Yesterday Once More

19 Jul 2016

School Days

Hi Listeners

The majority of pop record buyers are teenagers. Many of those teenagers are still at school.So it’s not surprising that songwriters and singers have attempted to reflect the school days of teenagers. What is interesting is the different ways the songs reflect school days. Chuck Berry’s classic ‘School Days’ is an energetic and exuberant opening to the program. Another song which captures the energy and excitement of school days is ‘Swingin’ School’ from popular teen idol, Bobby Rydell.

There are songs about teachers. Lulu’s iconic ‘To Sir With Love’ from the film of the same name, struck a chord with teenagers who idolise their teachers. Doris Day also expressed her feelings for a teacher in another song from a film – ‘Teacher’s Pet’. Johnny Mathis expresses a similar emotion in his up tempo song ‘Teacher Teacher’. Freddy Cannon’s song ‘Abigail Beecher’ captures that feeling of having a crush on a teacher experienced by some teenage boys.

Romance blossoms in school too. Tony Perkins (of Psycho fame) sings about teenage romance in ‘The Prettiest Girl In School’ (despite the fact that he was gay) while Sam Cooke’s big hit ‘What A Wonderful World’ lauds love above any school experiences – ‘Don’t know much about History/Don’t know much Biology/But I do know that I love you’.

But there was another side to school days. Pink Floyd’s sardonic ‘Another Brick In The Wall’ depicts schooling as conformist and stultifying. Gary US Bonds swamp rock song ‘School Is Out’ and Connie Francis’s ‘Vacation’ both express the exuberance and excitement when school is over and teenagers can be free.

Playlist

* School Days – Chuck Berry
* To Sir With Love – Lulu
* School Is Out – Gary US Bonds
* ABC – Jackson Five
* Prettiest Girl In School – Tony Perkins
* Another Brick In The Wall – Pink Floyd
* Teacher Teacher – Johnny Mathis
* Vacation – Connie Francis
* Abigail Beecher – Freddy Cannon
* Teacher’s Pet – Doris Day
* What A Wonderful World – Sam Cooke
* Swingin’ School – Bobby Rydell