North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe…

Papa Sparks on Dec 6, 2009

Tags: Billy Joel, Johnny Grant, korean war, Marilyn Monroe, USO

Billy Joel’s musical history lesson hits close to home.

Billy Joel’s musical history lesson in his 1989 hit “We Didn’t Start the Fire” hits (pun intended) a little close to home when he mentions, North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe, and Panmunjom. And it is not just because I have been living and working in Korea since 1990, but the references to the 1950-53 Korean War which has been a part of my life since 2000 when I wrote my first newspaper article on the conflict until now and the novel I am writing about the conflict.

When I hear the song and the reference to Marilyn Monroe, who had come to Korea on a USO tour, I think about the two times I met the late Johnny Grant who was a also a USO performer and who had also come to Korea, one time with Marilyn Monroe. I didn’t have a chance to talk to Mr. Grant in 2000 when I was covering a gala USO salute to American Korean War veterans, (I interviewed him for an article the following year) but I did get to say hello to another USO performer during the Korean War, Piper Laurie.

As for the Panmunjom reference – I have been to the “scariest place on Earth” 20 times since 1996.

Believe it or not, this song gets a lot of playing time on my iPod.

Thanks Billy Joel.

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Comments (9)

ceegirl on Dec 6, 2009
Thanks for sharing and good photo’s.
Guy Hogan on Dec 6, 2009
I remeber Piper Laurie. She played the mother of Sissy Spacek in…Oh, I can’t remember the title of the movie. It was a horror film and Spacek’s breakout film.

Anyway, good article and I loved the song.
Lady Sunshine on Dec 6, 2009
Now I can’t get that song out of my head! lol. I remember my brother would play that song over and over again. Enjoyed the write. And you reporters get to meet all sorts of people. Who was your favorite? And what is Panmunjom like, besides being “the scariest place on Earth”? And how were you treated?
Christine Ramsay on Dec 6, 2009
A very interesting piece. I can remember the day Marilyn died. This article brought it all back.

Christine
Shirley Shuler on Dec 6, 2009
Loved this article, Papa. Great photos too, thanks for sharing this!!
Frances Lawrence on Dec 6, 2009
A very interesting article.
Ruby Hawk on Dec 6, 2009
Loved them all, Piper Laurie, Marilyn, and Billy Joel. I remember the day Marilyn died too. It was a shock to a lot of people.
ken bultman on Dec 7, 2009
Love Piper Laurie. Thanks for the memories.
lillyrose on Dec 10, 2009
Thats a great song! and you are a mind of history and great information!

North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe…

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