For 10 years, whenever I heard this song, I was imagining this interactive experience, where I could read and learn about that storm of historical references Billy was throwing at me from the speakers of my '97 Skoda Octavia. Now, finally, I found some time to actually build it out!
“We Didn’t Start the Fire” is Billy Joel’s rapid-fire rundown of events from 1949–1989 — a dense stream of historical figures, cultural shifts, conflicts, and milestones compressed into four minutes. This site breaks down each reference with clear explanations and reliable sources, letting you follow the timeline in sync with the video or explore the full list at your own pace.
I hope you will enjoy this, as much as I have enjoyed creating it!