# Historical events most people only know of because a song was written about them **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 2, 2010, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882 "2010-08-02T13:35:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/1 "2010-08-02T13:35:11Z")
I watched as Nova show yesterday about Manfred von Richthofen a/k/a [The Red Baron.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manfred_von_Richthofen) How many people have only heard of the Red Baron because of [The Royal Guardsmen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snoopy_Vs._The_Red_Baron)? How many people have only heard about Eva Person because of [Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evita_(musical))? How many people have only heard of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald because of [Gordon Lightfoot](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wreck_of_the_Edmund_Fitzgerald)? ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/2 "2010-08-02T13:44:40Z")
I know about the Red Baron because of Snoopy. I suspect most people only know about the Battle of New Orleans because of being forced to sing it in elementary school music classes. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/3 "2010-08-02T13:45:40Z")
The Red Baron’s probably more well known through Peanuts strips then the song. Can’t argue with Edmund Fitzgerald though, doubt it would get a hundreth of its current recognition without the Lightfoot song. I doubt the Battle of Baltimore would be known beyond historians of early American History if Francis Scott Key hadn’t been there. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/4 "2010-08-02T13:46:18Z")
edmund fitzgerald for sure. but the obvious answers come from most of the things mentioned in Billy Joel’s We didn’t start the fire. i mean, just off the top of my head: edsel was a no go, panmunjom, children of thalidomide, and bernie Goetz would have all been unexposed to me had it not been for the song. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/5 "2010-08-02T15:34:01Z")
Tin soldiers and Nixon coming, we’re finally on our own. Actually there were a fair number from that era that could qualify both in terms of events and culture (such as Steppenwolf’s The Pusher). ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/6 "2010-08-02T15:46:55Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > Tin soldiers and Nixon coming, we’re finally on our own. You think most people only know about the Kent State Massacre because of the Crosby Stills and Nash song? That seems pretty unlikely, there’s still a pretty large number of people who were alive during the actual incident. And amongst the rest of us, the famous photo has probably done at least as much as “Ohio” do put the event in public consciousness. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/7 "2010-08-02T15:47:08Z")
Eva Peron and the musical Evita is the best example you have there. I know who the Red Baron is, but I’ve never heard a song about him. I’d never heard of the Edward Fitzgerald, or the song. Wonder how many people know Istanbul used to be Constantinople and New York was New Amsterdam just from the song. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/8 "2010-08-02T16:33:34Z")
Most people still don’t know about the [Whiskey Rebellion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiskey_Rebellion), but it was referred to in the somewhat obscure song [Copper Kettle](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Copper-Kettle-lyrics-Bob-Dylan/227492044683FC94482569690034880C) (“We ain’t paid no whiskey tax since 1792”). [“Copper Kettle” as done by Joan Baez.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r5thGMkts0&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/9 "2010-08-02T16:43:26Z")
Okay, hands up anyone who knows anything about the [Battle Of Borodino](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1812_overture) ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/10 "2010-08-02T17:04:17Z")
I learned all I know about the conquest of Jerusalem and the subsequent enslavement of the Jews in 538BC from Boney M’s [By the Rivers of Babylon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivers_of_Babylon). ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/11 "2010-08-02T17:04:57Z")
I had never heard of [The Year Without a Summer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Without_a_Summer) until I heard the Rasputina song [1816, The Year Without a Summer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxeXHMHOcqQ) (youtube link) and looked it up to see if it was something they just made up or if it was real. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/12 "2010-08-02T17:17:35Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > I learned all I know about the conquest of Jerusalem and the subsequent enslavement of the Jews in 538BC from Boney M’s [By the Rivers of Babylon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivers_of_Babylon). The show Godspell had [On The Willows There](http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/godspell/onthewillowsmatthew2620-30.htm), and many people have recorded [By The Waters of Babylon](http://www.lyrics007.com/Don%20McLean%20Lyrics/Babylon%20Lyrics.html), both from the same source. ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/13 "2010-08-02T17:29:54Z")
There’s [Pippin, the Hunchback](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepin_the_Hunchback), there was a [musical on Broadway](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pippin_(musical)) about him in the ‘70s, Ben Vereen was in it. I also looked up information about the [Expulsion of the Acadians](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expulsion_of_the_Acadians)after listening to the song “Acadian Driftwood” by The Band (I can’t access you tube from work); it also prompted me to read the poem “Evangeline” by Longfellow. ---
**Author:** ![GHO57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@GHO57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GHO57)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/14 "2010-08-02T17:48:45Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Okay, hands up anyone who knows anything about the [Battle Of Borodino](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1812_overture) Here. Not that I have the orders of battle memorized or anything, but I could probably give a basic rundown of the fighting… it’s probably the most significant single battle in the 19th century. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/15 "2010-08-02T17:54:50Z")
Anybody who is a fan of Al Stewart can list bunches. Per Wiki: ``` ** World War I pilots - "Fields of France", from the album Last Days of the Century * The career of Admiral Sir John Fisher of the World War I Royal Navy inspired "Old Admirals", from Past, Present, and Future * The Wehrmacht's invasion of the Soviet Union in World War II is the focus of "Roads to Moscow", from Past, Present, and Future. There are references to both Wehrmacht General Heinz Guderian and also to the German Tiger tank and to the brutal treatment of returning Russian soldiers, which is drawn from the Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn book The Gulag Archipelago. * Both the Basque separatists in Spain and the crisis in the former republic of Rhodesia are referenced in "On the Border", from Year of the Cat * The English sailor Sir Richard Grenville is profiled in "Lord Grenville", from Year of the Cat. * The French Revolution is addressed in the song "The Palace of Versailles", from Time Passages. * The assassin of Jean-Paul Marat is the subject of "Charlotte Corday", from Famous Last Words. * The scandals of the foreshortened Warren Harding administration are the subject of "Warren Harding" from Past, Present and Future.* ``` ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/16 "2010-08-02T18:00:15Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > - The French Revolution is addressed in the song “The Palace of Versailles”, from Time Passages. Your contention is that most people only know of the French Revolution through an Al Stewart song? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/17 "2010-08-02T18:06:08Z")
I overlooked that one and so didn’t edit it from the list. Truth be told, I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out that the majority of Americans had never heard of the French Revolution **at all** , much less from a song. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/18 "2010-08-02T18:10:14Z")
Marine Corp Hymn details several important battles. Tripoli > [@](#): > > In 1805 Marines stormed the Barbary pirates’ harbor fortress stronghold of Derna (Tripoli), commemorated in the Marine Corp Hymn invocation “To the Shores of Tripoli.” First Lieutenant O’Bannon is remembered for heroism in the battle for Derna. O’Bannon’s Marines were the first U.S. forces to hoist the flag over territory in the Old World. The “Mameluke” sword, carried by Marines officers today, was presented to O’Bannon in 1805. It’s been 25 years and I still stand a little taller when I hear it. ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/d38xUsc-fyI/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/d38xUsc-fyI?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque From the Halls of Montezuma, To the shores of Tripoli; We fight our country’s battles In the air, on land, and sea; First to fight for right and freedom And to keep our honor clean; We are proud to claim the title Of United States Marine. Our flag’s unfurled to every breeze From dawn to setting sun; We have fought in every clime and place Where we could take a gun; In the snow of far-off Northern lands And in sunny tropic scenes; You will find us always on the job The United States Marines. Here’s health to you and to our Corps Which we are proud to serve; In many a strife we’ve fought for life And never lost our nerve; If the Army and the Navy Ever look on Heaven’s scenes; They will find the streets are guarded By United States Marines. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/19 "2010-08-02T18:14:37Z")
I frst learned of Rasputin, a “cat who was really gone”, from Boney M’s historical epic. But I was very young at the time. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882/20 "2010-08-02T18:28:45Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Marine Corp Hymn details several important battles. Tripoli > > > [@](#): > > > > In 1805 Marines stormed the Barbary pirates’ harbor fortress stronghold of Derna (Tripoli), commemorated in the Marine Corp Hymn invocation “To the Shores of Tripoli.” First Lieutenant O’Bannon is remembered for heroism in the battle for Derna. O’Bannon’s Marines were the first U.S. forces to hoist the flag over territory in the Old World. The “Mameluke” sword, carried by Marines officers today, was presented to O’Bannon in 1805. > > It’s been 25 years and I still stand a little taller when I hear it. > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d38xUsc-fyI](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d38xUsc-fyI) > From the Halls of Montezuma, > To the shores of Tripoli; > We fight our country’s battles > In the air, on land, and sea; > First to fight for right and freedom > And to keep our honor clean; > We are proud to claim the title > Of United States Marine. > > Our flag’s unfurled to every breeze > From dawn to setting sun; > We have fought in every clime and place > Where we could take a gun; > In the snow of far-off Northern lands > And in sunny tropic scenes; > You will find us always on the job > The United States Marines. > > Here’s health to you and to our Corps > Which we are proud to serve; > In many a strife we’ve fought for life > And never lost our nerve; > If the Army and the Navy > Ever look on Heaven’s scenes; > They will find the streets are guarded > By United States Marines. Also for that war - “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda” ([Pogues version here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZqN1glz4JY)) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historical-events-most-people-only-know-of-because-a-song-was-written-about-them/548882.md?page=2)