Billy Joel and Fall Out Boy recently collaborated on a unique remake of one of the pop icon’s most famous songs, “We Didn’t Start the Fire”. The original hit, released in 1989, features references to 118 major political, cultural and scientific events from 1949 to 1989. Fall Out Boy’s updated version, released last month, continues the timeline from 1989 to 2023.
The rock star recently spoke to BBC Radio 2’s Zoe Ball following his headline performance at London’s BST Hyde Park about how he feels about the remake. “Everybody’s been wanting to know when there’s going to be an updated version of it, because my song started in ’49 and ended in ’89 – it was a 40-year span,” Joel said. “Everybody said, ‘Well, aren’t you going to do a part two?’ I said, ‘Nah, I’ve already done part one.’ So, Fall Out Boy, go ahead. Great, take it away.”
Fall Out Boy’s bassist Pete Wentz explained why the group chose not to include any references to the COVID-19 pandemic in the remade lyrics. “It’s like, that’s all anybody talked… You know what I mean? I don’t know. It felt like there was a couple of things that felt like a little on the nose,” he said. “And then there were a couple of things where it was like … Bush V. Gore, we needed the rhyme.”
The remake was well-received by fans, and has spawned a new wave of interest in the original song. Additionally, the pop-punk band have also been featured on Taylor Swift’s new LP Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) with their song “Electric Touch”. It’s clear that the collaboration between Joel and Fall Out Boy has been a success, and fans can only hope for more collaborations between the two in the future.
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