Billy Joel Doesn’t Get Why People Hate ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’ So Much

Billy Joel knows a lot of people hate "We Didn't Start The Fire," but he's not sure why.

The Piano Man appeared on the October 2021 episode of We Didn't Start The Fire: The History Podcast, which breaks down all of the moments, people and other events mentioned in the 1989 number one hit song.

"The only thing I’ve heard about that song from people is, ‘I hate that song!'" said Joel. "Some people hate that song. It’s one of the most hated things I ever wrote! And I don’t get the hate."

Joel did admit in the interview there was one thing about the track he wasn't pleased with, and that's the actual music. He likened the melody to "a mosquito buzzing around your head" and added the composition is "more annoying than musical." Joel says that happened because he wrote the lyrics of the song first and than the music. For him, it's usually the other way around.

As for the lyrics, Joel said, "...I only wrote stuff I wanted to hear. If it turned out to be a hit, it was pure dumb luck. I didn't even pick the singles; the record company picks what's going to be a single. I hand them an album of a bunch of songs and go, 'Here, now it's your turkey. You figure it out.'"

Billy Joel celebrates his birthday on May 9! While his long-running residency at New York City's Madison Square Garden has been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, it's currently slated to pick back up in November 2021

Since his residency began in January 2014, Joel has always tried to keep fans guessing during his monthly MSG shows and has welcomed a variety of special guests. In honor of The Piano Man’s birthday, here are seven of our favorite residency cameos.

Joel’s August 2014 residency show saw him dust off “Uptown Girl,” which, of course, is about his ex-wife Brinkley, but the audience blew up once they saw the supermodel on the jumbotron in attendance.

The Tonight Show host joined Joel at his 25 residency gig in January 2016, where he did his best Mick Jagger impersonation for a performance of “Start Me Up.”  It’s equal parts ridiculous and fun.

Considering Johnson’s somewhat recent retirement from the stage, this performance of “You Shook Me All Night Long” from Joel’s December 2014 residency show is all the more poignant.

Indiana’s favorite son made his second guest appearance during Joel’s residency at the March 2017 show.  This time around, Mellencamp and Joel dueted on “Authority Song” to a raucous crowd.

During Joel's January 2018 MSG show, Gramm and Jones surprised the capacity crowd and performed two of their biggest hits, “Urgent" and “Cold As Ice.”

For Joel's 100th show ever at MSG, The Boss joined The Piano Man on stage performed “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” and “Born To Run”

John Fogerty joined Joel for two songs during his March 2019 MSG gig: Creedence Clearwater Revival classics “Up Around The Bend” and “Fortunate Son.”