Billy Joel responds to Fall Out Boy’s updated cover of We Didn’t Start The Fire

Following the release of Fall Out Boy’s updated cover of We Didn’t Start The Fire, Billy Joel himself has responded to the new version.

Chatting with BBC Radio 2’s Zoe Ball following a massive headline performance at London’s BST Hyde Park this weekend, the Piano Man explained that he had never really fancied following up his own song – which lyrically concluded in the year 1989. So he was fine with Patrick Stump, Pete Wentz and co. giving it a go and bringing things up to the present day (albeit not in chronological order).

“Fall Out Boy, yeah I heard about this,” said Billy. “Everybody has been wanting to know when there is going to be an updated version of it, because my song started in ’49 and ended in ’89 – it was a 40-year span.

“Everybody said, ‘Are you going to do part two? When are you going to do part two?’ And I said, ‘Nah, I’ve already done part one.’ So, Fall Out Boy, go ahead. Great. Take it away.”

Upon release, FOB shared in a statement: “I thought about this song a lot when I was younger. All these important people and events – some that disappeared into the sands of time – others that changed the world forever. So much has happened in the span of the last 34 years – we felt like a little system update might be fun. Hope you like our take on it.”

Catch Fall Out Boy at the following UK dates later this year:

October

27 Leeds First Direct Arena
28 Glasgow OVO Hydro
29 Manchester AO Arena
31 Birmingham Utilita Arena

November

2 London The O2
3 London The O2
4 Cardiff International Arena

Get your tickets here.

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