What we have lived through
Our memory of memories, books, chronological tables of history, history teachers and personal communications are what we rely upon over time for a record of people, events and circumstances. Things that happen or take place during our life span are what we are most certain of. The rest is history that continues to be discoursed about in order to reach conclusions or to convince. Our present times shall fade away into recorded history as well, with a measure of hope that it shall not be ambiguous and obscure.
Billy Joel self-penned a song that mentions cultural phenomena experienced mostly through media rather than direct contact. That song was “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” which he sang in a rapid-fire delivery similar to a hip-hop-rap-like quality. It became a radio mainstay and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The mentioned names, places, inventions and cultural works had a direct effect on his formative life depicting crazy times seeming to make no sense. His bombardment of mementos serves to warn or remind.
Billy Joel started his time capsule of collective lyrics from 1949 and carried them to 1989. So much happened in those 40 years that it was necessary and genius of him to keep most of the expressions down to singularities. Were one raised in America, every reference and their scope of influence would be understood.
First verse mentions “North Korea, South Korea,” third verse mentions “Syngman Rhee,” fifth verse he sing-shouts “I can’t take it anymore!” expressing exasperation of the crazy times. Crazy times are referred to as a fire in the chorus: “We didn’t start the fire; It was always burning; Since the world’s been turning.”
All times have been somewhat crazy. The difference today is that things move at a much faster pace due to population and technology.
Another American rock band, Fall Out Boy, adapted and did its own version of “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” continuing where Billy Joel ended, covering the years from 1989 to 2023. The critical response was heavy, most notably due to the omission of several newsworthy items like the COVID-19 pandemic, Hillary and Bill Clinton, the film “Titanic,” O.J. Simpson, Justin Bieber, etc. However, Fall Out Boy’s version did make it to No. 94 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Assuredly, all that happens does not, and all who are famous or infamous do not affect everyone equally, either due to personal unimportance or the simplicity of not being aware. Certain noteworthy events do grab our attention and it is difficult to get away from the fact that some people indeed stand out and take public notice for good or bad. We may live in our own little world. Nevertheless, some of us are just too busy making a living to be concerned about “Who’s Who” compilations and who is doing what. We have to pick and choose what we want to keep up with because there is just way too much to follow. Also, many of us march to the beat of a different drummer. We do our own thing and do not keep pace with our companions — a bit like Thoreau.