The man, Thomas Black (born August 28, 1969), better known as Jack Black, is an American film/television actor and musician.
Black was born in Hermosa Beach, California to a middle-class Jewish family. His parents, Thomas W. Black and Judith C. Cohen, were satellite engineers and members of a naturist group, Family Synergy; they divorced when he was ten.
By his teenage years, Black's family had moved to Culver City, CA, and he started taking drugs in an attempt to fit in. He stole money from his mother to buy cocaine, but soon realized that he had a problem, and volunteered for therapy.
Black attended Crossroads School and the University of California, Los Angeles; fellow UCLA veteran Tim Robbins later cast him in Bob Roberts, his first film role. Black also had recurring roles on the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show.
Black is perhaps best-known for his role in the 2003 hit comedy The School of Rock, in which he played an unemployed rocker who gets his big break by teaching a private school fifth grade class music theory and the history of rock and roll. More recently, he played the greedy 1930s-era film director Carl Denham in Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong. He has starred in many comedies: his breakout role in the 2000 film High Fidelity, as an obnoxious music snob who torments his boss, played by John Cusack; Orange County(2002), in which he played a drugged-out older brother of the protagonist, a high school grad applying to an ivy league school; and Shallow Hal(2001), in which he is "cursed" into seeing women for their inner-beauty.
He is often referred to as one of the members of the Frat Pack, a group of comedians active in today's Hollywood films.
Black is the lead singer for the rock comedy band Tenacious D, which perhaps owes much of their popularity to Black's unorthodox, humorous lyrics. Tenacious D's fans often cite his skilled satire of hard rock and metal as much as they do the band's musicianship. Black's singing style is often described as being an odd scat type of music. For example, in the song "Wonderboy", one of his lines is "Rrrigga-gyu-gyu Rrrigga-gyu-gyu", an example of his verbalized guitar solo. This type of singing appears in many Tenacious D songs in place of a melodic or ripping guitar sound. Black has also performed a two-part scat with fellow bandmate Kyle Gass in the song Tribute.
Black dated actress and comedian Laura Kightlinger for several years though in January 2006, he became engaged to current girlfriend Tanya Haden, whom he has been dating since his split from Kightlinger in 2005.
Black has admitted to using ecstasy during the filming of King Kong, although he has clarified that it does not reflect on his overall behavior during filming.
The three piece band was known to play throughout the NYC rock scene in the mid/late 90's. They played their own brand of "...Blue Collar Rock n' Roll" in a similar vein as NYC's The Turbo A.C.'s. In 1996 Double Deuce Records released the Jack Black single ("'flicted" b/w "Indian Head") and 6 song live e.p (Got Jack Black If You Want It) recorded at CBGB's. In 1998, Jack Black released the full length studio album "Jack Black" on Cacophone records.
Often compared to the likes of the Rev. Horton Heat, Supersuckers, and New Bomb Turks, Jack Black's members were: David Quick - Guitar/Vocals, Johnny Katonah - Bass/Vocals & Wes Houston - Drums.
School Of Rock
Jack Black Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But we was stuck in the dumb days.
Don't take much to memorize your lies.
Feel like I been hypnotized.
And then that magic man, he come to town
Who he gone spun my head around.
He said "recess is in session! two and two make five!"
And now baby, oh, I'm alive.
And if you want to be the teacher's pet,
Baby, you better just forget it.
Rock got no reason, rock got no rhyme.
You better get me to school on time.
Oh, you know I was on the honor roll,
Got good grades, ain't got no soul!
Raise my hand before I could speak my mind.
I been bitin' my tongue too many times.
And then that magic man said to obey! (Uh huh)
Do what magic man do, not what magic man say.
Now can I please have the attention of the class, today's assignment,
Kick some ass!
And if you want to be the teacher's pet,
Baby, you just better forget it.
Rock got no reason, rock got no rhyme.
You better get me to school on time.
And if you want to be the teacher's pet,
Baby, you just better forget it.
Rock got no reason, rock got no rhyme.
You better get me to school on time.
This is my final exam.
Now y'all know who I am.
I may not be that perfect son,
But y'all be rockin' when I'm done!
The lyrics of Jack Black's "School of Rock" are a commentary on the regimented education system which promotes conformity and adhering to rules instead of nurturing creativity and individuality. The song is sung from the perspective of a student who was once a good student, but had lost his individuality and become hollow due to being indoctrinated to following rules without questioning them. That is until the magic man arrives and teaches him the true value of education, which is to challenge authority and think for oneself. Through rock and roll, which has "no reason, no rhyme," the magic man brings the students back to life, and encourages them to "kick some ass" and "rock" their way to success.
The lines "And if you want to be the teacher's pet, Baby, you better just forget it," quash the idea of seeking validation from figures of authority, and instead encourages students to pursue their passions even if it means rebelling against the institution. The song thus becomes a true ode to the liberating power of rock and roll and how it can inspire people to express their true selves and challenge authoritarianism. The lyrics, with their catchy rhythm, make a compelling argument for why conformity is not the path to true education.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby we was makin' straight A's.
We were achieving the highest grades possible.
But we was stuck in the dumb days.
We were not happy despite our success.
Don't take much to memorize your lies.
Deception can be easily remembered.
Feel like I been hypnotized.
I feel entranced and influenced by something or someone.
And then that magic man, he come to town
An enigmatic figure arrived in our community.
Who he gone spun my head around.
He confused and amazed me.
He said "recess is in session! two and two make five!"
He encouraged me to think outside of the box and question authority.
And now baby, oh, I'm alive.
I feel energized and liberated.
Aw yeah! Oh, I'm alive!
I am ecstatic and full of life!
And if you want to be the teacher's pet,
If you want to be the favorite of an authority figure,
Baby, you better just forget it.
You should not waste your time trying to please them.
Rock got no reason, rock got no rhyme.
Rock music is not bound by logic or structure.
You better get me to school on time.
Make sure I arrive at school punctually.
Oh, you know I was on the honor roll,
I was previously a dedicated student.
Got good grades, ain't got no soul!
I was academically successful but felt empty inside.
Raise my hand before I could speak my mind.
I felt hesitant to express my thoughts and opinions.
I been bitin' my tongue too many times.
I have held myself back from speaking up repeatedly.
And then that magic man said to obey! (Uh huh)
The mysterious figure urged me to follow his lead.
Do what magic man do, not what magic man say.
Actions speak louder than words.
Now can I please have the attention of the class, today's assignment,
I request that everyone focus on me so I can issue instructions.
Kick some ass!
I encourage everyone to perform at their best.
And if you want to be the teacher's pet,
If you want to gain favor from an authority figure,
Baby, you just better forget it.
You should not try to win their approval.
Rock got no reason, rock got no rhyme.
Rock music defies explanation and categorization.
You better get me to school on time.
Make sure I arrive at school punctually.
This is my final exam.
This is my last challenge.
Now y'all know who I am.
I have made my identity clear to everyone.
I may not be that perfect son,
I may not have met everyone's expectations.
But y'all be rockin' when I'm done!
But I will leave a lasting impression on everyone!
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group
Written by: ILMARI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kitsune Aitsuki
THe best part of this performance is that ALL the kids were involved. He didn't just scoop up the kids who had musical talent, he made sure that EVERY kid had a role and could meaningfully contribute, and in a way that best showed their talents. And the kids were all having a lot of fun because of it.
Gunther The Quizmaster
If Dewey’s students have siblings, they will follow their siblings’ footsteps
hammill444
Well, except for the groupies.
Maeve Mallory
Absolutely!!!!!
Maeve Mallory
And a kid wrote the song
Stainless Steel Lemming
Umm ... hate to burst your bubble folks but Dewey is not real, nor are any of the child characters in the film. It's not "based on a true story" or anything like that.
So .. the script-writers chose to include all the "kids"; they don't have siblings (because they're not real), and a kid almost certainly did NOT write the song.
Firelord
I really love that this is Jack Black's favorite project that he's done. It really shows from the entire cast that it truly was a blast for all involved
Kas58223
You could tell Jack Black was in his element and the kids all of them were great
JS PL Inc.
+ nostalgic film this is 🤟💥💥💥 ,damn
KaseyKay17
Wow, I didn’t know this was his favorite! That’s cool