which person is not mentioned in the lyrics of billy joel’s 1989 hit “we didn’t start the fire”?

The person not mentioned in the lyrics of Billy Joel’s 1989 hit “We Didn’t Start the Fire” is Muhammad Ali.

Quick Scoop: Why Muhammad Ali?

• The song name-checks a long list of mid‑20th‑century figures, including several boxers like Sugar Ray , Marciano , and the line “Liston beats Patterson” , which directly references fighters from Ali’s era.

• Despite Ali’s enormous impact on sports, politics, and culture between 1949–1989, his name never appears anywhere in the lyrics, a fact often pointed out in discussions of the song’s historical references.

Many fans find it surprising that a cultural giant like Muhammad Ali is missing, while several of his contemporaries and even his rivals are included.

TL;DR: Among famous figures of the era, Muhammad Ali is a notable omission from “We Didn’t Start the Fire.”

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