Back To School Days: Songs About School

This is about the time of year where the realization of school starting again sends a whole series of mixed feelings and emotions to those affected. Now for many parents of younger children just starting out, it’s a feeling of anxiety and maybe some fears of letting their little rugrats go off into the world and experience life away from mom and dad for a few hours, for parents of older children, there’s a feeling of relief that comes with the kids finally getting back into a routine and mom and dad looking forward to getting their freedom back again. For junior high and high school kids, they feel dread about loosing their summer freedom and having to hit the books again.  For college age students, it could be the opportunity to experience life away from home in the dorms or off-campus housing.

Now – to summarize things in terms even a no-brainer can understand….

Right around this time of year, sweat starts to pour off the brows of young people, while parents breathe a sigh of relief….. School bells are ringing….. The summer is over and it’s time for students to stop lying around, playing video games or watching television, sending text messages to their friends even though their friends are right in the next room, eating their parents out of house and home, failing to do chores, borrowing the car without permission, hosting a “study group” in their rooms with the doors locked, and looking for jobs only in places that they know are not hiring.

For parents, though, the news couldn’t be much better. The abode is again quiet. The little freeloaders are back in class where they belong. Let the teachers deal with them. That’s what they’re getting paid for, isn’t it? Aside from doing their carpool duty, parental units across the land soon will be dancing in the streets during school hours. In fact, maybe a little reward is in order for enduring a summer of chaos. Dad, it’s probably time for a new set of irons. Mom, even though you already have about a hundred pairs of shoes, a busy lady like yourself could always use a few more.

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What would truly capture the spirit of this occasion are some appropriate tunes to play on the car sound system as you’re driving around without junior in the backseat. They also could be used while the little tykes are fighting over juice boxes or headphones. The kids themselves might even enjoy the sound.

Without further ado, here is a list  songs to enhance the “back to school” experience. They cover  various aspects of the academic environment, from the respectable to the anti-establishment, from the clean-cut 50’s through the rebellious 90’s and beyond.  They’re not geared specifically toward parents, but school itself, since we all had to survive it at some point. So hopefully this will give you some ideas of making your next mp3 playlist or cd to burn for the “taxi service” your providing for your offspring. Enjoy the choices and ….. Oh, by the way, pay attention, because there will be a quiz later 🙂

1. Adult Education – Hall & Oates
2. All Dressed Up For School – Beach Boys
3. Another Brick In The Wall – Pink Floyd
4. Back To School – Bo Diddley
5. Back To School – Deftones
6. Back to School Again – The Four Tops
7. Be True To Your School – Beach Boys
8. Brain Damage – Eminem
9. Charlie Brown – The Coasters
10. Check Yes Or No – George Strait
11. College Kids – Reliant K
12. Don’t Stand So Close To Me – The Police
13. End of The Summer – Dar Williams
14. Girl’s School – Paul McCartney & Wings
15. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl – Sonny Boy Williamson
16. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl – The Yardbirds
17. Graduation Day – Beach Boys
18. Harper Valley PTA – Jeannie C. Riley
19. High School Confidential – Jerry Lee Lewis
20. High School Musical – Zac Efron/Vanessa Hudgens/Ashley Tisdale
21. High School Never Ends – Bowling For Soup
22. High School Nights – Dave Edmunds
23. High School USA – Tommy Facenda
24. Homework – Otis Rush
25. Hot For Teacher – Van Halen
26. I Don’t Like Mondays – Boomtown Rats
27. Jack The Idiot Dunce – The Kinks
28. The Kids – Eminem
29. Me & Julio Down By The Schoolyard – Paul Simon
30. My Old School – Steely Dan
31. New Girl In School – Jan & Dan
32. Remember The Days Of The Old Schoolyard – Cat Stevens
33. Rock ‘N’ Roll High School – The Ramones
34. S.C.H.O.O.L. – Rebel Rebel
35. School – Supertramp
36. School Day – Chuck Berry
37. School Days – The Runaways
38. School Girl – Argent
39. School Is Out – Gary US Bonds
40. School’s Out – Alice Cooper
41. Sister Mary Elephant – Cheech & Chong
42. Smokin’ In The Boys Room – Brownsville Station
43. Smokin’ In The Boys Room – Motley Crue
44. Substitute – The Who
45. Summer’s Gone – Feeder
46. Swingin’ School – Bobby Rydell
47. Teacher – Jethro Tull
48. Teacher, Teacher – 38 Special
49. Teacher’s Pet – Doris Day
50. Too Cool For School – Fountains Of Wayne
51. Waiting In School – Ricky Nelson
52. We Rule The School – Belle & Sebastian
53. Welcome Back – John Sebastian
54. We’re All In This Together – High School Musical (soundtrack)
55. We’re Gonna Be Friends – The White Stripes
56. What Did You Learn In School Today – Tom Paxton
57. What I Go To School For – Jonas Brothers