Posted on by arotherham

Education Songs

What are the best education songs out there? There are obvious candidates like the Beach Boys’ classic “Be True To Your School” or Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher.” Or the political, like Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall.” And then songs with a powerful education line, for example Springsteen’s “No Surrender.” But there is plenty of obscure stuff as well – James Brown recorded an anti-high school dropout song. And bands like The Kinks and Pearl Jam get at school themes, too. So in your view, you can comment below or via Twitter at #edsongs, what is/are the best education song(s) out there?

Update: Randi Weingarten immediately goes with a classic: CS&N.

17 Replies to “Education Songs”

  1. Without a doubt. Sam Cooke’s “Wonderful World”

    Although this time of year I suspect both a lot of teachers and kids would vote for Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out”

  2. “The Headmaster Ritual” by the Smiths. The guitar playing alone is a “best practice”. The subject matter, less so.

  4. I actually made a mix tape of math and science songs for my team in Chicago many years ago…

    MC Hawking’s “What We Need More Of Is Science” at http://www.mchawking.com/mp3_files/WhatWeNeedMoreOfIsScience.mp3 is classic, as is Dave Bartholomew’s (of Fats Domino fame) “The Monkey” getting at creationism and evolution back in the early days. I’m certainly partial to the electricity of The Polecats “Make A Circuit With Me” and GbV’s “I Am A Scientist”.

    And Dan Baird’s “I Love You Period” makes me want to be an English teacher, almost…

  9. Wake Up Everybody by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. For many years, it was a theme for the UNCF.

    While it’s not directly education related, “It’s Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday,” was a classic from the Cooley High soundtrack

  12. “Academy Fight Song,” for everyone fortunate enough to have the means and good sense to bypass the public school morass altogether.

  13. Chalkdust Torture by Phish–

    But who can unlearn all the facts that I’ve learned
    As I sat in their chairs and my synapses burned
    And the torture of chalk dust collects on my tongue
    Thoughts follow my vision and dance in the sun
    All my vasoconstrictors they come slowly undone
    Can’t this wait till im Old?
    Can’t I live while I’m young?

  14. White Stripes “You and I are Gonna Be Friends”

    well here we are, no one else
    we walked to school all by ourselves
    there’s dirt on our uniforms
    from chasing all the ants and worms
    we clean up and now it’s time to learn

    numbers, letters, learn to spell
    nouns, and books, and show and tell
    at playtime we will throw the ball
    back to class, through the hall
    teacher marks our height against the wall

    and we don’t notice any time pass
    we don’t notice anything
    we sit side by side in every class
    teacher thinks that i sound funny
    but she likes the way you sing

  16. Michael Lach, I do hope your songlist included “Take It to the Limit” by the Eagles. It was our high school Calculus Club theme song:

    And when you’re looking for your freedom
    (nobody seems to care)
    And you can’t find the door
    (can’t find it anywhere)
    When there’s nothing to believe in
    Still you’re coming back, you’re running back
    You’re coming back for more

    So put me on a highway
    And show me a sign
    And take it to the limit one more time

    Take it to the limit
    Take it to the limit
    Take it to the limit one more time

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