When I was in high school,
Apr. 9th, 2003 11:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
camwynfreshling year, I think, Billy Joel's song 'We Didn't Start The Fire' came out. I was very impressed by the way he compressed all that historical stuff into three minutes, and my parents were pleased at how much of it I recognized, since they'd lived through it. My trivia bowl team used it to practice before meets.
Some time after it peaked, I was listening to the oldies station and a Temptations song came on. My dad recognized it and said, "This was 'We Didn't Start The Fire' before there was a 'We Didn't Start The Fire'." I listened to the words and realized yeah, he was probably right.
I recently looked at the lyrics again and found myself thinking that the song's gone and become applicable again. It fits so bloody much of what's going on in the news these days...
People moving out,
People moving in.
why, because of the color of their skin
run, run, run but you sho' can't hide
An eye for an eye,tooth for a tooth,
vote for me and I'll set you free
rap on, brother, rap on
The only person talking about love thy brother is the preacher
and it seems
nobody's interested in learning
but the teacher
segregation, determination, demonstration, intergration,
Aggravation, humiliation, obligation to our nation
Ball of confusion, oh yeah
That's what the world is today, hey
The sale of pills are at an all time high
young folks walking round with their heads in the sky
the cities ablaze in the summertime, and oh
the beat goes on
evolution, revolution, gun control, sound of soul
shooting rockets to the moon
kids growing up too soon
politicians say more taxes, will solve everything
and the band played on
So, round and around and around we go
where the world's headed, nobody knows
Oh, Great Googamooga, can't you hear me talking to you
just a ball of confusion, oh yeah
that's what the world is today, hey
Fear in the air, tension everywhere
unemployment rising fast, the Beatles new record's a gas
and the only safe place to live, is on an indian reservation
and the band played on
Eve of destruction, tax deduction
city inspectors, bill collectors
mod clothes in demand,
population out of hand,
suicide, too many bills
hippies moving to the hills
people all over the world are shouting end the war
and the band played on
Oh, Great Googamooga, can't you hear me talking to you
just a ball of confusion,
that's what the world is today, hey
(Adlib and close)
Just a thought.
Some time after it peaked, I was listening to the oldies station and a Temptations song came on. My dad recognized it and said, "This was 'We Didn't Start The Fire' before there was a 'We Didn't Start The Fire'." I listened to the words and realized yeah, he was probably right.
I recently looked at the lyrics again and found myself thinking that the song's gone and become applicable again. It fits so bloody much of what's going on in the news these days...
People moving out,
People moving in.
why, because of the color of their skin
run, run, run but you sho' can't hide
An eye for an eye,tooth for a tooth,
vote for me and I'll set you free
rap on, brother, rap on
The only person talking about love thy brother is the preacher
and it seems
nobody's interested in learning
but the teacher
segregation, determination, demonstration, intergration,
Aggravation, humiliation, obligation to our nation
Ball of confusion, oh yeah
That's what the world is today, hey
The sale of pills are at an all time high
young folks walking round with their heads in the sky
the cities ablaze in the summertime, and oh
the beat goes on
evolution, revolution, gun control, sound of soul
shooting rockets to the moon
kids growing up too soon
politicians say more taxes, will solve everything
and the band played on
So, round and around and around we go
where the world's headed, nobody knows
Oh, Great Googamooga, can't you hear me talking to you
just a ball of confusion, oh yeah
that's what the world is today, hey
Fear in the air, tension everywhere
unemployment rising fast, the Beatles new record's a gas
and the only safe place to live, is on an indian reservation
and the band played on
Eve of destruction, tax deduction
city inspectors, bill collectors
mod clothes in demand,
population out of hand,
suicide, too many bills
hippies moving to the hills
people all over the world are shouting end the war
and the band played on
Oh, Great Googamooga, can't you hear me talking to you
just a ball of confusion,
that's what the world is today, hey
(Adlib and close)
Just a thought.
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And the band played on
Date: 2003-04-09 11:36 pm (UTC)People moving out people moving in why because of the color of their skin
Run, run, run but you just can't hide
An eye for and eye a tooth for a tooth vote for me I'll set you free
Rap on brother rap on
The only person talkin' 'bout love thy brother is the preacher
See nobody interested in learning but the teacher
Segregation, temination, demonstration, integration, aggrivation, humiliation
Obligation to the nation
Ball of confusion that's what the world is today
Ball of confusion that's what the world is today
The saying is at an all time high cities aflame in the summertime and
The beat goes (evolution, revolution [repeat])
Gun control the sound of soul politicians, can you fucking believe them
And the band played on, and the band played
Round and around and around we go wherever we're standing nobody knows
Here comes the brother can't you hear me talking to ya
It's a ball of confusion that's what your world is today
Ball of confusion that's what your world is today
Fear in the air tension everywhere Unemployment rising fast killer gangs watch your ass gun control the sound of soul
Segregation, termination, demonstration, integration, aggrivation, humiliation
Obligation to the nation
Ball of confusion that's what your world is today
Ball of confusion that's what your world is today
Ball of ocnfusion that's what your world is today
Ball of confusion that's what your world is today
That's what your world is today
Ball of confusion, ball of confusion, ball of confusion that's what your world is today
Re: And the band played on
Date: 2003-04-10 07:00 am (UTC)