JUKEBOX: School’s Out for Summer!
School’s out! Kids and teachers are pumped, parents are filled with dread, and working folks… well, we’re just plain jealous. But whether we’re still in school or not, this week’s JUKEBOX celebrates that time when the end of June equals fun, freedom, and for some, the end of an era.
1) “School’s Out for Summer,” Alice Cooper (1972)
That badass moment when the final bell of the year rings is captured perfectly in Alice Cooper‘s classic ode to summer freedom. Okay, his idea of how to get out of school “forever” may not be the greatest way to end the year. But the joy and rebellion of getting out, coupled with the taunting way he sneers, “No more teachers, no more books” will inspire any student to run out of that school and never come back. (Well, at least not until September!)
2) “I’m Free,” The Who (1975)
Sometimes being in a classroom is so painfully dull that the last day of school might have you breaking out as if you just woke up from nine months of being proverbially deaf, dumb, and blind. Take a swim, and run on an endless beach to celebrate the beginning of summer!
3) “Fun, Fun Fun,” The Beach Boys (1965)
You’re finally out and the world is your playground, so what are you going to do next? Steal the car and get out of there with your friends, of course! The Beach Boys will forever be the kings of summer music, and “Fun, Fun, Fun” is the perfect accompaniment to plotting those endless summer adventures.
4) “In My Life,” The Beatles (1965)
The end of the year is always exciting, but for some, it brings the bittersweet feelings that come with graduation. The Beatles’ “In My Life” is one of the most tearjerking graduation songs ever, recalling memories of a chapter that ends on the last day of school. If you were in the choir or band, no doubt you remember choking back the tears while singing/playing this for your classmates and family. You fared much better in the audience, where you had total freedom to cry with abandon as you hugged anyone in arms’ reach.
5) “We Are the Champions,” Queen (1975)
But that sad feeling doesn’t last for long once that final bell rings! Celebrate the end of a winning year, and the hard work it took to get there with Queen’s anthem of triumph and accomplishment.
6) “The Circle Game,” Joni Mitchell (1968)
Students across the globe celebrate this moment of freedom, but the end of a school year marks a milestone that causes many parents to reflect on how quickly time has flown. Cry along with Joni as she reflects on the fleeting nature of childhood… but don’t forget to dry those tears and rejoin the party!
7) “We Go Together,” Grease soundtrack (1978)
Hey, remember the last day of high school, when the school set up a carnival, and then you and your dream boyfriend made a grand exit in a flying car? I sure do! Fine final song from the musical/movie Grease, Broadway’s ode to high school in the ’50s, joyfully captures the excitement and togetherness surrounding those last days of school.
Check out even more end-of-school jams in our Spotify playlist below!
What are your favorite end of the school year songs? Tell us in the comments!
