June 29, 2023 – NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) – Alternative “emo” quartet Fall Out Boy has released a cover of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” complete with updated lyrics to reflect the history of the world from 1989 to the present.
The G.O.A.T., I mean Joel’s original version, a No. 1 hit in the US covers several events from 1949 to the year of its release, 1989, name-checking pop culture and historical milestones from Richard Nixon and Mickey Mantle to the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Catcher in the Rye. A whole year of history class wrapped up in four minutes.
However, time rolled on, and it was time for another artist to provide their own lesson. Enter Fall Out Boy with their informative update. The band’s version references Taylor Swift, Iron Man, BREXIT, George Floyd, multiple mass shooting references, Kurt Cobain, Stranger Things, and more. Below is a side-by-side lyrical comparison of a few lyrics.
Joel – “Roy Cohn, Juan Peron / Toscanini, Dacron”
Fall Out Boy – “Unabomber, Bobbit, John / Bombing Boston Marathon”
Joel – “JFK – blown away, what else do I have to say?”
Fall Out Boy – “World Trade – second plane / What else do I have to say?”
Fall Out Boy shared the news of their release on Instagram.
“I thought about this song a lot when I was younger,” Fall Out Boy wrote. “All these important people and events- some that disappeared into the sands of time- others that changed the world forever. So much has happened in the span of the last 34 years- we felt like a little system update might be fun. Hope you like our take on it…”
The band is currently on its So Much For (Tour) Dust tour which follows its “So Much (For) Stardust” album, which was released in March. You can listen to the new release below.
