There’s something important about going back to school. Whether it’s the first day of a new semester or your first day on the job, it’s always exciting.
And while you may or may not have any kids in school (yet), many songs celebrate this rite of passage and remind us why we love music so much. Here are some of our favorite songs about schools.
Best Songs About Schools
There is nothing like a good school song to get students excited, convey a message, or share the idea of a good school life.
These song selections tell a story and bring together a mass of current and former students who can relate.
The songs on this list come from a variety of genres, giving you a range of student perspectives. From elementary to high school, here are the best songs about school ever written.
1. “School’s Out” By Alice Cooper
“School’s Out” by Alice Cooper is a song about the end of school, summer vacation, and freedom from it all. It was written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who also sang lead vocals on it.
The music video for this song features many children who are out of school playing together in an amusement park or somewhere else outside of their usual routine.
In addition to being a great tune for sing-alongs, this one also serves as a good inspiration for those looking to get out of their daily routines.
2. “Back To School Again” By The Four Tops
The Four Tops were a Motown group from Detroit, Michigan. They were formed in 1953 and originally called The Four Aims.
The Four Tops had hits with songs like “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “Bernadette,” and “It’s The Same Old Song.” They were initiated into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
3. “Rock N Roll High School” By The Ramones
The famous Ramones’ “Rock’ N Roll High School” is about a high school that bans rock and roll.
The video for this song features teenagers dancing in the halls, fighting with teachers, and burning down the school. It’s a classic example of teenage rebellion at its finest.
The song was written by Johnny Ramone (bassist) and Joey Ramone (drummer).
They were inspired by their friend Frank Zappa’s music when writing this song because he was also known for being anti-establishment like them too.
In addition to being anti-establishment like Frank Zappa, The Ramones also wrote songs about rebellion, such as “I Wanna Be Sedated” or “Blitzkrieg Bop,” which both talk about being against authority figures.
This encompasses parents or teachers who tell you what you cannot do but maybe don’t want them telling you anyway.
4. “Alma Mater” By Black Sabbath
This song is about the author’s school days and was written by guitarist Johnny Ramones. In the song, he describes how he played sports in high school and how he would eventually get bored of it.
He also talks about some of his classmates’ antics during those times, such as playing practical jokes on people who were having trouble with their homework or making fun of each other because they didn’t know what they were doing.
The song ends with a reference to Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out”: “I remember when we all went crazy/, And we were really happy then.”
This makes sense because both songs are parodies of Alice Cooper’s famous hit “School’s Out.”
5. “High School Confidential” By Jerry Lee Lewis
“High School Confidential” by Jerry Lee Lewis is a song about high school life and about the girls in the band.
It’s about class and teachers, but it also has a lot of songs about how great it was to be in his band.
The song talks about how he missed her when she went away to college, but now she’s back again, and this time around, things are going to be different than before.
6. “School Days” By Chuck Berry
This song is about the importance of school and how it’s important to learn from your mistakes.
There’s a chorus with the lyrics “I’m in love with you, yeah,” which makes it easy to sing along to if you’re sitting in class or want to listen while driving around town.
The verses talk about how Chuck Berry always got into trouble at school because he liked playing music too much.
He didn’t understand why teachers wouldn’t let him play his instruments after class because they knew how much fun playing would be for him.
The last verse talks about how when he was older and got married (which happened around 1961), he had kids who were kind of like him.
These kids just wanted freedom without thinking too much about what would happen when they ran away from home again.
7. “My Old School” By Steely Dan
“My Old School” by Steely Dan is one of the most iconic songs about school. The lyrics are witty but also very serious about what goes on at school.
There’s a lot going on in this song, and there always is, but it does an excellent job of explaining what it’s like to be in high school and how difficult it can be.
The musical style itself is great, too; it’s smooth jazz with a heavy dose of funk thrown into the mix, which makes for some groovy background music that will get you dancing around your room all day long.
If you are in need of something new to listen to while doing homework or studying for finals, this should fit right into your routine nicely.
8. “Highschool Nightmare” By John Zorn
John Zorn is a composer who has released several albums. This song was released on his 1986 album Naked City, which is about high school and the pressures students face.
The lyrics are similar to those of many other John Zorn songs: he asks questions like “Shall we dance?” or “What’s for dinner?” but then answers them with more questions about schoolwork and social events.
It’s an interesting song because it feels like you’re listening to someone telling their story from inside their head, but at the same time, it’s not so far removed from reality that you can’t relate.
It gives listeners insight into what life might be like if they were in this situation themselves; for example: “I’m afraid I’ll never get out alive.”
9. “Summer School” By The Beach Boys
“Summer School” by The Beach Boys is a song about a guy who’s in summer school because he failed a class.
He thinks that he will have to stay in summer school forever, but instead, he ends up getting over his ex-girlfriend and ends up dating another girl who likes him for himself, not the way she does everything for him or because of him.
The male protagonist has to return to the same place where his ex-girlfriend was bullied by her friends right before prom night.
He tries to pretend that he isn’t there because he is embarrassed at having been seen with her at all; however, this doesn’t work out well once they get together again after prom night.
Read Also: Human Development: Education, Classes & Degrees
10. “Pink Houses (Ain’t That America)” By John Mellencamp
The renowned John Mellencamp is an American singer-songwriter and musician.
He is best known for his songs about the working class and poverty in America, as well as his use of irony and sarcasm. Pink Houses were released in 1983 from the album Uh-Huh.
The song’s lyrics explore how some people are excluded from society while others have more opportunities than they deserve, referencing both the rich and poor neighborhoods that existed across America at that time.
11. “Every Day Is A School Day” By Donovan
“Every Day Is A School Day,” by Donovan, is a song about the joy of learning and the importance it is to be educated. The lyrics go:
“Education is success to live.”
“if you want to be somebody/You’ve got to learn how to work.”
The way that he sings these lines makes them sound like he’s not just talking about school but also life in general.
He even says, “I’m going back tomorrow,” implying that there will always be another day when we can learn more and make ourselves better.
This song shows us how important education really is because without it we wouldn’t be able to improve ourselves or become successful members of society.
12. “New Kid In School” By The Jam
“New Kid in School” by The Jam is a song about the singer’s first day at school. It was written by Paul Weller and released in 1982 on the album The Gift, which The Jam produced.
This song was recorded at Townhouse Studios in London with producer Alan Winstanley as well as John Bannister (bass), Chris Wilson (drums) and Tony Wilson (guitar).
13. “Detroit Rock City High School Yearbook” By Kiss (Gene Simmons)
The famous KISS is an American rock band formed in New York City by Peter Criss, Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Ace Frehley.
Since its formation, they have undergone several lineup changes, with frontman Paul Stanley and rhythm guitarist Ace Frehley being the only two constant members.
The group has released 18 studio albums, numerous compilations, and live albums. They have also released five EPs and three box sets containing various materials from their discography.
A recent release saw their team up with singer/songwriter Meghan Trainor on her debut single “No Excuses,” which reached number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart after it was released digitally on October 21st, 2017.
14. I Hate My School – Necros
If you didn’t catch the song title’s meaning, Necros is not a high school fan.
The idea is that of someone who is clearly angry at everyone and everything, clearly a teenager. All they want is to go home and hide from the world.
Not only is it comparable, but it’s great to be involved with. It’s emo, but the 70’s version.
15. High School Confidential – Jerry Lee Lewis
In 1958, MGM signed Ron Hargrave and Jerry Lee Lewis to write the title song for their film.
The song was recorded at the famous Sun Studios in Memphis, and after that, Jerry flew to the set of the movie, where they had him play it a dozen times for encores. None of these shots were used.
The version in the film was not released on the soundtrack, but Jerry placed it on his record, where it reached number five on the R&B charts.
16. College Kids – Relient K
Growing up, a frequent topic at school and home is the pressure for higher education. This was the case in 2003 when “College Kids” was released.
Before leaving, many students look at the upcoming experience as something big to look forward to.
No one remembers the possibility that they will be overwhelmed and struggle. And the huge debt afterward. Relient K expresses it quite well here.
17. Secondary School – MC5
The song embodies the excitement of a middle schooler being promoted to high school.
Even back in 1970, MC5 knew how to put into words what it was like to anticipate becoming a big man on campus.
You will still be at the bottom of the ranks when you attend a new school. But who cares? The thing is, you’re an adult, right?
18. Smokin’ In The Boys Room – Mötley Crüe
This is a better way to get into serious trouble in the hallowed halls and walls of high school. Mötley Crüe hit the ’70s with a fresh start in the late ’80s.
Mötley Crüe’s version didn’t chart as high as Brownsville Station but was still considered a hit for both bands.
19. Straight A’s – Dead Kennedys
This selection is starting to sound like something someone in high school would feel compelled to sing about. There’s pressure to stay in a place of honor, signs of puberty in full swing, and even frequent complaints about homework.
The person probably didn’t feel like they could get help with these emotions. Certainly, a topic that many students would understand.
20. Welcome Back To School
“Welcome Back To School, Mr. Frank Follybuckle Of The 3rd Grade Class At Hillside Elementary In Maple Valley, Washington” – Polysics.
Polysics has been making music since 2010, and this song is actually their debut single. It’s about a teacher who isn’t very good at his job, but he’s not so bad that you want to fire him.
He makes mistakes all day long and gets fired by the end of each day, but when he leaves for good, the students are happy to see him go.
Conclusion
So there you have it, the top 20 songs about schools. There are some really great songs out there that deal with school, learning, and education.
The list is by no means exhaustive or complete, but we thought it would be fun to give you an idea of what some artists thought when they wrote their respective songs about schools.
