Made my escape just a few days ago
I don't want to tell you how low you can go
Movin' on up get a job quickly
Somthin' hit me I don't know wot it was
I want to go back this (week)
I want to go back this (week)
I want to go back this (minute)
They said I was unruly
Better get a job
I really didn't understand the meaning of the word
I tried to get an understanding with the foreman boss
He simply put me down and said I wasn't
(To be trusted)
So I want to go back
I want to go back
I want to go back
I want to go back to school
I want to go back to school
You might think I'm a crazy fool
I want to go back to school
Man its safer in there
The world outside is so uncool
I need the money right now, I need the right job
The guys at work just needle me, they just can't get enough
I telephoned my friend, he said "same with me"
So wot are we going to do in this unearthly factory
I don't understand, how I was pushed to the brink
I want to go back
I want to go back
I want to go back
I want to go back to school
I want to go back to school
I want to go back to school
Man it's crazy out here in the 'outer' world
I want to go back to school
So I'm sitting in the dark
In my bed the other night
Thinking about my teacher
Now wasn't she right
They said you'd get a shock
Just like coming out of the womb
The world outside's enormous
There's only so much room
People kick and tear your brain
Life outside's insane
I want to go back "Hear me now!"
I really tried to work so hard
They told me scrub the floor
They kicked me like a toy
Nailed me to the door
I want to go back to school
I want to hear it, hear it
Hear the golden rule
I want to go back to school

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "Back to School" by Jon & Vangelis speak about a person's longing to return to school. The song begins with the singer declaring that he had made his escape just a few days ago and does not want to tell the listener how low they can go. The singer then talks about moving on to get a job quickly when something hits him, but he does not know what it is. He then talks about how he wants to go back to school because he doesn't understand the meaning of some of the things happening in his life.

The singer then talks about trying to get an understanding with the foreman boss, but the boss puts him down and says he cannot be trusted. The singer then says that he wants to go back to school because it is safer there as the world outside is uncool. He talks about needing money and the right job but gets needled by the guys at work, and he telephones his friend, who says the same thing. The singer doesn't understand why he was pushed to the brink and how life outside is insane.

The song continues with the singer talking about his teacher, who was right, and the shock he got when he entered the world outside. He talks about people who kick and tear your brain and how life outside is insane. The song concludes with the singer declaring that he wants to go back to school to hear the golden rule.

Line by Line Meaning

Made my escape just a few days ago
I left work recently

I don't want to tell you how low you can go
I don't want to tell you how bad it can be

Movin' on up get a job quickly
I've got to move up the ladder quickly

Somthin' hit me I don't know wot it was
I was hit by something and I don't know what it was

I want to go back this (week)
I want to go back to school soon

I want to go back this (minute)
I want to go back to school immediately

They said I was unruly
They said I was unruly at work

Better get a job
I need to find a job

I really didn't understand the meaning of the word
I didn't understand what the boss meant

I tried to get an understanding with the foreman boss
I tried to talk to my boss to understand the situation

He simply put me down and said I wasn't (To be trusted)
He insulted me and said I couldn't be trusted

So I want to go back
I want to go back to school

You might think I'm a crazy fool
You might think I'm crazy for wanting to go back to school

Man its safer in there
It's safer in school than in the outside world

The world outside is so uncool
The outside world is not great

I need the money right now, I need the right job
I need money right now and a better job

The guys at work just needle me, they just can't get enough
My coworkers make fun of me and it's never-ending

I telephoned my friend, he said "same with me"
I called my friend and he's in the same situation as me

So wot are we going to do in this unearthly factory
What are we going to do in this terrible workplace?

I don't understand, how I was pushed to the brink
I don't understand how I reached my breaking point

Man it's crazy out here in the 'outer' world
The outside world is insane

So I'm sitting in the dark
I'm sitting in the dark thinking

In my bed the other night
In bed the other night

Thinking about my teacher
Thinking about my school teacher

Now wasn't she right
She was right about everything

They said you'd get a shock
They said the outside world would shock you

Just like coming out of the womb
Like coming out of the womb, the outside world can be shocking

The world outside's enormous
The outside world is enormous

There's only so much room
There's only so much opportunity

People kick and tear your brain
People will grind you down

Life outside's insane
Life outside is crazy

I want to go back "Hear me now!"
I want to go back to school, hear me now!

I really tried to work so hard
I tried really hard at work

They told me scrub the floor
They told me to do menial work

They kicked me like a toy
They treated me poorly

Nailed me to the door
They trapped me in the job

I want to hear it, hear it
I want to hear the lessons in school again

Hear the golden rule
Hear the important teachings

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: U. ANDERSON, S. MANNEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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