Events From 'We Didn't Start The Fire"

Events From "We Didn't Start The Fire"

Period: Jan 1, 1949 to Dec 31, 1989

TV is Widespread

Jan 1, 1950

For more info on 1950's television
Television is becoming widespread (in black and white format) and becomes the most popular means of advertising

"Rock Around The Clock"

May 20, 1954

"Rock Around The Clock"
"Rock Around the Clock" is a hit single released by Bill Haley & His Comets in May, spurring worldwide interest in rock and roll music

Elvis Signs With RCA Records

Oct 27, 1955

For more info on Elvis
Elvis Presley signs with RCA Records on November 21, beginning his pop career.

The Day The Music Died

Feb 3, 1959

"Bye Bye Miss American Pie"
Buddy Holly dies in a plane crash on February 3 with Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper, in a day that had a devastating impact on the country and youth culture. Joel prefaces the lyric with a Holly signature vocal hiccup "uh-huh, uh-huh."

Beatlemania

Jan 1, 1962

The Beatles info
British Beatlemania: The Beatles, a British rock group, gain Ringo Starr as drummer and Brian Epstein as manager, and join the EMI's Parlophone label. They soon become the world's most famous rock band, with the word "Beatlemania" adopted by the press for their fans' unprecedented enthusiasm. It also began the British Invasion in the United States.

JFK Blown Away

Nov 22, 1963

JFK blown away: President John F. Kennedy is assassinated on November 22 while riding in an open convertible through Dallas.
JFK Info

Moonshot

May 30, 1969

For more info on Apollo 11
Moonshot: Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing, successfully lands on the moon.

WoodStock

Aug 15, 1969

For more info on Woodstock
Woodstock: Famous rock and roll festival of 1969 that came to be the epitome of the counterculture movement.

WaterGate

Jun 17, 1972

For more info on WatergateWatergate: Political scandal that began when the Democratic National Committee's headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, DC was broken into. After the break-in, word began to spread that President Richard Nixon (a Republican) may have known about the break-in, and tried to cover it up. The scandal would ultimately result in the resignation of President Nixon, and to date, this remains the only time that anyone has ever resigned the United States Presidency.

Punk Rock

Jan 1, 1974

The Ramones Info
Punk rock: The Ramones form, with the Sex Pistols following in 1975, bringing in the punk era.