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Answers to Readers' Questions on History
Start the Fire Facts
The following 35 comments and questions have been sent in. They are listed according to date.
List of first 10 items
- Added information on Peter Pan and Davy Crockett
- Doris Day, Marilyn Monroe and Liberace
- Doing a project on the song
- Thinks facts on McCarthy are incorrect
- What is the image in the video?
- This song by Billy Joel is a masterpiece
- This song by Billy Joel is amazing
- Who wrote the song?
- Everyone missed the point of the song
- Why is Rockefeller in the song?
Added information on Peter Pan and Davy Crockett
Question
April 22, 2009
I just had my 7th grade humanities class research topics from this song. We found that "Peter Pan" could mean Operation Peter Pan (where Catholic Americans brought Cuban children to the US to keep them "safe" and encourage their parents to come to America.)
Davey Crockett was also the name of a bomb that was made during that era.
We were all surprised to find this info, so I thought I would share it with you!
Thanks!
- USA
17649
Answer
Thanks for sharing that information.
There are a number of objects or activities that were named after historical events or people. For some reason, the military often give names to their operations that are somewhat silly names. But it is interesting trivia.
In the story and movie, Peter Pan was a boy who could fly. I guess Operation Peter Pan was named that way because they flew the children to the U.S. Other things about Peter Pan is that there is Peter Pan Peanut Butter and several racehorses have been named Peter Pan.
There was a Davy Crockett bomb and a Davy Crockett rifle used by the Army the 1960s. I guess the scientists like the TV show, so that is why they gave the bomb its name.
Doris Day, Marilyn Monroe and Liberace
Question
May 2, 2007
What is the theme between Doris Day, Marilyn Monroe and Liberace. what do they have in common and what connects them?
oksana - Russia
16687
Answer
They are completely different types of entertainers and seem to have little in common..
Doris Day was blond and acted and sang. She was very wholesome.
Marilyn Monroe was blond and acted. She played sexy roles.
Liberace was a man with wavy hair. He played the piano and dressed in fancy coats.
The only connection I can see is that they were entertainers.
Doing a project on the song
Question
May 12, 2008
this song is so awsome!!!!!!!!! i also am doing the project mentioned before by alena i think its cool how he did the song from his birth year to mine..;)
Mark - USA
15937
Answer
Thanks for the feedback. Best wishes in your project.
Thinks facts on McCarthy are incorrect
Question
March 16, 2008
Thanks very much for the Lyrics of "We didn't start the fire." I don't know if you care, but you have the facts all wrong on McCarthy. If you do care, I suggest you do some research instead of just repeating the myth.
- USA
15549
Answer
As far as I know, the information on Sen. Joe McCarthy are correct and based on historical research. If you have any information that is different, I would be glad to hear it.
What is the image in the video?
Question
March 8, 2008
At 1:28 during the 1956 lyrics in the Billy Joel video, there is a black and white image of something suspended by ropes. What is this an image of?
Pamela - USA
15502
Answer
It is a photo of a black man or African-American tied to a tree before being lynched. Even during that time, some innocent blacks were hung in the deep South by members of the Ku Klux Klan.
This song by Billy Joel is a masterpiece
Question
December 6, 2007
this song by billy joel is a masterpiece, i have to do a project on it in history and im glad, because if it wasnt for my history teacher i wouldn never have heard this amazing song. i hope will inspire everyone to really think about the years involved behind the making on this song and all the work that was put into making it on billy joel's part
Alena - USA
14919
Answer
Yes, I agree that it is a great song. And it is good to look at the history behind the events.
This song by Billy Joel is amazing
Question
November 29, 2007
This song by Billy Joel is....is amazing. right now i have to do a project on the things in his song for school and his song really has me thinking about evrything that happened then and thats happing now too. It really makes me think about the war going on in Iraq and like is it really worth losing all those lives for our towers? But then i think about how we are helping the government get back on its feet over there. This song can make a girl think really hard about more than her hair and nails and how they look for school. So I must say im extremly glad my history teacher gave her class this project because who knows it might make someone do something and change something as in the Domino Theaory, you know?
Alena :) - USA
14877
Answer
Yes the song is amazing. Many people wish he would write and sing another one that is about more recent events.
I'm glad it got you thinking. Hopefully, we can all make the world a better place to live.
Who wrote the song?
Question
July 8, 2007
I just want to know that who says the "we didnt start the fire"? I just whos that person... pls help mo thx and more power... god blees
deon - Philippines
14035
Answer
An American singer named Billy Joel wrote the words and sang the song.
Everyone missed the point of the song
Question
June 1, 2007
I have read all of this page, and while everyone tries to disect every little thing in his song, I think everyone missed the point.The point is that all the things mentioned in his song were things that he saw in his liftime up to that point and he was trying to put people on notice that our generation didn't start the ball rolling on all this maddness taking place in the world, but that it had been going on since time's beginning and that if you want to blame us, dig a little further back in history and you'll see very simular things happened then, and since we haven't, and most likley never will, learn from the past,this mess we now have will not get better but worse, which is why he says, "China's under martial law,rock and roller cola wars,I can't take it anymore."
It's hard to reconcile how Americans can be so involved in the coke war drivile, while around the world people are dying to get the basic freedoms all human should have. If people had common sense, which most don't, and looked at the esclating maddness throughout the world instead of concerning themselves with the self centered meaningless crap that they do,they would have a whole different outlook on things.
Indeed, Billy Joel, who apperently has common sense, "couldn't take it anymore." It's enough to drive a normal person insane looking at all the crazieness in the world today.
For example,how many people are aware of the genocide carried out in Camboida by the Kamer Rough in the 70's.How about today in Rwanda.
Ask yourself, are thing's worse since his song was released?
William - USA
13860
Answer
Your interpretation of what Billy Joel was trying to say in this song makes sense. To an extent, he may have been complaining about how we are blasted by the news media with so many stories, some important and some trivial.
I think the reason the news media did not follow up on the genocide in Cambodia and do not say much about the recent problems in Dufar is a combination of the fact that the government isn't interested and that the stories do not sell newspapers. It seems that many important stories are displayed today and then forgotten about as the reporters rush to the next "hot story" of the day.
Why is Rockefeller in the song?
Question
May 16, 2007
why does Rockefeller has to be in the song?
or why is he in the song?
Sandy - USA
13795
Answer
He was in the news during that era. If you go down to Rockefeller, you will see that it is not clear which Rockefeller Billy Joel was talking about.
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