You've heard the song, "We Didn't Start The Fire" by Billy Joel -- right?
Matt Selman has posted at entertainment.time.com that he has written a version of the song as it would have been recorded if the events in 11.22.63 had taken place. Of course, in 11.22.63, the assassination of president John Kennedy is foiled by George (Jake) Ameberson.
Selman explains:
“A few ‘real’ references have been included because A) I inferred they would have also have occurred in the King Universe, and B) I ran out of new historical information, of which the book does not give much,” Selman says. “Also, for some reason unknowable alternative history reason, alternative history Billy Joel chose to put out this version of ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’ in 2012.”The full song is at the link below. Here is the part that picks up where serious time changes are established:
J.F.K. NOT BLOWN AWAY, AMBERSON SAVES THE DAY!
We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
No, we didn’t light it
But we tried to fight it
Birth control, Ho Chi Minh, EARTHQUAKE IN LOS ANGELES
MARTIN SHOT, SAIGON ROCKED, CHICAGO BURNS, HANOI DROP
WALLACE DEAD, CURT LEMAY, BYE-BYE BOMBAY
Ayatollah’s in Iran, RONALD REAGAN’S DEADLY PLAN
BLIND BEATLE, JONESTOWN, VERMONT YANKEE MELTDOWN
FORD BREEZE, MORE QUAKES, AIDS, Crack, MIAMI SHAKES
HOKKAIDO IS UNDER SEAS, PRESIDENT HILARY
MAINE LEAVES USA, WHAT ELSE DO I HAVE TO SAY?
Full article: entertainment.time.com
Interesting interpretation of King's excellent novel!
ReplyDeletebtw, Joel wrote the song to reflect the fact he was a history teacher before becoming a pop superstar. Wish I could have had him back in high school (in the ancients days of the early 1970's)...
This is the second time I've found this song associated with this book (the first was on a Stephen King Message Board entry).
ReplyDeleteI've always associated Jackson Browne's For America with King's 11/22/63 for some reason, go figure. Anyone else do the same thing with books and songs?
ChrisC