Part two of my School House Rock songs to commemorate the opening of school next week. Three more songs featured below starting with a double dose of Alice Cooper.
Great American Success Story, Alice Cooper
Today I am presenting a pair of Alice Cooper tunes to the list. I am beginning with the lesser known of the two from the 1986 album Constrictor. The song is an upbeat rocker that tells the story of a down and out person trying to turn his life around, clean up and go back to school. As the song progresses it appears he certainly did make it back to school. However, once he is there it appears he simply gets infatuated with his female teacher. I always liked this song and I always liked this album. I only recently learned that Kip Winger, from the 80’s band Winger played base on Constrictor. See....you really do learn something new everyday.
School’s Out, Alice Cooper
This song most definitely has to be on any list of school rock songs. It is a rock anthem that I probably should be writing about in June at school’s end and not now. The song was originally included on Alice Cooper’s fifth album of the same name released in 1972. This was when Alice Cooper was known as a band and not a solo artist. In a school I worked at for 8 years we would play this one through the P.A. system as the students would exit the building on the last day. Some of us would be standing in the doorway with high fives, handshakes and the occasional hug. I would see the gleam in the eyes of my students and I know they saw the same in mine. With much mutual respect for each other (I hope) we smile, bid farewell and at the same time have an understanding that we are glad to be taking a break from each other too.
Teacher Teacher, by 38 Special
38 Special released this song in 1984 as part of the movie Teachers soundtrack. The song is a great catchy rock track and if you watch the movie it is actually played in just about its entirety during the opening credits. I re-watched this moving this summer and I loved it. Some of it hits school life dead on and some of the themes ring through to this day. As for 38 Special, this is my favourite song by them although they’ve had other catchy radio friendly singles such as Caught Up In You, Hold on Loosely and Back Where You Belong. A friend of mine had a greatest hits CD and it was a decent collection of songs. As an aside I have used the song Teacher Teacher as one of my custom ring tones for anyone who is a work colleague of mine.
One more installation of School House Rock songs to come!
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