Days Of The Old Schoolyard
The Age
Friday April 21, 2006
THE rock biz is populated with everyone from postgraduates (the Offspring's Dexter Holland, molecular biology PhD; the Velvet Underground's Sterling Morrison, English PhD) to teachers (Gene Simmons, Sting), high school students (be your own PET), the home-schooled (Kings of Leon, Hanson) and the drop-outs (pretty much everyone else), so it's not surprising that education - or, perhaps, mis-education - is such a large part of the rock'n'roll vernacular.
Likewise, school songs become a big part of the listening life of anyone who's ever suffered through organised education (surely the yearly muck-up week airings of Pink Floyd's The Wall over school PA systems keeps the band members' bathrooms well-stocked with solid gold toilets). Just ask reader Adrian: "I'm in school at the moment!" he says, choosing AC/DC's early hit Can I Sit Next To You Girl. "A classic track with the title being repeated endlessly; reminds me of many failed attempts and surprised looks - usually from strangers."Lachie recalls being traumatised by the propensity of a gang of local heroes to disrobe - oh yeah, and their music. "As a testosterone-charged teenager, the invitation to go to Nude School sounded rather attractive. Shame it was being belted out by the less-than-attractive Painters and Dockers!" And on the topic of inadvisable school-time stripping, "You can't forget Hot For Teacher by Van Halen," offers Richaod. "Classic, cheeky and likely to get you into jail for a decade or so if taken literally."But most songs chosen dealt with a sense of false nostalgia. As Shannon notes of Madness' Baggy Trousers: "Its the ultimate school song. You 'hated' school when you went, but now, how you wish to be back there without a care in the world." On the subject of Nada Surf's Popular: "It's talk of jocks and cheerleaders is irrelevant to us really, but still gold." Cat Stevens' Remember the Days of the Old Schoolyard "reminds us of the innocent fun of the early years at school," says Kerry - even though most of us were eating Clag and giving atomic wedgies in grade 2 back then (and Request Line can't remember ever having had "warm toast for tea").But, as Katie notes, a song can be as educational as a day of classes. KRS-One's You Must Learn begins with a black history lesson and dives headfirst into stark politics that "lots of kids would never have heard about otherwise. The song is a very creepy reminder that a lot of the darkness of the past is still blanketing us."Both Kerry and John noted XTC's Playground as a serious example of what you can do with the schoolyard as a metaphor: "Never stop rehearsing, rehearsing for the big square world/ What did your report once say, know the one/ This boy must try harder to please/ From down on his knees". But it wasn't all po-faced politicking - John also nominated Godley and Creme's Punchbag, enthusing that "being bullied has never been so much fun!"But despite all the frivolity and biting wit in this jumble of songs, Kerry has the last word with her choice for the ultimate school song: The Pet Shop Boys' This Must Be The Place I've Waited Years To Leave.? OK, school's out - and seeing as no one nominated "Smokin' In the Boys' Room", we want your favourite songs about bad habits - smoking, drinking, picking your nose. Head over to blogs.theage.com.au/entertainment and dob them in.
© 2006 The Age