We Didn't the Fire

1989 saw the end of the 80's, and it also saw the release of Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start the Fire'. Billy Joel is a notorious history buff and his number 1 hit lists a plethora of historical people and events in his verses, from Truman to Watergate. Aside from being a massive hit, We Didn't Start the Fire marks a moment in American History. Coming at the end of the 80's, the single almost put a full stop on the decade, whilst providing it with an important summary. This is in relation mostly to the chorus, and the line 'We Didn't Start the Fire' can be understood in a number of ways. For example, it could be an almost apologetic statemtent on behalf of America for events that have been caused in the past. Or, it could be an example of American exceptionalism, and a portrayal of Reagan's America. Or, as Billy Joel mentioned in one interview, it could be a nostalgic look at world history and a presentation of a lack of meaningful history created by the 80's generation. Whether this is true or not however, is left to debate.

As for a song that will be around in 30 years, i have chosen Katy Perry's Firework. This is for no other reason than that it adheres to all pop conformities, and realistically nothing keeps a song around more than it sounding good, and even if Katy Perry's look dates in 30 years with time (surely not, right?) nothing stops the power of a good pop song.