We Didn't Start the Fire: The History Podcast

by Crowd Network

This brand new pop culture history podcast is nothing like anything you've heard before, and it's everything you need to understand the modern world. Katie Puckrik and Tom Fordyce, an American pop culture buff and a British music lover, have taken the smash-hit song by Billy Joel and turned it into a podcast. Billy lists 120 people, places, and things in 'We Didn't Start The Fire', and Katie and Tom will do an episode on every single one to create the most fascinating, random and original history of the post-war world. Over the next two and a half years, we're going to learn about politics, rock 'n' roll, sport, space, television, the Cold War, guided along the way by historians, eyewitnesses, and mega-fans. Billy started it. We're going to finish it. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @spreadthatfire, email us at [email protected], and go to spreadthatfire.com to buy merch.

Episodes

Walter Winchell

44m · Published 01 Mar 00:30

Sixth lyric, sixth topic. Katie and Tom are joined by historian of the popular press Dr Chris Shoop-Worrall, and together they delve into the dark world of the man who made gossip a currency: widely-loved and intensely-disliked columnist and broadcaster Walter Winchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

South Pacific

41m · Published 22 Feb 00:30

We're five lyrics in, and Katie and Tom are getting musical. Literally, if you make it to the end. Dr Cara Rodway (Chair of the British Association for American Studies by day, musical nerd by night) gives a pretty convincing case for why the soundtrack has spent more weeks at UK number 1 than any other song. Even one of Billy's. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Johnnie Ray

47m · Published 15 Feb 00:30

Deaf in one ear, shy, bisexual, sensitive - are these the reasons Johnnie Ray isn't worshipped as the Father of Rock and Roll? Katie, Tom and author Cathi Unsworth delve into the world of the man who gave way to Elvis, the Beatles, Morrissey. It's a journey which will take them from a small farm in Oregon to African-American clubs in Detroit, and finally to hidden corners in smokey clubs where London's 1950s subcultures could be found. Cathi's latest book Bad Penny Blues is out now: http://www.cathiunsworth.co.uk/ or https://www.facebook.com/cathiunsworthwriter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Red China

41m · Published 08 Feb 02:00

It's episode 3 and Billy's transported us back to post-1949 Communist China. Katie and Tom talk to Prof. Yangwen Zheng about her childhood under the regime, and she's got a fascinating story to tell. It's one of stolen pencil cases, the class enemy, disappearing family members, widespread famine, murder - and the man at the heart of it all, Mao Zedong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doris Day

38m · Published 01 Feb 03:00

Episode two brings us swanning into the Golden Age of Hollywood, with the charisma, charm and controversies of Doris Day, brought alive by Dr Tamar Jeffers-McDonald. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Doris Day

38m · Published 01 Feb 02:02

Second episode, second lyric. Katie and Tom are joined by Hollywood historian Tamar Jeffers-McDonald to talk about the actress, singer and animal activist Doris Day; and Tamar's out to bust some myths. Innocent virgin, happy life, apple pie smile? This is the story of a wildly misunderstood woman - one that involves abuse, serial killers, betrayal, and gruesome truths about the Golden Age of Hollywood. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Harry Truman

34m · Published 25 Jan 00:30

True to Billy Joel's words, we kick off with Harry Truman. Katie and Tom talk to UCL historian Dr Nick Witham about the man who oversaw the fascinating period after WWII. Hiroshima, NATO, Korea, the Berlin airlift - has any US president ever had to make so many big decisions? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trailer

8m · Published 15 Jan 13:48

A modern history podcast inspired by the lyrics of Billy Joel. Billy didn’t just write an unforgettable smash-hit with ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’, he also created the most fascinating, random and original history of the post-war world. Each episode, a new lyric and a fresh subject, all presented by Katie Puckrik and Tom Fordyce. It's politics, rock 'n' roll, sport, space, television, the Cold War, explored and explained by historians, eyewitnesses, and mega-fans. Billy started it. We're going to finish it. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @spreadthatfire, or share your thoughts and stories with us [email protected]. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We Didn't Start the Fire: The History Podcast has 138 episodes in total of non- explicit content. Total playtime is 98:19:38. The language of the podcast is English. This podcast has been added on August 16th 2022. It might contain more episodes than the ones shown here. It was last updated on June 2nd, 2024 05:41.