Back to school, for the young it brings visions of the future and for the older it brings memories of the past. Students in Franklin Lakes, Wyckoff and Oakland are joining the rest of their generation in the return to school this September, and The Journal decided to examine how school is reflected in musical pop culture.
We’re going to completely pass on Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall. The comparison of school being a prison where dreams, imagination and creativity are beaten down might actually be an honest portrayal for some students, for the most part it’s a little over the top even for rock’n roll.
Instead we’ll start with earlier rock’n’roll legends Chuck Berry and Sam Cooke who spoke to the youth of the 50s and 60s when youthful rebellion was becoming more prominent in American culture.
The take in these songs is a softer rebellion as the songs transition from the responsibilities of school to other teenage priorities like love, music, and just having fun.
The importance of school is also downplayed in Paul Simon’s Kodachrome. The subject matter of the song certainly dates it as many students today have never even used a camera that required film…much less understanding the excitement of the sharp colors Kodachrome brought to the American family photo albums.
Still, Paul Simon’s music and lyrics maintain a softer, lighter approach than The Ramones brought to Rock’n Roll High School. They still had a playfulness that was absent from works by Van Halen, Twisted Sister and even the Police who injected a more explicit sexual theme into the music.
But not all music concerning school projects the rebelliousness of youth. The classic movie To Sir With Love produced LuLu’s famous song which was a gift to their teacher portrayed by Sidney Poitier. The song is soft, melodious, and heartfelt with an understanding and appreciation for the efforts of their teacher in guiding them into adulthood.
Bruce Springsteen’s Glory Days is another song, though much more rocking, that offers today’s students a glimpse into the future. The Springsteen song helps put into perspective the high school years, that it is a time of beginnings – not the be-all-and-end-all of our lives.
Perhaps one of the best songs for school, and one of the most recent, is by Jon McLaughlin called Four Years. It celebrates, cautions, and provides hope for those who may struggle with school, with social cliques, and the pressures many adults forget as they romanticize a time long ago.