Friday Tunes: Teacher, Teacher

There are lots of songs about jobs. Today’s installment of labour themes in popular culture is one of my favourite songs from the 1980s: .38 Special’s Teacher, Teacher (from the 1984 soundtrack to Teachers and co-written by Bryan Adams, of all people).

Written from the perspective of a high-school student, it highlights the role teachers play in opening students’ eyes—even if some of the enlightenment comes later and only after some experience (“Just when I thought I finally learned my lesson well/There was more to this than meets the eye”).

It also canvasses the insecurity of young people transitioning into the labour market (“Am I ready for the real world? Will I pass the test?/You know it's a jungle out there”). And picking up on some of the themes from the movie, it also has a bit of cynicism (”But the joke's on those who believe the system's fair”). I have a hard time knowing if this song is intended to be upbeat or quite angst-ridden—perhaps it's both.




Just when I thought I finally learned my lesson well
There was more to this than meets the eye
And for all the things you taught me, only time will tell
If I'll be able to survive, oh yeah

Teacher, teacher can you teach me?
Can you tell me all I need to know?
Teacher, teacher can you reach me?
Or will I fall when you let me go? Oh, no

Am I ready for the real world? Will I pass the test?
You know it's a jungle out there
Ain't nothin' gonna stop me, I won't be second best
But the joke's on those who believe the system's fair, oh yeah

Teacher, teacher can you teach me?
Can you tell me if I'm right or wrong?
Teacher, teacher can you reach me?
I wanna know what's goin' on, oh yeah

So the years go on and on but nothing's lost or won
What you learn is soon forgotten
They take the best years of your life
Try to tell you wrong from right
But you walk away with nothing, oh oh

Teacher, teacher can you teach me?
Can you tell me all I need to know?
Teacher, teacher can you reach me?
Or will I fall when you let me go?

Teacher, teacher can you teach me?
Can you tell me if I'm right or wrong?
Teacher, teacher can you reach me?
I wanna know what's goin' on, oh

Teacher, teacher, can you teach me?
Teacher, teacher, can you reach me?
Teacher, teacher, can you teach me?
Teacher, teacher, oh yeah

Teacher, teacher can you teach me?
Teach me

-- Bob

Barnetson