We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1950

On April 29, 2024May 4, 2024 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn History, Music, People, PoliticsLeave a comment

Welcome to the latest instalment of my breakdown of Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire. The two previous entries in this strange franchise are We Didn’t Start the Fire: The Beginning and We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1948-1949.

This is where I’m attempting to talk about the historical references in the song and try to relate them to our contemporary society. I know this sounds like a terrible idea, but apparently, the group known as Beetroot Awareness Aotearoa sort of agrees. After publishing my blog post concerning 1948-1949, this New Zealand-based group released their own harsh review:

“Does this idiot know that the song came out in 1989, and since then, numerous people have already talked about the historical references? Can he not think of anything original or does he just steal other people’s ideas? What a buffoon!”

And with that positive and uplifting feedback, let’s check out the We Didn’t Start the Fire’s historic references for 1950.

Image from the *We Didn’t Start the Fire* music video

1950

Joseph McCarthy:

We briefly discussed Joseph McCarthy last time with 1949’s Walter Winchell, but we’ll expand it like a dog taking over your bed. McCarthy was a US senator for Wisconsin, who had a few issues that he liked to talk about. Early on in the Cold War, and during his Lincoln Day speech, McCarthy launched an anti-communist crusade.

He promoted the concept that Soviet Union and communist spies and sympathizers had infiltrated American society, through the federal and local governments, as well as in academic and entertainment circles. This led to the persecution and political repression of many people, based on being un-American and their opinions. It was during this period that the terms “The Second Red Scare” and “McCarthyism” were born.

For a modern equivalent to McCarthy, just think of everybody’s favourite twice impeached, four times criminally indicted, ex-US President, Donald Trump.

Richard Nixon:

Richard Nixon makes the list because in 1950, the future President of the United States of America was first elected to represent California, in the US Senate. If you’re a student of history, you’ll realise this will not be the last time Nixon makes the list. He will return.

For a modern version, I’m a bit stumped over this. I can’t compare Richard Nixon of 1950 to Richard Nixon of 1972, because they are two people with different life experiences. However, when comparing Nixon of 1950 to modern times, it would be any young politician moving up the ladder, to become a long-term politician. I’m sure every country has some. I’m looking at you Winston Peters, I’m looking at you.

Nixon in Yorba Linda, California, c. April 1950. Credit: Orange County Archives.

Studebaker:

Studebaker was an automobile manufacturer, which was based in the United States. For about 50 years, Studebaker was one of the leaders in the car industry and had built up a great reputation for their vehicles.

That changed around 1950 when Studebaker started having some major financial problems. In 1954, they merged with Packard, another automobile company to ease their financial difficulties. It didn’t work the way they thought it would, so in 1967, Studebaker ceased production and the company shut down.

Some modern equivalents would be Oldsmobile and Pontiac, or even some non-automobile companies like Kenner and Toys “R” Us.

Studebaker’s “Lazy S” logo, designed by Raymond Loewy, was used from the 1950s until 1966/1950 Studebaker Champion. Credit: Андрей Перцев/Classic Auto Mall.

Television:

Is there a greater icon for the 20th century other than television? I think not. Television or TV had been developed, improved and marketed for years before 1950, but it was slowly becoming an important household product. In the context of US history, TV was becoming an attractive way to transmit information to the public.

Data on sales of TV sets in the United States for 1950 varies. An estimated 9%-20% of households in the United States had at least one television set, but by the end of the decade, that figure had grown to nearly 90%. The age of television was upon us, and it changed the way people from around the world, consumed news and entertainment forever.

In the 21st century, the easiest and best example of a different communication network would be the Internet. You can watch your favourite team play live while riding on the train, watch your favourite TV show on your lunch break, or stream the latest news via your phone or laptop. Outrageous.

North Korea, South Korea:

This is the first time that I need to discuss two references together, because in 1950, North and South Korea dominated the news around the planet. At the time, North and South Korea were two separate countries, having been divided at the 38th parallel north, by the Soviet Union and the United States, after the end of the Second World War.

On 25th June 1950, the North Korean army crossed the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea. Given that the Cold War was the political climate at the time, this conflict slowly became a proxy war for democracy vs communism.

On one side, there was the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the People’s Republic of China (China), along with the unofficial support of the Soviet Union; against the Republic of Korea (South Korea), along with the United Nation Forces, which consisted of the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Netherlands, Canada, France, New Zealand, Philippines, Turkey, Thailand, South Africa, Greece, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ethiopia and Colombia; with many more countries supplying support through different means.

This conflict became known as the Korean War and was fought for three years, with the war ending in a stalemate in 1953, with the Korean Armistice Agreement. The war claimed an estimated 2.8 million military and civilian deaths. Much like the Chinese Civil War, the geo-political repercussions of the Korean War are still being felt in 2024.

Sadly, the Korean War will make another entry in the song.

Marilyn Monroe:

Born Norma Jeane Mortenson, Marilyn Monroe was a model and actress who became an international sex symbol, during the late 1940s-early 1960s. In 1950, Monroe landed some breakthrough roles in films and actually starred in five different films in that year. (A Ticket to Tomahawk, The Asphalt Jungle, All About Eve, The Fireball, and Right Cross). From there, Monroe’s career took off and she soon became a household name.

It’s hard to determine which contemporary model/actress would be like Marilyn Monroe of 1950, so I’ll let you decide on that one. Sorry.

Marilyn Monroe in All About Eve (1950). Credit: 20th Century-Fox

So in 1950, we have covered two US Senators, a failed automobile company, the explosion of television sales, the Korean War, and a model/actress. Like I said last time, this project is going to take some time, so I’ll try and cover 1951-1952 next time. Cool.

That’s it for another week. Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, call for a ceasefire in Palestine, and I’ll see you next week because I’m going to be discussing a milestone. It could be interesting.

We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1948-1949

On March 25, 2024April 29, 2024 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn History, Music, People, Politics

There have been numerous terrible ideas throughout the history of our planet, and unfortunately, many of them have originated from this account. Despite this, we will carry on the tradition and introduce the latest addition to the family of bad ideas, which is Some Geek Told Me.

Last month, I ranted on about my love for We Didn’t Start the Fire, by Billy Joel. In that hot mess of literary foolishness, I explained that I was going to cover all of the historical references in the song; or at least try to, but also relate them to contemporary time. I’ll do this by producing one blog per month. Maybe.

The aim is to cover the 119 references from 1948-1989, so how long will this take me? You tell me and we’ll both know. The lyrics will be in bold and italics because we’re really fancy on this account!

Right, I’m not here to shag spiders, so without too much fanfare, let’s crack on and do this!

1948

Harry Truman:

Harry S. Truman was the Vice-President of the United States of America from January-April 1945, then became President after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Truman is a divisive figure in US and world history, much like Elon Musk or George W. Bush.

On one hand, he helped steer the United States through to the end of the Second World War; authorised the Berlin Airlift; recognised the State of Israel; won re-election in 1948; and promoted civil rights. On the other hand, Truman deployed troops into the Korean War and authorised the atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In saying that, George W. Bush would be the modern version of Truman.

Portrait of Harry S. Truman.
Image by WikiImages from Pixabay

Doris Day:

Born Doris Mary Kappelhoff, Doris Day was a major entertainment star in the United States. She was already a successful singer before she turned to acting. Over the years, she became a huge attraction to the television and movie industry.

Billy Joel mentioned her in the song, became her first feature film, Romance on the High Seas, was released in 1948. If you’re still unsure about her impact on pop culture, just think of Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, or Rihanna.

Doris Day in Romance on the High Seas (1948). Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

1949

Red China:

In 1949, the Chinese Civil War came to a close after causing the deaths of millions of people. Mao Zedong, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, succeeded in defeating the government led by Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang. As a result, the People’s Republic of China was established.

The Kuomintang, also known as Nationalists, fled mainland China to Taiwan, where they settled and took control. The geo-politics of 2024 concerning China and Taiwan, have their origins in the end of the Chinese Civil War.

The Chinese Civil War, 1949.
(Source: diverse-travel.com)

Johnnie Ray:

Johnnie Ray, a singer, songwriter, and pianist, was born in Oregon, USA. He was widely recognised as the Father of Rock and Roll due to his significant contributions to the genre. During the late 1940s and 1950s, he was one of the most famous singers in the world.

His music and dance moves reinvented the method singers could perform, and paved the way for others to follow him; notably Elvis Presley. When Ray signed to Okeh Records, music was going to be changed forever. For contemporary equivalents, the best people I can think of would be Michael Jackson and Madonna.

South Pacific:

Not only is it the name of my location, but South Pacific was a Broadway musical, that opened in 1949. The musical was based on the World War Two book, Tales of the South Pacific, and the musical also inspired the 1958 film.

South Pacific is famous; at least to me, for mainly two reasons. The Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein production became one of the best musicals of all time since it was extremely financially and critically successful.

The other reason was that the musical was progressive for its time, as it tackled racism and prejudice. This was important because the United States was still in its segregation phase. If South Pacific opened in 2024, and not in 1949, you can bet your Black Lives Matter flag, that the musical would be labelled as woke. Very, very woke.

Original poster of *South Pacific* Credit: Majestic Theatre

Walter Winchell:

We’re going back to another US icon in the form of Walter Winchell. Winchell was primarily a radio news commentator and newspaper columnist, through the 1930’s-1950’s. His notoriety is that he had outspoken views on a variety of subjects, which included attacking the Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan; as well as denouncing communism.

This led Winchell to join the “McCarthyism” movement, in spreading misinformation about the Second Red Scare, supporting the idea that communists had infiltrated the US Government; in addition to destroying people’s careers and reputations.

If you’re having trouble understanding what I’m talking about with Winchell, just picture Alex Jones from InfoWars and you’re there.

Joe DiMaggio:

Born Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio, Joe DiMaggio was a famous US baseball player. He held multiple batting records and mainly played for the New York Yankees, during the 1940s-1950s. In the world of team sports, DiMaggio would have been Michael Jordan or Lionel Messi. DiMaggio was a star and hero to millions of people.

In 1949, DiMaggio signed a contract with the Yankees worth $100,000. This was a record-breaking contract for a professional sportsman at the time and helped to usher in a new wave of extremely well-paid players.

And with that, we have covered 1948-1949, in the form of a US President, a singer/actor, a civil war, another singer, a musical, a gossip columnist, and a baseball player.

My We Didn’t Start the Fire project is going to take some time, but we’ll get there. Eventually.

Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, eat a raw lemon, and I’ll see you next week, because we’re going to check in with my wife and her television shows. It’s going to be riveting.

We Didn’t Start the Fire: The Beginning

On February 19, 2024February 26, 2024 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn History, Music, People

I love history, so please remember that I’m a geek. I remember my family owned an extremely outdated encyclopedia set that I would read through; mainly for the history sections, though I’ve never read Grays Sports Almanac: Complete Sports Statistics 1950-2000.

I love trying to understand why certain historical events have happened, when they happened, who was involved, what actually happened, how they are connected to the present, and of course, whether the Doctor was involved or not.

I’ve just stopped and read what I’ve written, and I couldn’t have sounded more of a geek, than if I had actually tried. Anyway, this is why I have developed a useless ability to remember the dates of historical events. This ability doesn’t help me socially or professionally, but it does keep me at home and prevents me from trading comic books in dark alleys.

The point of this ramble is that my love of history led me to love We Didn’t Start the Fire by Billy Joel. If I ever produce a soundtrack to my life, We Didn’t Start the Fire will be on it.

If you have no idea about the song or have never heard it, then sit down, relax, and prepare yourself.

We Didn’t Start the Fire was released in the much more innocent time of 1989, when Bill Cosby was the king of sitcoms, Donald Trump was still married to Ivana, Harvey Weinstein had started as an executive producer, Vladimir Putin was still in the KGB, and Kim Jong Un was five years old.

The song reached number one on the United States Billboard Hot 100 in 1989 and has become part of pop culture with various themes. Over the years, critics of the song have trashed it, along with Billy Joel himself, coming out and stating his dislike for it.

So what is the song about? Well, I’m not intelligent enough to break the song down into its musical components, but what I am going to do is gush over the lyrics.

To me, it’s like rap, because the words are rapid-fire, and they are about events and people from the 20th century, circa 1948-1989. The historical references have influenced the United States, but also the world, both positively and negatively, which makes them extremely important; well, at least to me.

As for the chorus, several people could give you different explanations for the meaning behind the lyrics, but for what it’s worth, I’m probably wrong. However, I’ll let you know what it means to me.

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

The fire could represent multiple things like violence, hatred, war, bigotry, racism, sexism, and capitalism. It could be all of them or none of them; though the point is that the fire has existed and been burning since we descended from the trees and spread out across Eastern and Southern Africa.

The world of 2024 didn’t start the fire, nor did the world of 1989. Events and people have compounded and added to national and international problems over the centuries; and in the case of the song, decades. This means the next generation has to fight and solve the issues created by previous generations; even though they have been trying to stop the spread of the fire. At least to me, it does.

We didn’t start the fire
It was always burning, since the world’s been turning
We didn’t start the fire
But when we are gone
It will still burn on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on

After every single person who is alive at this moment in time has died, the world will still continue to turn, and the fire will still be burning, awaiting the next generation of people to meet it. In 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, or 250 years, the fire will continue to burn, just as it always has.

Some of the best messages; again, at least to me, in the song are these:

If we don’t understand the past, we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes.
You are not personally guilty, along with your generation, for the condition of the world, whether its politically, socially, physically, etc.
What you can be guilty of, is what you are going to do about the condition of the world.

And the coolest message in the song is this:

People have the capacity for tremendous evil, just as they have the capacity for amazing good. As a species, we will never stop the fire from burning, we just can’t. But what we can do is fight the spread of the fire, through our own actions, along with our children and grandchildren, by teaching them to care. If we can restrict and limit the spread of the fire, the damage will be least destructive for us, and for future generations. I feel we can do this through information, knowledge and education; you know, that old chestnut.

In a small way, and in the greatest example of my hubris, the vanity project that is Some Geek Told Me, is an ode to We Didn’t Start the Fire. One of the factors for Some Geek Told Me’s creation, was feeling I wasn’t doing enough to fight the spread of the fire.

We Didn’t Start the Fire is one of my favourite songs, so I decided to try and back up my big mouth and actually do something. I know it’s hubris, I really do, and I know Billy Joel would deem this quite sad, but I’m ok with that.

Having said all of this, I’m starting a new project within Some Geek Told Me. I realise many other people have already done this, but I’m going to take a crack at it. Just like the Tour of the Solar System, I’m going to have a monthly blog post about We Didn’t Start the Fire, looking at the historical references.

I’m going to talk about them in groups, like 1955-1957, or 1958-1961, rather than in decades or simply as years. There are 118 historical references in the song, so this poorly constructed idea will take some time. You have been warned. The music video is quite outstanding as well. Again, to my geeky arse, it is.

Well, that’s it for another week. Thank you once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Please don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, paint a rainbow, and I’ll see you next week.

Oops! I accidentally brainwashed my children

On July 3, 2023July 10, 2023 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Children, Music

I want to talk about music again. Why? By nature, my wife and I only really sing in front of each other, but also with UMC1 and UMC2. That way our terrible singing seems hilarious to them, so everybody wins.

We have discovered something over eight years and two unmatured clones later, and I’m not sure whether it’s positive or negative, or maybe both. Because of our predictable musical selections, we have accidentally brainwashed UMC1 and UMC2 into liking the same music as well. We don’t play a huge amount of children’s music in our headquarters, so we really should have seen this coming.

The brainwashing can be broken down into three sections: singing in the car, while listening to the radio; playing a CD on a mini-stereo; or just playing YouTube videos via the phone or computer. We’ve been playing the music and the boys have started singing along and liking the songs as well.

Also, yes, we both still listen to CDs. We are both not cool enough to stream our music. It’s a weird feeling hearing your children request a particular song, but also listening to their singing and their own interpretation of the lyrics.

Below are 17 of the best songs that at least one parent and one child in our house, actually likes. This could be for dancing, singing, or just liking the video.

Before we go on any further, I need to clarify the list does not include any children’s songs or any theme song from a movie or tv show; because those two groups can have their own separate lists.

With the organisation of the list, I’ve ranked them in chronological order, as they were released. Sorry, my OCD was too strong today to allow anything else. Sweet? Alright, let’s do this.

Yellow Submarine: The Beatles (1966)

Video Killed the Radio Star: The Buggles (1979) & The Presidents of the United States of America (1998)

The Safety Dance: Men Without Hats (1982)

Doctorin’ the Tardis: Timelords aka The KLF (1988)

UMC2 calls this The Dalek Song.

Thunderstruck: AC/DC (1990)

Jump Around: House of Pain (1992)

UMC2 calls this The Jumping Song.

Sabotage: Beastie Boys (1994)

How Bizarre: OMC (1995)

Peaches: The Presidents of the United States of America (1996)

UMC1 loves the ninjas in this video.

Intergalactic: Beastie Boys (1998)

Freestyler: Bomfunk MC’s (1999)

Why Does It Always Rain on Me?: Travis (1999)

UMC2 calls this The Raining Song.

My Happiness: Powderfinger (2000)

UMC2 calls this The Slinky Song.

Weapon of Choice: Fatboy Slim (2001)

Bathtime in Clerkenwell: The Real Tuesday Weld (2002)

Grace Kelly: Mika (2007)

This Too Shall Pass: OK Go (2010)

So that’s it. One day I’ll compile a list of children’s and movie/tv songs that we all like. Are there any songs that you and your children share a love for? Please let me know.

Next week, New Zealand’s 4th least favourite blog with continue with the Tour of the Solar System, by stopping at the universe’s only source for Salt and Vinegar chips; Earth. Don’t miss it.

Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Don’t forget to walk your dog; watch a banned movie; listen to AC/DC, and I’ll see you next week.

Life lessons that music has taught me: Volume 1

On May 15, 2023May 22, 2023 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Music

I want to talk about life lessons. Why? Life lessons can sometimes be extremely easy to learn, understand and accept; like Salt and Vinegar chips being a superior flavour. That’s easy. However, there are some life lessons that are the opposite; they are difficult to understand or accept. They hurt. An example of this is eating Sour Cream and Chives. Your body will never forgive you.

You can learn life lessons from your family, friends, workmates, sports heroes, and even fictional characters, ranging from books to movies. But, what about music? From Nicki Minaj’s Anaconda, to Bill Haley & His Comets’ Rock Around the Clock, to Psy’s Gangnam Style, music can offer us a plethora of life lessons, disguised as pearls of wisdom, or just some bat-shit crazy advice.

Music can offer life lessons to all parts of our lives, from love, money, careers, health, children, injustice, sports, entertainment, sex, politics, and so much more.

Below are some of my favourite lessons or advice (but not all of them) that I’ve learnt from music, while I’ve been travelling around the Sun. Congratulations to anybody with enough time on their hands, that can name every song that’s on this list.

The life lessons are not arranged in any particular order; just as they have come to me. Well, except the last two, because they are rather obvious. At least to me, anyway. Also, I have tried extremely hard to limit one life lesson per artist or band, just to be fair. But since Some Geek Told Me is not a democracy, rules can sometimes be broken.

Don’t look back in anger.
Push the tempo.
Life isn’t easy for a boy named Sue.
Don’t be told what you want, don’t be told what you need.
You got to breath and have some fun.
Time is a piece of wax falling on a termite, that’s choking on the splinters.
Tell me the gospel according to you.
‘Cause nothing’s the same when you wait for something.
The world is a vampire.
Go make yourself some friends, or you’ll be lonely.
‘Cause your crystal ball ain’t so crystal clear.
Regrets collect like old friends.
You can take back your memories, they’re no good to me.
With your opinion, which is of no consequence at all.
So get out your seat and jump around.
Love, love is a verb. Love is a doing word.
You got it … what it takes. Go get it … where you want it?
Is that all you got?, I’ll take your best shot.
Everything’s happy underground.
‘Cause there’s good deeds and there is good intention. They’re as far apart as heaven and hell.
What do you do when all your enemies are friends?
I don’t care what they say about us anyway, I don’t care about that.
Could everyone agree that no one should be left alone?
Closing time, every new beginning, comes from some other beginning’s end.
People crying for freedom, no one hears the sound.
Don’t let the days go by.
The death of one is a tragedy, the death of millions is just a statistic.
A change would do you good.
The cover is not the book.

My wife’s contribution to this list is: Life’s a bitch and then you die.

And now for the two rather obvious life lessons from music. This is the best gambling advice I’ve heard from music:

You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em.
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when you’re sittin’ at the table.
There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealing’s done.

And this is one of the best life lessons about history, music has ever taught me:

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.

Do you agree with any of these life lessons from music, or maybe I left your favourite one out? Please let me know. Additionally I named this blog Volume 1, because I will write Volume 2 soon; there’s so much more to mention! Anyway, that’s it for another weekly rant. I’m making my way through Picard: Season 2, so I’ve got some serious Star Trekking to do.

Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Remember to walk your dog; read a banned book; stay away from the Dune Sea, and I’ll see you next week.

The 10 Best Songs about Historical Events

On October 10, 2022October 17, 2022 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn History, Music2 Comments

I want to talk about music, especially songs about historical events. If you’ve been following me for awhile, you will sadly know that I love history. I mean it, I love history as much as I love Salt and Vinegar; so that’s a lot.

So I was thinking the other day; in between reading Kaiju No. 8 and watching The Rugby Championship, of a new topic for the blog. Being the cultural influencer that I am, I thought about combining two of my interests like pizza flavoured ice cream or a biologists vs physicists football game.¹

In my infinite wisdom, which is sprinkled with hubris and incompetence, I decided to list some of my favourite songs about historical events. To make the list, there are only three criteria:

1.) The song can be performed by an artist or by a band.

2.) The song needs to be about a real event that has taken place, at some point in history. There is one special exemption to this rule, because the song is about several events, not just one.

3.) I do realise there are hundreds of songs about historical events, that I won’t mention. This is only because the songs on my list, will be ones that I’m quite familiar with and like, or the event that the song is based on, is something that has interested me.

Songs about real people, do not qualify. My apologies to Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter, Andy Kaufman, Queen Elizabeth II, and the list, just like the road, goes ever on and on. That will be a separate list for another blog.

Clear as mud? Great, let’s do it!

Sunday Bloody Sunday: U2 (1983)

This song refers to two different incidents involving assassinations and massacres. The first are the two attacks on Sunday 21st November 1920, during the Irish War of Independence. In the morning of the 21st, Irish Republican Army (IRA) operatives assassinated British intelligence agents that were living in Dublin at the time. This resulted in 15 deaths and five people being injuried.

In the afternoon of the same day, British and Police forces converged on Croke Park, Dublin, where a game of Gaelic football was being played. There were at least 5,000 spectators at the game, when the British and Police forces started shooting. 14 civilians including two children were killed, along with 80 civilians with injuries.

The second is the Bloody Sunday massacre of Sunday 30th January 1972, when British troops from the Parachute Regiment opened fire on unarmed civilian protesters, in Derry, Northern Ireland. This happened during a time called The Troubles, which was also known as the Northern Ireland Conflict. 14 civilians were killed altogether, with 13 victims killed on the day, and another victim died later on, because of their injuries sustained during the attack.

Magna Carta: 800 Years: Ben Miller, Naz Osmanoglu, Lawry Lewin, Jessica Ransom from Horrible Histories (2015)

This song is from a television show Horrible Histories, which is based on a series of books. It refers to the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, by King John, King of England. The document basically states that no person; whether they be a king or not, is above the law. For over 800 years, the Magna Carta has been the bedrock for justice and has influenced many other important policies, legislation and civil rights. If you want some more information, some nitwit wrote about it here.

Sink the Bismarck: Johnny Horton (1960)

This song is about the hunt to sink the German battleship, Bismarck. The Bismarck was one of the largest battleships ever built, and during the Second World War, it was the subject to one of the greatest maritime searches in history.

After sinking the British HMS Hood in the North Atlantic, on 24th May 1941, the Bismarck was the most hunted ship in the world. Eventually the Bismarck was discovered, pursued, and attacked, with the battleship being scuttled and sunk on 27th May 1941.

The cause of World War One! Origins Rap Battle: WW1 Uncut BBC (2014)

This song is actually a rap battle about the origins of the First World War, which was to commemorate 100 years since the start of the war. It features characters like Gaurilo Princip, the assassin; Emperor Franz Josef of Austro-Hungary; Joseph Joffre, Commander of the French Forces; Tsar Nichols II of Russia; Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, and George V of Great Britain.

The characters explain their motivations for being involved in the build up to the war, as well as throwing in some amazing insults and burns. The song does a fantastic job at detailing the origins of the war with humour, disguised as a history lesson.

Genocide (The Killing of the Buffalo): Thin Lizzy (1980)

This song looks at the organised slaughter of the North American buffalo during the Plains Indian Wars of the 19th century. The buffalo was critical to the survival of many Native American tribes, which was well known to the US government. Because of this, the government entered a campaign of hunting and killing millions of buffalo and bringing them to the edge of extinction. This was a way to starve Native Americans and have them enter submission.

2019: Count Binface (2019)

This song covers two different events spanning three years. The first refers to the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, aka Brexit; while the second refers to 2019 United Kingdom general election, which at the time, was going to be held in December 2019.

The artist Count Binface, like Jonathan Pie, is not a fan of the Conservative Party. Utterly brilliant.

Spanish Bombs: The Clash (1979)

The lyrics for this song are based on the Spanish Civil War, which was fought in 1936-1939. Like all civil wars, the Spanish Civil War was extremely brutal, having the Republicans and others, fighting against the Nationalists and allies. The conflict resulted in 200,000 soldiers killed, but between 150,000-180,000 civilians were also killed. In total 200,000 people were murdered, which involved mass shootings, torture, and mob violence.

Battle of Hastings Song aka Norman Style: Kevin Eldon, Naz Osmanoglu from Horrible Histories (2015)

This is another Horrible Histories song, but it looks at the Norman Invasion of England in 1066 and the Battle of Hastings, between the Norman forces, led by William I the Conqueror, against the English, led by King Harold II. The Normans won the battle and King Harold died on the battlefield. William successfully conquered England, ending Anglo-Saxon rule over the country, and thus changing English, European and World History.

Zombie: The Cranberries (1994)

This song was created as a direct response to the deaths of Tim Parry, 12, and Johnathan Ball, 3. This happened on 20th March 1993, through an IRA bombing in Warrington, England. Two small bombs were placed in litter bins, near a shopping area when they were detonated. 56 people when injured, along with killing the two children. Previously on 26th February 1993, the IRA had committed another bombing, by destroying gas holders in Warrington, as part of the IRA’s campaign to get the British to withdraw from Northern Ireland.

And finally for the special entry; if I have a list of my top 10 songs of all time, this song is on that list.

We Didn’t Start the Fire: Billy Joel (1989)

This song is unique because it doesn’t just focus on one event, but rather multiple world events occurring from 1948 to 1989. The events span politics, culture, science and sports, and have left a lasting impression on the world, whether they are positive or negative.

It’s the chorus that haunts me to this 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

So do you agree with the entries? Have I missed out your favourite song about a historical event? Please let me know your thoughts. Alright, that’s it for me today, because my dog stinks and is well overdue for a bath; so wish me luck. Thanks for stopping by, walk your dog, read some banned books, and I’ll see you next Monday.

¹The referee would be a geologist, because you wouldn’t be able to trust a chemist.

Saying Goodbye to a Series: Are You a Quitter?

On July 4, 2022July 11, 2022 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Books, Comics, Literature, Movies, Music, Television

I want to talk about saying goodbye to a series. Why? Over the many times I have travelled around the Sun, this strange event has happened repeatedly. To understand this subject better, you won’t need Herb Powell to build a translator for you, I’ll just try to do a better job at explaining it.

You don’t have to be a geek or nerd to enjoy a series. This could be in the form of comics, novels, television shows, movies, video games, music, or just about anything that is created for people’s enjoyment and entertainment.¹

Now for whatever reason, you love that series. Maybe you have grown up listening to a special artist or band, read all of the books in a saga, played all of the games in a franchise, watched every episode in a tv show, or seen every movie in a series.

Whatever it is, there is something you like watching, listening to, or reading, that…well, makes you happy; like lying in bed, listening to the rain fall on the roof, or eating some some Salt and Vinegar chips, while watching your favourite team win.

Whatever the case, you have a relationship with…and I’m doing to use the word, product, for the purposes of context. You have a relationship with that product; whether it is positive, negative and everything in between.

But here’s the problem: just like the relationships you have with other homo sapiens, every relationship has a beginning and an ending. Just the same as the relationship you have with your product.²

The way I see it, I can think of three different ways the relationship with the product will end.

1.) The product stops creating

The band could split up; the singer retires; the monthly comic book finishes; the tv show screens the final season; the final movie in a trilogy or series is released; the makers of the video game, have discontinued the line; or the last and final book in a saga, is finally released.

It doesn’t matter what the reason is, but the product that you enjoy, will no longer be creating any new content going forward, on a regular basis. Yes, it’s possible that tv shows and movies, could have spin offs; the monthly comic book could come back as a mini-series; the band members could join or create new bands; or the author may decide to explore prequel eras of the saga; but it’s not the same, is it?

Basically what I’m saying, is that the product broke up with you. It hurts, but it’s out of your hands. There will be no new book, album, movie, tv show, or comic book; whatever story the creators of that medium were telling, that story has been told and now, it’s finished.

You also know, if it was up to you, the product and yourself would still be together. All you can do now, is listen to the songs again, reread the saga, play the games again, or binge watch the tv shows and movies; compounded by the blessing and the curse, that you know what happens.

2.) The product is high maintenance

As the stale, old, bread winner of our one income family, this reason is a no-brainer: money. ABBBA and Pink Floyd warned us about this in the 70’s, to various degrees. The loss of a job, extra bills, crossovers, multi-media projects, dwindling savings, or just the slow and steady rise of the product’s cost, could result in you declaring that the product is now, high maintenance; therefore, you can’t afford it anymore.

It sucks, because you love the product, but the product is out of your league now. You could try to figure out a way to keep it: buy less food, give up the gym, or decrease on using electricity.

However when there are children or UMCs involved, you have to admit that you’re the adult, and you need to give up the product for their sake. Bread vs the new book? Electricity vs the new video game?

You’re a parent and you’re doing the best that you can for your kids, so you quit the product to help them. Or until you can afford it again!

3.) You and the product want different things

So we have finally arrived at the most strangest and personal reason, you and your product are no longer together: you’ve lost that loving feeling.

There are so many various situations about why this happens. It can cover the product receiving a new artist, new writer, new direction, new singer, death or return of major characters, new music video, new songs, games becoming easier/harder, storylines getting repeated, bad dialogue, or maybe just the fact that you have moved on from the product.

Whatever it is, the love and the passion you once had for the product, has slowly faded away. It could have been your family’s influence, or your friends, spouse, partner, work mates, or quite honestly, it was you realising that you and the product are travelling down different roads now, and you want something else.

There is no shame in this. I think about my own life and the products that I have quit for different reasons, is probably more than Chuck Norris has executed a roundhouse kick. Wait…that’s physically impossible. You can’t beat Chuck Norris at anything, except receiving roundhouse kicks to the face.

And you’re back in the room. This may sound quite odd, but hey, a geek’s going to do, what a geek’s going to. Every time I have quit a product; whether it involves movies, novels, comics, bands, or tv shows, I feel the need to explain myself.

By this I mean writing an email or letter to the director, author, or whomever it would be, to apologise for leaving the product, and explain why I have done it. I never have though, but the desire is there.

Sometimes it’s extremely easy for me to identify, the reason(s) why I’m not interested in a product anymore, but there are times when it’s the opposite. I’ll know that I’d like to quit the product, however I’m unable to explain why.

I may start second guessing myself over the decision, but if I start doing that, I know it’s over. Throughout my life, my love of music, books, comics, movies, and tv shows has not changed, but the genres have.

My tastes in popular culture have changed, just like me. I’m definitely a work in progress, but I’m still evolving, which means the products that I spend my hard earned money on, have to reflect what makes me happy. Though my taste for Sour Cream and Chives will never, ever change. Ever.

We have now arrived at the point of the conversation where I ask you the question: Are you a quitter? What products were you interested in, but have now left behind? What caused the break up? Please let me know.

Sorry, this was a long one. As usual I have a bad idea, then it spirals out of control. Alright, thanks for reading, walk your dog, and I’ll see you next Monday.

¹Alliteration much?

²Am I the only one that has Closing Time, by Semisonic, as an earworm now?

The 15 Best Songs About Geek and Nerd Culture

On May 9, 2022May 11, 2022 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Music, Science

I want to talk about music. Why? This is because of all of the ludicrous topics that I have covered, since starting on this insane quest, music has not been one of them. That changes today.

I often have different earworms playing in my head, featuring geek/nerd culture songs. So in my finite wisdom, I’ve decided to list 15 of the best songs that I can think of, that showcase or highlight geek or nerd culture.

There are some catches to the list though; every song on my precious list, actually has lyrics, so no orchestra pieces. Sorry. Also, theme songs from movies or television shows are not counted. Those entries deserve their own blog, which I will get to one rainy day.

The songs that have missed the cut, will be because they would only mention a word or a line, featuring geek culture; which is not enough to make the list. Though there is one exception, and I will explain. Scout’s honour.

I also feel the need to explain, that for the purposes of this list, the words, geek and nerd, can and will be interchangeable.

There are some artists that appear more than once on the list, and that’s just unavoidable. Sorry. You might know some of these songs on the list, or maybe you could recommend some others? Please let me know.

Without further grandstanding, may I present to you, 15 of the best songs that highlight geek/nerd culture. Also the list is in no particular order, because I wanted to see if my OCD would allow it. Go me!

Image by Jean-Paul Jandrain from Pixabay

Superman (It’s Not Easy): Five for Fighting (2000)

Talk Nerdy To Me: KFace TV (2014)

The Universe is Weird: Hank Green (2012)

A Song About an Anglerfish: Hank Green (2009)

Doctorin’ the Tardis: Timelords aka The KLF (1988)

Star Trekkin’: The Firm (1987)

Word Crimes: “Weird Al” Yankovic (2014)

The Saga Begins: “Weird Al” Yankovic (1999)

Yoda: “Weird Al” Yankovic (1985)

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Earth: Leonard Nimoy (1967)

Nerd vs Geek Rap Battle: Rhett & Link (2013)

Data & Picard: Pogo (2016)

Intergalactic: Beastie Boys (1998). This is the exception I was talking about. It’s here because of the amazing video. Kaiju anyone?

Astronomically Correct Twinkle Twinkle: Henry Reich, Zach Weinersmith & Chris Jones (2014)

The Science Love Song: AsapScience (2014)

And finally for a bonus entry, this song is the greatest version of geek/nerd culture ever recorded.

The Ballard of Bilbo Baggins: Leonard Nimoy (1968)

So do you agree with the entries? Do you think I’ve missed your favourite geek/nerd song off the list? Please let me know your thoughts.

Alright, that’s it for today. From the bottom of my four chambered heart, thank you for reading and following Some Geek Told Me. It’s a side project that keeps me off the dark and cold streets.

I’m doing another special blog for Wednesday, because of some sad news that has hit the comics industry, within the last few weeks.

Thanks for reading, wash your hands, and I’ll see you on Wednesday.

Reviewing my wife’s favourite musical: Les Misérables

On April 4, 2022August 3, 2022 By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Movies, Music4 Comments

I want to talk about my wife. Why? Among many things that she likes, which include Lego computer games, painting, Harry Potter, and stealing blankets from her cold husband, she also likes musicals. To say she is a fan of musicals, would not do that statement any sort of justice. She is a geek in her own right, but her love of musicals takes it to another level.

Now I do need to address the misleading title for this blog post; my wife has two favourite musicals: Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera. So for the sake of getting sleep this week, I’m only going to look at Les Misérables, so the Phantom will have to wait his turn.

So…musicals. I’m not like my wife, because I actually try to avoid musicals; I’m not a huge fan. I mean I did grow up watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, being screened for every public holiday in New Zealand. As I’m writing this, I’m having flashbacks of “Me Ol’ Bamboo” and “The Candyman”.

Before we can dive into Les Misérables, we need to understand why my wife loves it so much. This is her response:

The book I hate. It was too long and complicated.

The soundtrack is great, because it’s perfect for a long car trip, not that you [as in me] will sit and listen to it.

The movie [the 2012 version] was visually cool, but half of the cast couldn’t sing.

My favourite version is the 25th anniversary concert. I could watch that once a week and never get tired of it.

It makes a depressing subject, fun and I’m really good at remembering song lyrics, so it’s a challenge, so I like that aspect of it. A lot of the songs are catchy and memorable.

With that in mind, I have never seen Les Misérables, as a live production. I knew it was based on a book, written by the ultra happy, Victor Hugo.

I remember I saw the 1998 movie version at some point, and I liked it. Javert seemed like a jerk, but I enjoyed it anyway. I also realised that they had made the film into a historical drama, but without the singing. Liam Neeson could have kicked more arse in it though.

Fast forward to early 2013, when the new film came out. My girlfriend at the time was my future wife, and she had explained her love of Les Misérables to me, so we agreed to go and see the film.

Now I had heard that this film version of Les Misérables, would not be like the 1998 film, because there would be singing, hence the whole musical aspect. I understood this, so I told myself that I could handle it. “A few songs here and there, mate, you’ll be fine“, I told myself. What an idiot.

So at the cinema, we sat down and my girlfriend was extremely excited, because she had already talked about some of her favourite songs; she was ready. As the film opened, it began with a song, while the prisoners were working. I thought that was common for a musical to open with a song, so I let it pass.

Then Russel Crowe’s Javert, started singing to Hugh Jackman’s Jean Valjean. It was at this point, that my Geek-Sense started tingling. “Why are they singing dialogue?” I asked myself. That’s really odd.

As the film progressed, I found characters singing more dialogue. A lot of dialogue. I was starting to get worried. I suddenly remembered the Billy Connolly joke about opera, with a character singing about going over a hill. I started to get anxious about what I was watching.

I leaned over to my girlfriend, and whispered in her ear, “There seems to be a lot of singing in this movie.” She turned to me, laughed, smiled, and whispered back, “That’s what the whole movie is, it’s all singing.” With that, she turned back to the screen.

I was now at the stage where I was noticing the other members of the audience. People on my left were singing. People on my right were singing. People behind and in front of me, were singing. The whole theatre was singing; whether it was softly or loudly, but they were singing.

I turned back to my girlfriend, and I finally understood. She was singing softly as well. I was surrounded by people singing their favourite songs, and I didn’t know a single word. I was watching a movie where people were singing dialogue. The singing had not stopped, nor would it. For 158 minutes, I was trapped, and it was all my fault.

After accepting my fate, I decided to try and concentrate on the film and block out the singing, which was extremely difficult. However, there was a shining moment for me. Javert confronted Valjean, where they started having a sword/wood fight.

I loved this, because I knew Crowe was going to play Jor-El in Man of Steel, and Jackman was Wolverine. So to me, Jor-El was fighting Wolverine. Because of this, I popped my claws on my left hand, and quietly said, “Snikt.”

My girlfriend saw me waving my set of claws about and quietly asked, “What are you doing?” I gently replied, “Wolverine’s fighting Superman’s Dad”, to which she just rolled her eyes and turned back to the screen.

I’m pleased to report, that I managed to survive the experience. After it had finished, my girlfriend laid out the positive and negative things about the film; apparently the plot flowed quite well, but the actors were terrible singers, in her humble opinion.

This leaves us with the question: what do I think of Les Misérables? I love history, so from that viewpoint, I loved it. It’s a great story, just a bit too much singing for me. I mean, do people really have to sing dialogue? No, no they don’t.

Anyway, my wife loves it, so I guess that’s what counts. Maybe.

If I was a faster typist, I could write more blogs per week, but I’m slower than Uncle Iroh serving and drinking tea, so sorry about that. Thanks for reading, wash your hands, and I’ll see you next week.

SOME GEEK TOLD ME

Category: Music