We Didn't Start the Fandom

"We Didn't Start the Fandom" is a Harry Potter filk that parodies Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire". It details much of the history and wank of the Harry Potter fandom up through 2006 (pre-Deathly Hallows).
A video with the audio and lyrics was posted to YouTube by Zsenya, who summarized it as: "A concise and unbiased history of the Harry Potter fandom, based on Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start the Fire.' Note, I am not the author - just the messenger..."
An MP3 of the filk was posted as a "special edition" of the Sugar Quill podcast SQodcast on July 13, 2007.
== Introduction ==
The beginning of the video on YouTube reads:
== Lyrics & References ==
:Harry Potter 1 through 4
:Start a fandom shipping war
:Netiquette, Extricate
:HP4GU
:Canon-thumping, three-year wait
:Ginny bashing, Ron hate
:Semi-colon
During the R/Hr versus H/Hr ship wars, there was an extensive debate over the quote, "It's very good already," said Ron, in a strangled sort of voice. Fleur smiled at him; Hermione scowled, and whether the semi-colon indicated that Hermione's scowling was related to Fleur smiling at Ron (which would suggest jealousy and thus R/Hr).
:Uberfiction 
The Sugar Quill's Glossary provides the following definitions for the term 'Uberfic': 1. Controversial phrase for a very, very large and /or popular story2. Word used to describe the fic After the End by Zsenya and Arabella.
:Grave sex, P.O.U.
:We didn't start the fandom
:Oh, it started burning
:With the pages turning
:Maury is a love child
:Plagiarism, exile
:H/H, twincest
:Fanfiction dot net
:Beta readers, Sycophants
:Draco wearing leather pants
:87
The meaning behind "87" is apparently some Sugar Quill epic mystery. The mods were privy to the secret meaning while the rest of SQ tried to guess. The term was borrowed to created the SQ 87 "submarine" (in keeping with the fandom's nautical 'ship terms), who's "crew" is "devoted to protecting all things Quill," including The Good Ship R/H. One of the theories proposed is that it stands for H/G because 'H' is the 8th letter of the alphabet and 'G' is the 7th. Though this is sometimes the accepted answer, it has not been confirmed, and some argue that "87" is supposed to be something related to R/Hr, not H/G. Others report that it has to do with the controversy around Trouble in Paradise, particularly Chapter 9, which Ebony reported was 87 pages long (e.g. this reposting of unknown origin [WebCite] and this thread at fail-fandomanon).
, slash fic
:Jumping on the Good Ship
:We didn't start the fandom
:Oh it started burning
:With the pages turning
:We didn't start the fandom
:No, we didn't light it
:'Cause we didn't write it
:Sugar Quill and R/H
:Orange Crush, One True Way
:AtE, D/G
:and the Werewolf Registry
:Fiction Alley, TiP
:Paradise, Legalese
:Crack heads, Hate threads
:Tower of the Queens
:Summit minutes, Draco/Ron,
:Harry Potter Movie 1
:LiveJournal, Friends lock
:Ginny Weasley stealing socks
:Homage, litmus tests
:Porn Cease and Desists
:Mary-Sues, flame reviews
:Weasley adoration
:We didn't start the fandom
:Oh it started burning
:With the pages turning
:We didn't start the fandom
:No, we didn't light it
:'Cause we didn't write it
:ROX, SUX, Schnoogle, Squee
:Nimbus 2003
:Fandom Wank, Fanfic bans
:And here comes Fermato JamSee also: The MsScribe Story: An Unauthorized Fandom Biography
:Switchblade Kittens, Get a Clue
:Harry Potter Movie 2
:Fandom Bitches, Loving Dan
:Stalking of the Big Name Fans
:Free Dobby, TLC
:Pumpkin Pie, Book Release
:Goodbye Sirius
:Order of the Phoenix
:JKR's website
:Fan Awards, Fandom fights
:Old school, April fools
:Changing all the forum rules
:msscribe, no GT
:Harry Potter Movie 3
:Witching Hour, Salem
:Podcasts causing mayhem
:How long do we have to wait?
:J.K. Rowling sets a date
:Spoilers, blogging
:All anticipation
:Midnight, Half-Blood Prince
:Oh my God an H/G kiss!
:Dumbledore blown away
:What else do I have to say?
:We didn't start the fandom
:Oh it started burning
:With the pages turning
:We didn't start the fandom
:No, we didn't light it
:'Cause we didn't write it
:Interview
On July 16, 2005, the day Half-Blood Prince was released, Emerson Spartz of MuggleNet and Melissa Anelli of The Leaky Cauldron interviewed Rowling about the new book and many of fandom's most popular mysteries. In the interview, Rowling confirmed Ron/Hermione and Harry/Ginny to be canon, and much wank resulted; many Harry/Hermione shippers were particularly upset that Emerson called them "delusional" and that Rowling implied that they missed "anvil-sized hints." (Emerson Spartz and Melissa Anelli. MuggleNet and The Leaky Cauldron interview Joanne Kathleen Rowling. 16 July 2005. Accessed 1 March 2011.), Memersonwww.leakymug.com April Fools Day
:Fandom Wank is back againFandom Wank was deleted from LiveJournal; it moved to JournalFen
:War's on, Won-Won
:LaptopGate (big con?)
:Threats to boycott next time
:Shipping terror online
:Anvils and Delusional
:Harry Potter Movie 4
:Charlotte Lennox, history
:Seven is a mystery
:Draco's sad
:Voldie's mad
:Is Snape good or bad?
:What is up with Harry's eyes?
Rowling gave an interview in 1999 stating that the fact that Harry has his mother's eyes was "very important in a future book." Because no particular importance had been revealed in the first six books, there was still speculation on the matter. (Loer, Stephanie. "All about Harry Potter from quidditch to the future of the Sorting Hat," The Boston Globe. 18 October 1999. Via Accio Quote!, accessed 1 March 2011.)
:Who will live and who will die?
:Horcruxes and wizard wars
:We can't take it any more!
:We didn't start the fandom
:Oh it started burning
:With the pages turning
:And when we are gone
:It'll still burn on
:And on, and on
:And on, and on
:And on, and on
:And on, and on...
== References ==
Category:Harry Potter
Category:2006 Filk Songs