Impact On Listeners: "We Didn't Start The Fire" By Billy Joel
When deciding upon what song I had to choose for my first assignment and had gone through the list of songs that were actually put onto the voyager golden record. One of my old favorite artists was there, Chuck Berry. I then had a thought that came to my mind of old songs; that song was once the number one song in the United States, “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Billy Joel is a piece of music that I would’ve put on the voyager golden record. Whether it’s for catchiness or historical aspect that I had also thought would be beneficial if the voyager golden record was ever found.
“We Didn’t Start the Fire” begins loudly with a keyboard and electric guitar along with the drums along with electric percussions following the downbeat. There are multiple sections that build up keeping a loud dynamic range sort of like a mezzo forte (0:41-0:45, 1:17-1:27, 1:59-2:05, 2:38-2:43, 3:19-3:22) through both Billy Joel’s voice and the vibrato from the electric guitar that helps accompany this range. During the buildup the downbeat of the guitar and drums in synch increase the dynamic step by step. This crescendo is then followed by one of the two main melodies in the song as Billy Joel and a female vocalist sings the lyrics “We didn’t start the fire, It was always burning… But we tried to fight it.” The timbre of Billy Joel’s voice and the electric keyboard are all in harmony (0:47-1:00, 1:27-1:40, 2:10-2:22, 2:44-2:55, 3:23-4:05). This will be followed by a decrescendo with the guitar. However, at 1:40-1:52 this forte is kept although Joel is singing his lyrical events which makes me believe that this is his climax of the song which would then be followed by a scale of the guitar that creates a decrescendo back to the mezzo forte.
The majority of the song where Joel raps is kept at a monophonic texture. in terms of harmonic progression. The song consists of repetitive verses containing simple melodies and predictable progressions towards the chorus. Each stanza represents one year or a span of consecutive years, generally contains seven references depending on the number of syllables in each reference. The vast majority of the syllables in this pattern-type song last for one eighth-note. For the most part, ignoring the beginning of the phrases, Joel sings each phrase on one tone, beginning with B for the first phrase, A for the second and third, and G for the fourth. These tones serve to outline the following harmonic progression: G major-D major-E minor–C major. The pitch set in the melodic line includes tones consistent with a major scale built on G. These chords thus suggest a I-V-VI-IV progression, which is a common progression in rock songs.The key in which it’s played at is in G major accompanied by a narrow range.
Most of the song is kept at a consonance where many repetitive melodies contained within the rock & roll edge that keep it upbeat and gets you excited is being played. However, there’s a very small dissonance that’s introduced by the piano at 2:04 to 2:10 but it also maintains the buildup of that part. The tempo which is kept by either the electric guitar or the percussions that’s creating a downbeat in the song keeps a fast steady tempo that’s very noticeable as if it’s to help Billy Joel maintain a pace in which he sings each stanza. The overall song is kept at the same pace as it progresses until 3:33 where it starts to slow down and volume decreases shortly and eventually fades out.
One of the most influential parts that I feel that is very particular is the melody. Although, as I had mentioned earlier, that it’s a simple melody with predictable movements towards the chorus parts that’s what makes it catchy and probably made it one of the number one songs at the time. Each lyric, each stanza has a format. This format applies to most stanzas, but there are variations. For example, in the fourth stanza (beginning with “Eisenhower, vaccine”) Joel uses the same progression (G-D-E-C) but different melody notes. He sings the first phrase on B, but instead of going down to A, he moves up a third to D, then continues this upward progression by singing the third and fourth phrases on E. This variant of the melodic line serves as a transition to the chorus and is analogous to a pre-chorus. Other stanzas feature the initial melody note throughout the first three phrases before moving up to C. While for the final phrase; he uses this variation to heighten tension before continuing with a third variation where he sings a D for two phrases, then E for the final two phrases. Joel finally resolves the tension created through this ascending line by resolving downwards to D, which is also the first note of the chorus.
Overall, the melody of most songs have a huge impact on listeners. Not only the melody but also the lyrics in which everyone at the time who was listening and even now can all relate or know of the people and events listed throughout the song. In addition, most songs involve the chorus who also has a major impact. The chorus contains the most varied melodic material in the song, despite its repetitive nature. The melody for the chorus, although it uses more melodic notes than the stanzas, achieves a more repetitive tone than the stanzas due to the arrangement of these pitches. Joel also wrote a melody for this chorus that does not seem to have a firm ending. Joel instead repeats and fades for the conclusion of this song, allowing this endlessly repeatable chorus to turn “on and on and on and on,” just as he depicts that the fire will continue to burn as a metaphor to how events will continue to happen in history. The chorus thus serves as the hook for the song: the rhythm, melody and lyrics are simple, direct, and memorable.
