alerts take hold, diplomacy’s promises run cold
Tokyo struggles with power strain, nuclear debates rise again
Solar panels on suburban roofs, eco-plans with little proof
Skytree rises, a modern mark, Tokyo’s beacon in the dark
Adult ladies at DisneySea, finding joy in fantasy
Elder fans of idols cheer, nostalgia keeps their spirits clear
From Arashi’s break to new K-pop craze, music shifts but loyalty stays
TV stars like Beat Takeshi, his humor sharp, his wit so free
Masaharu Fukuyama’s soulful tunes, bridging generations under moons
Tetsuko Kuroyanagi’s golden grace, brings smiles to every child’s face
Scandals hit the idol scene, from tears to bows on TV screens
Apologies light the late-night air, candles flicker, guilt laid bare
Affairs exposed in shocking waves, politicians caught in shameful graves
Changing cabinets every year, stability seems far from near
Abe, Suga, Kishida try, but public trust remains shy
Cost of rice hits record highs, families watch as budgets die
Inflation climbs, wages stay flat, cost of living squeezes fat
Hokkaido suffers brutal snow, climate extremes hit harder though
Sapporo's charms bring travelers near, but rural decline grows clear
Samurai Blue shocks the world, World Cup dreams unfurled
Upsets spark a soccer boom, fans pack stadiums to the room
Tokyo floods reveal the cost, land and lives forever lost
Typhoons batter Japan's shores, resilience tested evermore
Fukushima recovery slow, displaced families nowhere to go
Rice paddies tainted by the spill, rural farmers fight uphill
Tourists flood Kyoto’s ancient ways, Ghibli parks reclaim the days
Digital yen and cashless trends, but trust in change still depends
Anime dominates cultural heights, “One Piece” breaks records overnight
Protests rise for women’s rights, gender gaps remain in sight
Labor laws stay weak and slow, gig economies continue to grow
Elders work beyond their years, youth face futures filled with fears
Social media drives debates, misinformation escalates
Hashtags fuel the modern fight, but reform stays out of sight
Okinawa protests flare again, U.S. bases ignite disdain
Tokyo dodges global fights, locals demand their sovereign rights
Shinkansen speeds into view, but rural trains are cut in lieu
Newspapers try to hold the truth, but scandal always finds its proof
Japan adapts to global trade, innovation earns accolades
Yet history disputes fan hate, reparations still debated late
North’s festivals, snow sculptures gleam, drawing crowds with icy dreams
Hokkaido farms face winter’s chill, fighting to survive still
Fishing fleets and dairy pride, regional hope that won’t subside
Sapporo beer, a timeless brand, keeps the nation in demand
Reiwa dawns, Abe’s plans, constitutional change in his hands
“My Number” cards stir fear, digital systems unclear
Fukushima, TEPCO shame, radiation stakes their claim
Carlos Ghosn’s infamous flight, Nissan’s troubles brought to light
Olympics bribery, scandals in waves, empty seats as virus raves
Tokyo’s Skytree scrapes the skies, a modern symbol proudly flies
Shohei Ohtani betting doubts, brilliance dimmed by media clout
Sumo stumbles with drug disgrace, fixing matches mars its grace
Arashi's hiatus breaks the spell, fans bid idols a heartfelt farewell
Baseball's sacred Koshien pride, tainted by scandals it cannot hide
Samurai Blue shocks the stage, World Cup fervor sets the gauge
But betting shadows still persist, tainting joy in moments missed
Ghibli parks ignite delight, tourists flood with wonder’s light
Anime breaks new global bounds, Japan’s stories know no bounds
Women fight for equal roles, smashing ceilings, reaching goals
Generations clash and unite, navigating a future bright
Shohei’s pitches break the mold, baseball’s scandals still unfold
Koshien dreams lose their gleam, as fixing scandals taint the team
Tamori laughs, Kuroyanagi shines, enduring through turbulent times
Moritomo Gakuen’s shady land, falsified records get out of hand
Amakudari’s old regime, corruption scars the nation’s dream
Olympic fraud from start to end, money flows but values bend
Tamori laughs, idols fall, Japan’s media weathers it all
From scandals dark to moments light, resilience defines Japan’s fight
Through crisis, grief, and breaking tides, the nation’s heart forever abides.
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