Billy Joel: We Didn't Start the Fire

As we hear Billy Joel mention the events of the '50s through the late '80s, we see him standing by while an American family goes through various events of their own during the same time period. Actress Marlee Matlin plays a woman in the '60s part doing stuff like burning her bra. Scenes go by so fast, one doesn't have time to really tell what's going on so one would have to watch more than once to get it. I myself had just watched it on YouTube for my first time so I'll probably do that...Still I say Billy Joel: We Didn't Start the Fire video is worth a look.

Back in 1989 this top 40 hit from Billy Joel caught everyone's attention as the people mentioned so many past famous political and historical people who had made an impact thru life changing and impacting cultural as Joel mentions so many notable known names in his song. The music video rocks showing Billy playing a piano with fire behind him looking at the past in a kitchen and one sees how times change with happenings and events also actress Marlee Matlin has a small role and part in the music video. Great super video that with the video images and words of the song showed how time changes with things and each generation reflects on it!

A fantastic combination between art, history and pop culture all in one video clip. Billy Joel's song "We Didn't Start the Fire" represents the period between 1949 (when he was born) to 1989 (the music release) and accounts to events of which the writer describes as things his generation wasn't responsible, mentioning famous personalities in politics, arts and others to particular events such as epic films releases, presidents assassinations to the moon race and others. The clip echoes sentiments and cultural aspects but doesn't necessarily follow all that.

The music video presents the physical and cultural evolution of an American family through the course of four decades, starting as a typical "I Love Lucy" kind of family, very sitcom like, through the rebellion of the counter-culture of the 1960's and Woodstock flower children - and by this time we have the parents aging each frame goes by - to the 1980's rock/pop explosion during the Reagan era.

Joel's song was so influential and interesting that in the following years, thanks to Youtubbers, many fans had made their compilations and versions to the song (even including updates with facts from 1990 and onwards) which includes pictures from the personalities and events mentioned in the lyrics. But this clip approach was to give a more cinematic setting and concept which revolves the transformation that happens to an American family and how things swing in several ways: the parents are running towards old age and can't keep up to new values while the youngsters grow up to rebel them and live their lives. It doesn't stick to the song entirely but maintains its concept. The execution was brilliant, and Billy appears as a background character who appears through the years in the exact same fashion: wearing black clothes and shades, using objects as musical instruments and during the song chorus appears in front of a real background image (e.g. Lee Harvey Oswald's killing or the Vietnamese captain's execution in the Pulitzer Prize winning image).

A spectacular song and an even more satisfying clip. One of the greatest of all time. 10/10.