That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, one of the world’s worst ideas is back for another month. No, it’s not Some Geek Told Me’s The Tour of the Solar System. That hurt by the way. It’s Some Geek Told Me‘s We Didn’t Start the Fire’s historical references.

If you missed the previous entries of this colossal mistake, they include:

• We Didn’t Start the Fire: The Beginning 
• We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1948-1949.
• We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1950
• We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1951
• We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1952

I’ve been behind with writing the 1953 references to Billy Joel’s song, because the weather here has been terrible, and I’ve been trying to stay dry and warm in winter, so I’m fighting a losing battle.

Anyway, without any more time wasting; because that’s a striker’s or centre forward’s job, let’s dissect the We Didn’t Start the Fire’s historical references for 1953.

Can’t wait.

1953

Joseph Stalin:

This entry on the list is not one of the most well-liked people who have ever lived. Born Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, though known to the world as Stalin, was the brutal ruler of the Soviet Union from 1924-1953.

Stalin is a contentious figure in world history. He helped bring about the end of Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich, with the Soviet Union accounting for between 20-27 million people killed during the Second World War, the greatest death toll from any country. The bulk of these deaths came from fighting Nazi Germany.

However, before the war started, Stalin signed a non-aggression pact known as the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact with Hitler. The pact was a plan for Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union to carve up Europe for themselves. And just like every villain team-up ever, there was betrayal when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, breaking the pact.

Viewed and regarded in the same shitty category as Hitler, Stalin seemed to look at Hitler’s crimes against humanity and said, “Hold my vodka.”

Through his leadership and regime known as Stalinism, some of Stalin’s crimes include, but not all: creating the Gulag system; the Great Famine; Collectivization, Dekulakization and Special Settlements; the Great Purge; Order No. 227; punishing Soviet prisoners of war; and refusing to punish Soviet soldiers’ war crimes.

Stalin’s direct actions like imprisonment and executions, but also his negligence, paranoia, and incompetency, caused the deaths of between 7-20 million Soviet citizens. When he died on 5th March 1953, people worldwide celebrated, after he was in power for 29 years.

Malenkov:

After Stalin died, there was a power vacuum that many people were trying to fill. The (un)lucky winner of that contest was Georgy Malenkov. Things did not go easily for Malenkov, because only after one week as leader, he was forced to give up control of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

After some time, Malenkov and Nikita Khrushchev, the party’s First Secretary, entered a power struggle over the leadership of the Soviet Union. History tells us that Malenkov lost and was removed from power, with Khrushchev becoming the new leader. Malenkov lasted only 186 days in power.

A modern equivalent would be Ex-British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, who only lasted 50 days as leader and failed to outlast a lettuce.

Nasser:

Nasser refers to Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein, otherwise known as Gamal Abdel Nasser. Nasser was an Egyptian army officer, who along with Mohamed Naguib, led the 1952 Egyptian revolution, against the United Kingdom, and deposed the monarch, King Farouk I.

In 1953, Egypt was declared a republic, with Naguib becoming Egypt’s first president. Eventually, Nasser placed Naguib under house arrest and became the de facto leader of Egypt, until his election in 1956. He served as Egypt’s second president until he died in 1970.

In contemporary times, we only need to look at Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, Cuba’s Raúl Castro, or Eritrea’s Isaias Afwerki.

Prokofiev:

On 5th March 1953, (the same day Stalin died) Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev died at the age of 61. He had composed seven operas, seven symphonies, eight ballets, five piano concertos, two violin concertos, a cello concerto, a symphony concerto for cello and orchestra, and nine completed piano sonatas.

Some of his most beloved works were The Love for Three Oranges, the suite Lieutenant Kijé, the ballet Romeo and Juliet, and the eternal favourite, Peter and the Wolf.

For a modern composer, well, I don’t want to start a fight with anybody. If you want to choose someone for yourself, be my guest because we are blessed to live in a world full of amazing composers, and to choose one over another seems criminal, at least to me.

However, my wife added that John Williams is the cat’s pyjamas.

Rockefeller:

Winthrop and Barbara Rockefeller were married on 14th February 1948. Winthrop was part of the wealthy and famous Rockefeller dynasty, being John D. Rockefeller’s grandson, and John D. Rockefeller Jr.’s son. Not to be outdone, Barbara was also a successful Hollywood actress. Barbara gave birth to their son, Winthrop Paul “Win” Rockefeller, on 17th September 1948.

Fast forward to two years later, the happy couple were estranged. By 1953, divorce proceedings had started, with both parties haggling over a settlement. This was a very publicised celebrity divorce and was a constant story in the news cycle. By 1954, they had finally divorced, with Barbara receiving a $5.5 million settlement, which was a record for the time.

Three of the biggest publicised celebrity divorces in recent times would be Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie; Ye (Kanye West) and Kim Kardashian; and Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. There are others, but come on, I need to sleep.

Campanella: 

Making the 1953 list is our first and only sportsperson, Roy Campanella. Campanella was a baseball player, who mainly played as a catcher. He started his Major League Baseball career in 1948, when he played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, until his early retirement in 1957 from a car accident.

In 1953, Campanella won the National League’s Most Valuable Player Award for the second time, after winning it in 1951, and for a third time in 1955. Campanella won the World Series in 1955 and was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969.

Selecting a contemporary equivalent is difficult for me because even though I follow baseball to a certain extent, I don’t know it well enough to choose a player. I’m a rugby, cricket, football, and rugby league supporter, so baseball is not really in my wheelhouse. However, any followers and subscribers of New Zealand’s 5th least favourite website, who are also baseball fans, please let me know your opinions on the matter.

Communist Bloc:  

You may recall that during the 1950s, the Cold War had started, and 1953 was a flashpoint for Europe. “The Communist Bloc” refers to the Eastern Bloc, or the Soviet Bloc; which was a term given to the countries that were Communist states.

In the case of the song, we are looking at the 1953 East German uprising. This happened when construction workers rose in protest against government demands to increase productivity. The protests soon spread across East Germany, with people starting to demand better living standards and resisting the Sovietization way of life in East Germany.

At the height of the protests, one million people were on the streets, demanding more from the ruling government and the Socialist Unity Party. The main protest lasted only about two days before The Kasernierte Volkspolizei (a militarised police force) and Soviet forces rolled in and violently crushed the protests with tank support.

This was only three months after Stalin’s death, so the government wanted to stop the protests as quickly as possible. At least 125 people were killed during the crackdown.

A modern example of the 1953 East German Uprising; even though it’s not that modern, would be the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.

So for 1953, we covered a dictator’s death and his successor’s removal, an Egyptian political icon, a composer’s death, a celebrity divorce, a baseball player, and a failed uprising. 1953 was busy, but wait until we discuss 1954! Wow!

So, that’s it for another week. Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, watch the Paralympics Games¹ and I’ll see you next week, when we check in on the Coalition of Chaos.

¹ Seriously, go and watch the Paralympics Games. They deserve all the attention and support.

We are deep into winter at the moment, so what better way to bring some light into the world than to revisit events from 72 years ago, inspired by a 35-year-old song? Yes, it’s that time again for Some Geek Told Me to take a look at We Didn’t Start the Fire.

Previous entries on this terrible series have been:

• We Didn’t Start the Fire: The Beginning 
• We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1948-1949.
• We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1950
• We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1951

Surprisingly, Beetroot Awareness Aotearoa issued no statement about last month’s post, concerning 1951. Maybe they were too busy being knee-deep in beetroot to notice; though honestly, that sounds like a nightmare to me.

Before we start, 1952 is another special year for me, because that’s when my mother was born. So, without further fanfare, let’s give the non-ticket-paying audience what they want, and dive into We Didn’t Start the Fire’s historic references for 1952.

1952

Eisenhower:

Dwight D. Eisenhower was the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, during the Second World War, but that’s not why he’s on the list. In 1952, Eisenhower ran as the Republican nominee in the US Presidential election, against Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson II.

In a landslide victory, Eisenhower won the presidency with 442 electoral votes to 89, becoming the 34th President of the United States of America. Some other recent landslide victories include Ronald Reagan, who won in 1980 with 489 electoral votes, and in 1984 with 525 electoral votes, as well as George H. W. Bush in 1988 with 426 electoral votes.

Vaccine:

This particular case highlights the incredible potential of humanity. Polio is a highly contagious infectious disease that can cause paralysis and even death, especially in children worldwide. In the 20th century, polio killed millions of people each year and became one of the most feared diseases.

A polio vaccine had been in development for several years, but it wasn’t until virologist and biomedical scientist, Jonas Salk and a team of researchers, developed the first effective one in 1952. By the end of the decade, the Salk vaccine had reached about 90 countries.

The legacy of Salk’s vaccine is that it has helped to eliminate polio from the majority of the world, saving millions of lives each year. Unlike smallpox, polio is not eradicated yet, but both IPV and OPV vaccines are helping to achieve that goal.

England’s got a new Queen: 

Some of the references in We Didn’t Start the Fire need some explanation and context. Others, like our next one, don’t.

England’s got a new Queen, is exactly what you think it’s about. On 6th February 1952, 56-year-old King George VI of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth died, leaving his 25-year-old daughter, Elizabeth as the monarch. Although Elizabeth was coronated in 1953, she became Queen Elizabeth II when her father died.

The obvious equivalent for this was when on 8th September 2022, Queen Elizabeth II died at 96 years old, having reigned for 70 years. Her son, Charles, Prince of Wales, became King Charles III, with his coronation in 2023.

Marciano:

Rocco Francis Marchegiano, otherwise known as Rocky Marciano, was a professional boxer in the heavyweight division. On 23rd September 1952, Marciano fought a title match against World Heavyweight Champion, Jersey Joe Walcott. Marciano knocked Walcott out, to become the new heavyweight champion of the world.

Marciano went on to hold the title from 1952 until 1956 when he retired from boxing at 32 years old. Marciano had 49 fights, with 49 wins, and 43 by knockouts; which included six title defence fights. He remains the only heavyweight champion to finish his career undefeated. Marciano died in a plane crash in 1969.

For modern times, there is a collection of boxers that we could compare to Marciano, but ultimately I won’t. I mean, why would you?

Liberace:

One of the great American TV entertainers was born Władziu Valentino Liberace, though he became known as just Liberace. He was a pianist, singer, actor and showman. In 1952, he was given a 15-minute network television programme, called The Liberace Show. The show displayed his many different abilities, and it quickly grew in popularity, along with Liberace.

The show ran from 1952-1969 and was made famous for the costumes, productions, performances, and Liberace’s flamboyance. The legacy of The Liberace Show was the promotion of musical variety shows, but also the creation an international cultural icon.

Santayana goodbye:

On 26th September 1952, Jorge Agustín Nicolás Ruiz de Santayana y Borrás, died aged 88. George Santayana, as he became known in English, was a famous essayist, novelist, philosopher, and poet. In academic circles, Santayana was a pillar of 20th-century thinking and coined the immortal phrase:

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Santayana was beloved around the world for his work and helped usher in a new understanding of the human condition. For a modern equivalent, I’m going out on a limb, but I would name Carl Sagan, but to each their own.

So for 1952, we covered a US President, the polio vaccine, a British queen, a boxer, a music variety show, and a philosopher. That’s not bad at all, so I’ll be covering 1953 next time if you didn’t guess.

So, that’s it for another week. Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Please remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, pat a goose, and I’ll see you next week. Look after yourself until I return.

When it comes to making terrible ideas, this blog has had some crackers over the last few years. However, the concept of talking about the historical references from a song that came out in 1989; after multiple people have already done it, ranks quite high on that list.

My previous entries in this terrible endeavour include:

• We Didn’t Start the Fire: The Beginning 

• We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1948-1949.

• We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1950

Beetroot Awareness Aotearoa seem to have a bee in the bonnet about this, because their press release about my We Didn’t Start the Fire: 1950 blog is downright mean.

“This human skid mark has done another We Didn’t Start the Fire, now there’s four of them! One was too many. We wonder what idiotic new idea, he’ll think of next. Listing how many people have puked on his $5 shoes, maybe? How about listing the number of times the All Blacks have won the World Cup? No, we have it; he will name the colours of the rainbow because nobody has done that before! This moron should be kept away from spoons because he’ll cut himself. What a joke.”

Is it my imagination, or do you think a Springboks supporter may have helped in drafting this release?

Haters are going to hate, I suppose. And with that, let’s check out the We Didn’t Start the Fire’s historic references for 1951.

1951

Rosenbergs:

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were a married couple, who were both born in Manhattan, New York. Being married or born in Manhattan does not automatically qualify you for this list, though. At this time, the Cold War had been established, and the Rosenbergs were part of that drama.

In 1950, Julius and Ethel were arrested and convicted in 1951 for espionage. They were spying for the Soviet Union by providing top-secret information about American technology, especially nuclear secrets. In 1953, both Julius and Ethel were executed by electrocution, at Sing Sing Prison.

The Rosenbergs are also infamous for being the first American civilians executed for espionage. Even though they’re not a 2024 equivalent for the Rosenbergs, I feel Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen would be the closest.

H-bomb:

This is an odd one to discuss because it isn’t about a person, place, or event, but rather an object; a very destructive object. No, I’m not talking about Hellboy’s right hand, but rather the H-bomb.

This weapon has been given various monikers over the last 70 years, such as H-bomb, thermonuclear weapon, fusion weapon, or the most well-known, the hydrogen bomb.

In 1951, during the Cold War, the United States focused on developing the next generation of nuclear weapons. The goal was to combine atomic fission and nuclear fusion to create a more powerful nuclear explosion that could release more energy than a primary nuclear weapon. The first hydrogen bomb test took place in the Marshall Islands in 1952.

As a result, the design of the hydrogen bomb has had a lasting impact, with most of the world’s nuclear warheads being based on its design.

Sugar Ray:

Born Walker Smith Jr., Sugar Ray Robinson was a professional boxer, who fought across the Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, and Light heavyweight divisions, becoming world champion six times (1 x welterweight and 5 x middleweight).

Robinson is in the song for his fight against Jake LaMotta, for the World Middleweight title in 1951. This was the sixth time the two men had fought, and the fight has been named the “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” over Robinson’s combinations that beat the world champion, LaMotta to a bloody pulp.

In modern times, this is quite awkward. It could go either two ways; the first could be rematches between the same two boxers like Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier, Erik Morales vs. Marco Antonio Barrera, Pongsaklek Wonjongkam vs. Daisuke Naito, or Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez.

As for the second way, it could be because a particular boxer went on to become an icon and legend in their weight division. For that answer, the choice is yours.

Panmunjom:

Do you remember how I mentioned that I’ll be discussing the Korean War again, from last’s month 1950 blog? Well, here we are. Panmunjom is a former village that’s near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), along the North Korean and South Korean border. The Joint Security Area (JSA) is also referred to as Panmunjom, and vice versa.

Panmunjom makes this list because, during the Korean War in 1951, North Korean and Chinese officials first met United Nations forces at Panmunjom for truce talks.

In 2005, I was lucky enough to visit Panmunjom, and I made a badly written blog about it. The legacy of Panmunjom is that it still provides a point of contact and meetings for the leaders of North Korea, South Korea, and others.

Brando:

Brando refers to the Godfather himself, Marlon Brando, the great actor and activist. Brando starred in the 1951 film, A Streetcar Named Desire, as the lead male role, Stanley Kowalski. In certain circles, people say that Brando’s performance of Stanley was the best of his long career, which resulted in him being nominated for Best Actor at the 1952 Oscars.

The problem was that Brando didn’t win the award, instead, it went to Humphrey Bogart’s role as Charlie Allnut in The African Queen. This snub, as it’s been referred to, has been recorded as one of the biggest in the history of the Academy Awards.

A modern equivalent for a person being snubbed for acting at the Oscars can be somewhat subjective. However, in the spirit of the blog, maybe Margot Robbie (Barbie), Glenn Close (The Wife), Jim Carrey (The Truman Show), Amy Adams (Arrival), or Pam Grier (Jackie Brown). 

The King and I:

We’re back with another Rodgers and Hammerstein production, in the form of The King and I. The musical was based on Margaret Landon’s 1944 novel, Anna and the King of Siam, and also inspired the 1956 film.

The King and I first opened on Broadway in 1951, and it was a commercial and critical success, playing 1,246 performances. It also won five Tony Awards in 1952, including Best Musical. From there, the musical has been revived over the years, with the latest in 2015 (Broadway) and 2018 (West End). It remains a beloved story around the world.

The Catcher in the Rye:

For the first time in We Didn’t Start the Fire, a book has been mentioned. As you would expect, The Catcher in the Rye, was released in 1951, and it was written by J. D. Salinger. If you haven’t heard of the novel, then you may have heard of its protagonist, the teenager Holden Caulfield.

The novel makes the list because of the various themes it contains, like belonging, connection, sex, identity, loss, depression, innocence, and a whole lot of angst; which were unexplored topics for teenagers in early 1950s literature. The character of Holden Caulfield has become a symbol of rebellion and, you guessed it, teenage angst. Like I said before, this book has a whole lot of angst.

The Catcher in the Rye has sold more than 65 million copies, and remains a solid-selling book, even in 2024. This controversial novel has also been banned several times in various places around the world in the 20th century, which is sadly becoming a growing trend in the 21st century.

An unwanted caveat for the novel is that in 1980, a 25-year-old Mark David Chapman, shot and killed John Lennon, outside his apartment in New York. Chapman had developed an obsession with The Catcher in the Rye; among other things, and especially with Holden Caulfield, and tried to emulate his misadventures.

So for 1951, we covered two spies, the hydrogen bomb, a boxer, a Korean village, an actor, a musical, and a novel. A useless piece of information is that 1951 holds a special connection to me, because it’s the year my father was born.

Next month, I’ll look at 1952, and if I feel motivated enough, 1953 as well, but I don’t like the odds of that. I think it’s 34-1. Did I mention that I suddenly like the number 34?

Anyway, that’s it for another week. If you’re enjoying my We Didn’t Start the Fire project, or maybe you think I’m wasting my time, please let me know.

Thanks again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Don’t forget to walk your dog, read a banned book, watch the T20 World Cricket Cup, and I’ll see you next week, where I’m going to be petty and mean. You’ll love it.

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.

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.

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.

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.

So for 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.