We Didn't Start the Fire

Last updated

"We Didn't Start the Fire"
WeDidntStarttheFire.jpg
Single by Billy Joel
from the album Storm Front
B-side "House of Blue Light"
ReleasedSeptember 18, 1989 (1989-09-18) [1]
Genre Pop rock [2]
Length
  • 4:49 (album version)
  • 4:29 (single version)
Label Columbia
Songwriter(s) Billy Joel
Producer(s)
Billy Joel singles chronology
"Baby Grand"
(1987)
"We Didn't Start the Fire"
(1989)
"Leningrad"
(1989)
Music video
"We Didn't Start the Fire" on YouTube

"We Didn't Start the Fire" is a song written and published by American musician Billy Joel. The song was released as a single on September 18, 1989, and later released as part of Joel's album Storm Front on October 17, 1989. A list song, its fast-paced lyrics include brief references to 119 [3] significant political, cultural, scientific, and sporting events between 1949 (the year of Joel's birth) and 1989, in mainly chronological order.

Contents

The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and, in late 1989, became Joel's third single to reach number one in the United States Billboard Hot 100. Storm Front became Joel's third album to reach number one in the US. "We Didn't Start the Fire", particularly in the 21st century, has become the basis of many pop culture parodies, and continues to be repurposed in various television shows, advertisements, and comedic productions. Despite its early success, Joel later noted his dislike of the song musically, and it was critically panned as one of his worst by later generations of music critics.

History

Joel conceived the idea for the song when he had just turned 40. He was in a recording studio and met a 21-year-old friend of Sean Lennon who said "It's a terrible time to be 21!". Joel replied: "Yeah, I remember when I was 21 – I thought it was an awful time and we had Vietnam, and y'know, drug problems, and civil rights problems and everything seemed to be awful". The friend replied: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, but it's different for you. You were a kid in the fifties and everybody knows that nothing happened in the fifties". Joel retorted: "Wait a minute, didn't you hear of the Korean War or the Suez Canal Crisis?" Joel later said those headlines formed the basic framework for the song. [4]

Joel later criticized the song on strictly musical grounds. [5] [6] [7] In 1993, when discussing it with documentary filmmaker David Horn, Joel compared its melodic content unfavorably to his song "The Longest Time": "Take a song like 'We Didn't Start the Fire'. It's really not much of a song ... If you take the melody by itself, terrible. Like a dentist drill." [5]

When asked if he deliberately intended to chronicle the Cold War with his song [8] he responded: "It was just my luck that the Soviet Union decided to close down shop [soon after putting out the song]", and that this span "had a symmetry to it, it was 40 years" that he had lived through. He was asked if he could do a follow-up about the next couple of years after the events that transpired in the original song, and he commented: "No, I wrote one song already and I don't think it was really that good to begin with, melodically". [6]

Critical reception

Upon its release, "We Didn't Start the Fire" was met with a mixed response. David Giles from Music Week wrote, "Promising return which finds Joel in rockier mood with a very wordy song cramming in references to virtually every major figure and event in the twentieth century. After all that, the message of the lyrics is foggy and confused, but this should certainly see him back in the charts." [9]

Though the lyrics are rapid-fire with several people and events mentioned in each stanza, there is widespread agreement on the meaning of the lyrics. Steven Ettinger wrote:

Billy Joel captured the major images, events, and personalities of this half-century in a three-minute song... It was pure information overload, a song that assumed we knew exactly what he was singing about...What was truly alarming was the realization that we, the listeners, for the most part understood the references. [10]

After a cover by Fall Out Boy was released in 2023 to negative critical reception, the song was once again brought to the forefront, and modern critics panned even the original song as one of Joel's worst in his entire catalog. [11] [12] [13]

Music video

External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Billy Joel – We Didn't Start the Fire (Official Video), 4:05
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Billy Joel – We Didn't Start The Fire (Official Video, Extended) 04:26

A music video for the song was directed by Chris Blum. [14] The video begins with a newly married couple entering their 1940s-style kitchen, and shows events in their domestic life over the next four decades, including the addition and growth of their children and grandchildren and the eventual death of the family's father. The passage of time is also depicted by periodic redecoration and upgrades of the kitchen, while an unchanging Billy Joel looks on in the background. Joel is also shown banging on a table in front of a burning backdrop depicting various images that include the execution of Nguyễn Văn Lém and the assassination of Lee Harvey Oswald, among others.

Derivations

Many parodies and takeoffs have been based on the song (often expanding to events that have occurred since 1989). These parodies include The Simpsons' parody "They'll Never Stop the Simpsons" at the end of the 2002 "Gump Roast" episode, [15] and the San Francisco a cappella group The Richter Scales' 2007 Webby Award-winning parody "Here Comes Another Bubble". [16]

On May 17, 1990, the Irish rock band the Memories reached number one on the Irish Singles Chart with their version of the song entitled "The Game (Italia '90)" which celebrated Republic of Ireland's qualification for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. [17] Billy Joel partially covered the Memories version when he performed in Dublin.

In 2004, Boris Novković and Dino Dvornik released a song "Malo nas je, al' nas ima" ("We Are Few, But We Exist"), listing Croatian VIPs and events. [18]

In 2006, Coca-Cola sampled the song to make an anthem for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Latin America, changing the lyrics according to the country. [19]

In 2007, JibJab released an installment of their then-annual "Year in Review" videos, which was set to the tune of "We Didn't Start the Fire".

YouTuber Dane Boedigheimer, known as the creator of the popular comedic web series Annoying Orange , produced a parody as part of YouTube's Comedy Week in 2013 titled "We Didn't Start the Viral", although the video's audio was later replaced for copyright infringement despite being considered fair use as a work of parody. [20]

Pop band Milo Greene performed a version of the song in June 2013 for The A.V. Club 's A.V. Undercover series. [21]

In 2019, talk show host Jimmy Fallon performed a version of the song for The Tonight Show , which highlights characters and moments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Iron Man , leading to Avengers: Endgame , with backup by cast members Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Rudd, Danai Gurira, Karen Gillan and Brie Larson. [22]

On June 28, 2023, Fall Out Boy released their own version of the song with updated lyrics that references events that happened from 1989 to 2023. Unlike Joel's original, Fall Out Boy's version did not list events in chronological order. On September 12, 2023, the band performed it at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. [23] The song was widely panned by fans and critics, [24] especially for its lack of chronological sequencing present in Joel's original and not mentioned other events, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic. Fall Out Boy bassist and lead songwriter, Pete Wentz, said in an interview regarding the exclusion, "It’s like, [COVID-19]'s all anybody talked…[sic] You know what I mean? I don’t know." [25]

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "We Didn't Start the Fire"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [52] Platinum70,000^
Canada (Music Canada) [53] Gold50,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [54] Gold45,000
United Kingdom (BPI) [55] Platinum600,000
United States (RIAA) [56] 3× Platinum3,000,000

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

In 2021, a weekly podcast began, hosted by Katie Puckrik and Tom Fordyce, entitled We Didn't Start the Fire . Each week they examine a subject mentioned in the Billy Joel song, in lyric order, and discuss its importance and cultural significance with an expert guest. [57]

The song features prominently, along with a number of other Billy Joel songs, in the streaming series The Boys from Amazon Prime in which the character Hughie Campbell, played by Jack Quaid, has a preoccupation with the American singer. [58]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Storm Front</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Billy Joel

Storm Front is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on October 17, 1989. It was Joel's third album to reach No. 1 in the U.S. and features "We Didn't Start the Fire", a fast-paced song that cataloged a list of historical events, trends, and cultural icons from 1949 until 1989, which was Joel's third Billboard No. 1 hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uptown Girl</span> 1983 single by Billy Joel

"Uptown Girl" is a song written and performed by American musician Billy Joel from his ninth studio album An Innocent Man (1983), released in September 1983 as the album's second single. The lyrics describe a working-class "downtown man" attempting to woo a wealthy "uptown girl". The 12" EP has the tracks "My Life", "Just the Way You Are" and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me", whereas some 7" single versions featured "Careless Talk" as a B-side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Just the Way You Are (Billy Joel song)</span> 1977 single by Billy Joel

"Just the Way You Are" is a song by Billy Joel from his fifth studio album The Stranger (1977), released as the album's second single in early November 1977. It became both Joel's first US Top 10 and UK Top 20 single, as well as Joel's first Gold single in the US. The song also topped the Billboard Easy Listening Chart for the entire month of January 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stand (R.E.M. song)</span> 1989 single by R.E.M.

"Stand" is a song by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released as the second single from the album Green in 1989. The song peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming R.E.M.'s second top 10 hit in the United States, and topped both the Mainstream Rock Tracks and Modern Rock Tracks charts. The song reached number 48 on the UK Singles Chart and number 16 in Canada. It was placed on R.E.M.'s Warner Bros. Records "best of" album In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003 in 2003, as well as the 2011 compilation album Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghostbusters (song)</span> 1984 single by Ray Parker Jr.

"Ghostbusters" is a song written by American musician Ray Parker Jr. as the theme to the 1984 film Ghostbusters, and included on its soundtrack. Debuting at number 68 on June 16, 1984, the song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on August 11, staying there for three weeks, and at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart on September 16, staying there for three weeks. The song reentered the UK Top 75 on November 2, 2008 at No. 49 and again on November 5, 2021, at No. 38.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Life (Billy Joel song)</span> 1978 single by Billy Joel

"My Life" is a song by Billy Joel that first appeared on his 1978 album 52nd Street. A single version was released in the fall of 1978 and reached No. 2 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart. Early the next year, it peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'll Never Fall in Love Again</span> 1969 single by Bacharach & David

"I'll Never Fall in Love Again" is a popular song by composer Burt Bacharach and lyricist Hal David that was written for the 1968 musical Promises, Promises. Several recordings of the song were released in 1969; the most popular versions were by Dionne Warwick, who took it to number 6 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 and spent three weeks topping the magazine's list of the most popular Easy Listening songs, and Bobbie Gentry, who topped the UK chart with her recording and also peaked at number 1 in Australia and Ireland, number 3 in South Africa and number 5 in Norway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Joel discography</span>

This is the discography of American singer-songwriter Billy Joel. He has released 13 studio albums, seven live albums, 18 compilation albums, 10 video albums, 82 singles, three promotional singles and 45 music videos. Throughout his career, he has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists in history. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Joel has sold 85 million certified albums in the United States, making him the 4th best-selling solo artist of all time. Billboard ranked him as the 9th Greatest male soloist of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mony Mony</span> 1968 single by Tommy James and the Shondells

"Mony Mony" is a 1968 single by American pop rock band Tommy James and the Shondells, which reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 3 in the U.S. Written by Bobby Bloom, Ritchie Cordell, Bo Gentry, and Tommy James, the song has appeared in various film and television works such as the Oliver Stone drama Heaven & Earth. It was also covered by English singer-songwriter Billy Idol in 1981. Idol's version, which took in more of a rock sound, became an international top 40 hit and additionally revived public interest in the original garage rock single. Idol recorded a live version in 1985 which was ultimately released in 1987 where it became an even bigger hit than the Shondells 1968 original, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fall Out Boy discography</span>

The American rock band Fall Out Boy has released eight studio albums, two live albums, two compilation albums, one remix album, one mixtape, nine extended plays, 39 singles, and 53 music videos. Since their formation in 2001, Fall Out Boy have sold over 8.5 million albums worldwide and some estimates are around 30 million. The band was formed in Wilmette, Illinois by friends Joe Trohman and Pete Wentz, who had played in local Chicago hardcore punk and heavy metal bands; Patrick Stump was soon recruited as the band's lead singer. They debuted with the split EP Project Rocket / Fall Out Boy (2002) and the mini-LP Fall Out Boy's Evening Out with Your Girlfriend (2003), both released on Uprising Records. After the release of the latter, drummer Andy Hurley joined Fall Out Boy and Stump picked up guitar, forming the band's current lineup. After signing to indie-label Fueled by Ramen, Fall Out Boy released their first full-length studio album, Take This to Your Grave, in May 2003. Following the album's release, the band signed with major label Island Records. Their second studio album From Under the Cork Tree was released in May 2005 to great commercial success, peaking at number nine on the United States Billboard 200 and being certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album's popularity was aided by the success of its first two singles, "Sugar, We're Goin Down" and "Dance, Dance", which both became top ten hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 and eventually sold over two million downloads each.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Can Help</span> 1974 single by Billy Swan

"I Can Help" is a song written and performed by Billy Swan. Released in July 1974, the song was a big crossover smash, reaching No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Singles charts late that fall. Although Swan had other charting singles on both the Hot 100 and country charts, the song is generally recognized as being Swan's only major hit single release. However, Swan had continued success as a songwriter for other artists and as a session musician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keeping the Faith (song)</span> 1985 single by Billy Joel

"Keeping the Faith" is a song by rock singer-songwriter Billy Joel, from his 1983 album An Innocent Man, serving as its closing track and the final single released from the album. The cover for the single shows an image of Joel and the judge in the "jukebox" courtroom from the video.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Go to Extremes</span> 1989 single by Billy Joel

"I Go to Extremes" is a song by American singer Billy Joel from his eleventh studio album, Storm Front (1989), released as the album's second US single in early 1990. It reached the number-six position on the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number three on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart. The song was also a top-10 hit on both the Billboard Adult Contemporary and Album Rock Tracks charts. The song also reached at number 70 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock On (David Essex song)</span> Single by David Essex

"Rock On" is a song written by English singer David Essex. Recorded in 1973 and released as a single by Essex, it became an international hit. In 1989, American actor and singer Michael Damian recorded a cover version that went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song has been recorded many times, including a 2006 version by the English hard rock group Def Leppard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beat It</span> 1983 single by Michael Jackson

"Beat It" is a song by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson from his sixth studio album, Thriller (1982). It was written and composed by Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones and co-produced by Jackson. Jones encouraged Jackson to include a rock song on the album. Jackson later said: "I wanted to write a song, the type of song that I would buy if I were to buy a rock song... and I wanted the children to really enjoy it—the school children as well as the college students." It includes a guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shameless (Billy Joel song)</span> 1991 single by Billy Joel

"Shameless" is a song written by American singer Billy Joel and recorded on his 1989 album Storm Front. His version peaked at No. 40 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts. Two years later, the song was covered by country music artist Garth Brooks on his third studio album, 1991's Ropin' the Wind. Brooks' rendering of the song was his seventh No. 1 hit on the Billboard country charts in late 1991. It also reached No. 71 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Matter of Trust</span> 1986 single by Billy Joel

"A Matter of Trust" is a song by Billy Joel from his 1986 album The Bridge. It was released as the album's second single and became a top ten hit. The song gained major traction in the Soviet Union as part of a state-sponsored television promotion of Joel's songs in preparation for his 1987 USSR concerts, recorded on Kontsert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">With You I'm Born Again</span> 1979 single by Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright

"With You I'm Born Again" is a 1979 duet written by Carol Connors and David Shire that originated on the soundtrack of the 1979 motion picture Fast Break. It was performed by Motown recording artists Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright and became an international hit for the duo, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the UK singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Shack</span> 1989 dance song by the B-52s

"Love Shack" is a song by American new wave band the B-52s from their fifth studio album, Cosmic Thing (1989). It was released on June 20, 1989, and was produced by Don Was. The song was a comeback for the band, following their decline in popularity in the mid-1980s and the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">We Didn't Start the Fire (Fall Out Boy song)</span> 2023 single by Fall Out Boy

"We Didn't Start the Fire" is a 2023 single by American rock band Fall Out Boy. It is a cover of Billy Joel's 1989 song "We Didn't Start the Fire", updating the song's cultural references to span the years since the original was released. Critics reacted negatively to the song, panning the tone and content of its updated lyrics.

References

  1. "New Singles". Music Week . September 16, 1989. p. 36.
  2. Curwen Best (2004). Culture @ the Cutting Edge: Tracking Caribbean Popular Music. University of the West Indies Press. p. 138. ISBN   978-976-640-124-5.
  3. Matthias, Meg. "All 119 References in "We Didn't Start the Fire," Explained". Britannica.
  4. Nadboy, Arie (March 1996). "I am the Edu-Tainer". Island Ear. Cited by Bordowitz (2006) , p. 169.
  5. 1 2 Horn, David (Director) (1993). Billy Joel: Shades of Grey (Motion picture). New York: Thirteen/WNET and Maritime Music.
  6. 1 2 Billy Joel - Q&A: Tell Us About "We Didn't Start The Fire"? (Oxford 1994) , retrieved January 19, 2023
  7. del Rosario, Alexandra (June 29, 2023). "Fall Out Boy updated Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start the Fire.' Fans say it's 'unhinged'". The Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on September 1, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  8. The song describes events between 1949 (when the Soviet Union detonated their first atomic bomb) and 1989 (when the Berlin Wall fell).
  9. Giles, David (September 30, 1989). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week . p. 25. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  10. Ettinger, Steven (2003). Torah 24/7: A Timely Guide for the Modern Spirit. Devorah Publishing Company. p. 2. ISBN   1-930143-73-7 . Retrieved April 2, 2010.
  11. "The 33 Things Wrong With Fall Out Boy's Updated "We Didn't Start the Fire"". Slate . June 28, 2023. Archived from the original on June 28, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023. Billy Joel's original is awful—even Joel himself compares its melody to a dentist's drill
  12. Good, Owen S. (June 28, 2023). "Somehow, Fall Out Boy made an all-time bad song even worse". Polygon . Archived from the original on July 1, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023. Where Joel's day-zero cringegasm...
  13. D'Andrea, Christian (June 28, 2023). "Fall Out Boy's We Didn't Start the Fire means we live in a circle of hell that would leave Dante breathless". USA Today . Archived from the original on June 29, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023. So, Fall Out Boy decided to update and somehow make worse the worst Billy Joel song...
  14. Garcia, Alex S. Billy Joel – We didn't start the fire Archived October 21, 2018, at the Wayback Machine . MVDBase – Music Video Database.
  15. Seisman, Matt (April 16, 2009). "We Didn't Start the Song Parody". Techland.com. Time.com. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  16. "12th Annual Webby Awards Nominees & Winners : Online Film & Video". WebbyAwards.com. 2008. Archived from the original on September 16, 2009.
  17. "The Game (Italia '90)" via YouTube.
  18. Malo Nas Je Al Nas Ima . Retrieved May 10, 2024 via www.youtube.com.
  19. "5 populares canciones que la publicidad transformó en jingles". Merca20.com. November 20, 2014.
  20. Kurp, Josh (May 24, 2013). "'We Didn't Start The Viral' Is A Musical Recap Of YouTube's Greatest Hits". Uproxx.com. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  21. "Milo Greene covers Billy Joel". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  22. "Avengers: Endgame Cast Sings "We Didn't Start the Fire"". The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. April 22, 2019. NBC. Retrieved January 19, 2023 via YouTube.
  23. Greene, Andy (June 28, 2023). "Hear Fall Out Boy's Updated Take on 'We Didn't Start The Fire' That Covers 1989 to 2023". Rolling Stone . Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  24. Del Rosario, Alexandra (June 29, 2023). "Fall Out Boy updated Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start the Fire.' Fans say it's 'unhinged'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  25. Rettig, James (June 28, 2023). "Pete Wentz Explains Why Fall Out Boy's Updated "We Didn't Start The Fire" Isn't Chronological And Doesn't Mention COVID". Stereogum. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  26. "Billy Joel – We Didn't Start The Fire". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  27. "Billy Joel – We Didn't Start The Fire" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  28. "Billy Joel – We Didn't Start The Fire" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  29. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5106." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  30. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9824." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  31. "Eurochart – Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music and Media . World Radio History: V. November 25, 1989. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  32. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Billy Joel". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  33. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN   4-87131-077-9.
  34. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Billy Joel" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  35. "Billy Joel – We Didn't Start The Fire" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  36. "Billy Joel – We Didn't Start The Fire". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  37. "Playlist Report" (PDF). Music and Media . worldradiohistory.com: II. November 11, 1989. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  38. "Billy Joel: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  39. "Billy Joel Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  40. "Billy Joel Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  41. "Billy Joel Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  42. "Billy Joel Chart History (Rock Digital Song Sales)". Billboard . Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  43. "Billy Joel Chart History (Rock Streaming Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  44. "Offiziellecharts.de – Billy Joel – We Didn't Start The Fire" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  45. "1989 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA . Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  46. "Jaaroverzichten 1989: Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  47. "Canada RPM Top Singles of 1989" . Retrieved August 9, 2010.
  48. "Year End Singles". Record Mirror . January 27, 1990. p. 44.
  49. "Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1990". RPM. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
  50. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1990" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  51. "1990 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 51. December 22, 1990. p. YE-14.
  52. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1990 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  53. "Canadian single certifications – Billy Joel – We Didn't Start the Fire". Music Canada . Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  54. "Danish single certifications – Billy Joel – We Didn't Start the Fire". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  55. "British single certifications – Billy Joel – We Didn't Start the Fire". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  56. "American single certifications – Billy Joel – We Didn't Start the Fire". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  57. "Raves, musicals and a time-travelling diner: 20 must-listen indie podcast gems". TheGuardian.com . August 2021.
  58. Lawrence, Frank (January 27, 2021). "Joel's 'We Didn't Start the Fire' inspires projects".

Bibliography