Pop Shots – 12 Songs for the Start of the School Year

Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, with school starting back up this week I’ve decided to make this a Back to School edition of Pop Shots.

While teachers want you to pick up notebooks, pens, and backpacks, they leave out the most important item everyone needs for Back to School – a kick ass playlist! (hey, can anyone tell I’m not a parent?)

Alice Cooper gave us the ultimate end of the school year anthem with “School’s Out,” but with classes just starting I’ve selected 12 scholarly themed songs to kick the new school year off right. Of course, since this is Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Parents Just Don’t Understand

 

Before you even get to the first day of school you know what you have to do – go shopping for school clothes. As DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince pointed out in the first verse of their classic “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” doing this with your parents can be a bit … challenging.

Kris Kross – I Missed The Bus

 

Set your alarm, and make sure it’s loud, because you don’t want to find yourself like Kris Kross, rapping about how you missed the bus. Oh, and to anyone reading this who’s under the age of 35 – yes, their clothes are on backwards on purpose.

Van Halen – Hot For Teacher

 

If you never had a teacher you had the hots for, your town’s education system clearly let you down. Everyone deserves at least one “Hot For Teacher” moment in life.

Pink Floyd – Another Brick In The Wall

 

While there are the occasional aforementioned “hot” teachers, there are far more you’d probably like to sing this Pink Floyd classic to … so go ahead and do it!

Mötley Crüe – Smokin’ In The Boys Room

 

If you’re thinking about lighting up a cigarette during a break from class, Mötley Crüe would like to remind you – smokin’ ain’t allowed in school!

“Smokin’ In The Boys Room” was originally recorded by Brownsville Station in 1973, and God willing no one will attempt to create a modern version of it titled “Vapin’ In The Boys Room.”  

2ge+her – U + Me = US (Calculus)

 

If you’re paying attention in class, chances are you’ll learn your calculus … and if you were paying attention to boy band parodies in the early ‘00s, chances are you already know your calculus.

Adam Sandler – Lunch Lady Land

 

It’s noon, and your stomach is grumbling. You know what that means – it’s time to take a trip to “Lunch Lady Land.” I hope she’s serving sloppy joes!

Nada Surf – Popular

 

Dealing with the ins and outs of popularity, especially in high school, can be brutal, but Nada Surf provided us with an instructional manual back 1996 … or maybe it’s biting critique of high school popularity that still applies today.  

Ramones – Rock ’n’ Roll High School

 

If you’re into the arts, perhaps you’d be interested in attending a “Rock ’n’ Roll High School.” I hope you’re prepared for an education courtesy of Joey Ramone!

Bowling For Soup – High School Never Ends

 

Bowling For Soup has a harsh message for folks – the world can be a lot like high school. Thankfully, with this unbelievably fun song they also do a great job of reminding us that it’s still all bullsh*t.

Hoodie Allen – Eighteen Cool

 

Even if the world is a lot like high school, you still don’t want to be the guy (or girl) who peaks during those years. Hoodie Allen gave us a nice reminder of this with “Eighteen Cool.”

The Runaways – School Days

 

No matter how the school year goes, hopefully when you’re older you’ll be able to find something to reminisce fondly about when it comes to your “School Days.” That said, you might want to pay a little more attention to your studies than The Runaways did in this kick ass song from 1977.

That’s all for this edition of Pop Shots, but come back next Monday for more shots on all things pop.