# Popular songs that teach a lesson (i.e. We didn't start the fire) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2002, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803 "2002-10-04T06:32:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2002, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/41 "2002-10-06T20:07:41Z")
More from Warren Zevon - “Veracruz” \* I heard Woodrow Wilson’s guns I heard Maria crying Late last night I heard the news That was dying Veracruz was dying… \* These are the background chanting lyrics in “Run Straight Down” -\* (4-Aminobiphenyl, hexachlorobenzene Dimethyl sulfate, chloromethyl methylether 2, 3, 7, 8-Tetrachlorodibenzo- para-dioxin, carbon disulfide) (Dibromochloropane, chlorinated benzenes, 2-Nitropropane, pentachlorophenol, Benzotrichloride, strontium chromate 1, 2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane) \* Then the lyrics kick in, while the chant repeats in the background: \* I went walking in the wasted city Started thinking about entropy Smelled the wind from the ruined river Went home to watch TV And it’s worse when I try to remember When I think about then and now I’d rather see it on the news at eleven Sit back, and watch it run straight down… \* Incidentally, David Gilmour from Pink Floyd plays the guitar parts on this song. And “Turmoil” is really just a song about how the changes in Russia caused all kinds of internal chaos. - Well you can talk about your perestroika And that’s all right for you But, Comrade Schevardnadze, tell me What’s a poor boy like me to do? Turmoil back in Moscow brought this turbulence down on me Turmoil back in Moscow brought this turbulence down on me Well, we’ve been fightin’ with the mujahaddin Down in Afghanistan Comrade Gorbachev, can I Go back to Vladivostok, man? \* etc… ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/42 "2002-10-07T00:05:08Z")
_Rasputin_ by Boney M… ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/43 "2002-10-07T04:55:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Green Bean \* > **"Pride" by U2–_Monday morning, April 4, a shot rings out in the Memphis sky…_ That helps me remember where and when MLK Jr. was shot.** It’s a great song, but unfortunately they didn’t get it quite right. The line goes _Early morning, April 4…_. King was actually shot at 6:01 pm. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Friday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@King\_Friday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Friday)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/44 "2002-10-07T06:57:57Z")
\*\*Pink Floyd \*\* hit the nail on the head when they said… **Money** …is the root of all evil today. ---
**Author:** ![Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8797f3/32.png) [@Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ins_Outs_What-have-yous)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/45 "2002-10-07T07:11:52Z")
“Ohio” by **Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young** is about the violent military intervention during Vietnam protest riots at Kent State University ---
**Author:** ![Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8797f3/32.png) [@Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ins_Outs_What-have-yous)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/46 "2002-10-07T07:26:48Z")
Oops “Ohio” was already mentioned. Here’s another by Billy Joel: “Allentown,” ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/47 "2002-10-07T15:09:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rowrrbazzle \* > \*\*I have to point out that TMBG didn’t write that second song. According to [http://www.acme.com/jef/science\_songs/](http://www.acme.com/jef/science_songs/), it was written around 1960 by Hy Zaret (lyricist of _Unchained Melody_ and Lou Singer. \*\* Yup, I knew it was a cover, but still… Oh, and it’s the third song. Meet James Ensor and James K. Polk are two different songs, BTW. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/48 "2002-10-07T16:38:53Z")
Peter Gabriel’s “Family Snapshot” is about the Kennedy assassination, told from the point of view of Lee Harvey Oswald. U2’s “Mothers of the Disappeared,” about the _desaparecidos_ in Argentina. What about Falco’s “Rock Me Amadeus”? ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/49 "2002-10-07T16:51:27Z")
Another Billy Joel song: **Leningrad**. StG ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/50 "2002-10-07T23:59:15Z")
This is a bit off the subject, but I am completely obsessed with Vladivostok! I read the Vladivostok News every day. I have read all the archives of the Vladivostok Daily. I can’t really explain it…but at least I’m not 100% alone. ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/51 "2002-10-08T00:06:52Z")
Can you guys please post explanations with your songs? ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/52 "2002-10-08T00:42:19Z")
_Rain on the Scarecrow_ by **John Cougar Mellonhead** about the plight of farmers in America. Pretty educational. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/53 "2002-10-08T04:52:26Z")
Well, I checked out the Vladivostok News, and found this interesting story about a poor guy who is missing 2 dots: [http://vlad.tribnet.com/News/upd01.HTM](http://vlad.tribnet.com/News/upd01.HTM) Neat site. Thanks for the tip, **even sven**. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/54 "2002-10-08T18:38:21Z")
How about The Hurricane, by Bob Dylan? It’s the story of Rubin Carter, the boxer, who was falsely accused of murder… ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2002, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/55 "2002-10-13T05:24:01Z")
Still more Zevon! _Frank and Jesse James_ (which Zevon once said he wrote “for and about Phil and Don Everly”): _On a small Missouri farm back when the West was young Two boys learned to rope and ride and be handy with a gun War broke out between the States and they joined up with Quantrill And it was over in Clay County that Frank and Jesse finally learned to kill… …After Appomattox they was on the losing side So no amnesty was granted and as outlaws they did ride… …Robert Ford, a gunman, in exchange for his parole Took the life of James the outlaw, which he snuck up on and stole…_ ---
**Author:** ![TigoleBitties](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@TigoleBitties](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TigoleBitties)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2002, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803/56 "2002-10-13T06:35:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ArchitectChore \* > \*\*Oops “Ohio” was already mentioned. > > Here’s another by Billy Joel: “Allentown,” \*\* Good one…and considering that my dad grew up there and used to do security for Billy way back before Piano Man, it holds a special place in his and my heart. How about Don McClean’s **“American Pie”**? Though it may be up in the air to exactly what it teaches us…it still tell the story of lost innocence. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-that-teach-a-lesson-i-e-we-didnt-start-the-fire/130803.md?page=2)