The Beach Boys are an iconic American rock band, frequently cited as one of… Read Full Bio ↴The Beach Boys are an iconic American rock band, frequently cited as one of the most influential and commercially successful groups in the history of popular music due to their intricate vocal harmonies, studio experiments, and novel approaches to pop songwriting. Rooted in doo-wop and rock and roll, their early string of vocal surf hits defined the '60s California Sound. For a period afterward, they notably delved into progressive pop styles. often combining elements from classical and jazz in innovative ways.

Formed in Hawthorne, California in 1961, the original group comprised singer-musician-composer and bandleader Brian Wilson, his brothers Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Wilson neighbor David Marks appeared on their first four albums and was a member from 1962 to 1963 as a temporary replacement for Jardine, who had left the group to pursue a career in dentistry.

On their first few studio albums, the group primarily played surf music, but this changed after 1964 as their songs became more sophisticated and autobiographical. The 1965 album Today! particularly represented this shift in sound. Bruce Johnston joined the group that same year. Session drummer Hal Blaine is quoted: "We all studied in conservatories; we were trained musicians. We thought it was a fluke at first, but then we realized Brian was writing these incredible songs. This was not just a young kid writing about high school and surfing."

Following their most esteemed work, Pet Sounds (1966), the band became symbols of psychedelic counterculture. The highly anticipated follow-up, Smile, was left unfinished, and Brian soon relinquished his creative hold on the group. A trilogy of lo-fi releases followed: Smiley Smile (1967), Wild Honey (1967), and Friends (1968). Brian would not be credited as a primary composer for any Beach Boys album until 1977's Love You, an album on the fringe of synth-pop, new wave, and punk.

In Brian's absence, the Beach Boys still managed to release music that was regarded favorably by fans and critics despite poor sales: Sunflower (1970) and Surf's Up (1971). South African musicians Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar played and sang with the band on the next two albums: Carl & the Passions - So Tough (1972), and Holland (1973).

Many changes in both musical style and personnel have occurred in their sometimes-stormy career: Brian Wilson's mental illness and drug addiction; the deaths of Dennis Wilson in 1983 and Carl Wilson in 1998; and continuing legal battles among surviving members of the group. With the release of 1974's Endless Summer they became a more popular touring act, playing their greatest hits. They have recorded 36 Billboard Top 40 hits (including four number-one singles), have had over 100 million sales, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

Official site: http://www.thebeachboys.com

School Days
The Beach Boys Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

School days
School days
Dear old Golden Rule days

Up in the morning and out to school
The teacher is teachin' the Golden Rule
American History and Practical Math
Studyin' hard and hopin' to pass

And workin' your fingers right down the bone
The guy behind you won't leave you alone

Ring ring goes the bell
The cook in the lunchroom ready to sell
You're lucky if you can find a seat
You're fortunate if you have time to eat
Back in the classroom open your books
The teacher don't know how mean she looks

Ha ha ha ha ha
Are you ready?

Soon as three o'clock rolls around
You finally lay your burden down
Throw down your books get out of your seat
And down the halls and into the street
Up to the corner and 'round the bend
Right to the juke joint you go in

Drop the coin right into the slot
You gotta hear somethin' that's really hot
With the one you love you're makin' romance
And all day long you've been wantin' to dance
Feelin' the music from head to toe
And round and round and round you go

Hail hail rock and roll
Deliver me from the days of old
Long live rock and roll
The beat of the drums loud and bold

Rock rock rock and roll
The feelin' is there, body and soul

Overall Meaning

The Beach Boys’ “School Days” is a nostalgic piece that narrates the day-to-day struggles of students in America in the 1950s. The first verse highlights the strict educational atmosphere where students were expected to obey the “Golden Rule” and study hard in subjects such as American history and practical Math. The lyrics depict the academic pressure they were under as they worked their “fingers right down the bone” while their classmates pesteringly followed them.

The chorus, “Ring ring goes the bell. The cook in the lunchroom ready to sell. You're lucky if you can find a seat. You're fortunate if you have time to eat,” illustrates the lunchtime rush as students scramble to get food and find a place to sit. The second verse highlights the strict demeanor of some of the teachers, who “don't know how mean she looks.” The song then shifts to the classic American after-school experience where students would hang out at the juke joint with their significant others, dance, and listen to rock and roll.

Overall, “School Days” captures the rigidity of the American education system in the 1950s with a nostalgic and upbeat perspective. It also highlights the joy of young love and freedom in the youthful era of rock and roll music.

Line by Line Meaning

School days
The time in one's life when they attend school

School days
The period of one's life when education is the main focus

Dear old Golden Rule days
Reminiscing about the good old days, especially when the Golden Rule was the guide

Up in the morning and out to school
Starting the school day early in the morning

The teacher is teachin' the Golden Rule
Teachers instructing students on how to behave based on the Golden Rule

American History and Practical Math
Subjects that are commonly taught in schools

Studyin' hard and hopin' to pass
Working hard in order to do well on exams

And workin' your fingers right down the bone
Working tirelessly on school work or other tasks

The guy behind you won't leave you alone
A fellow classmate who is causing a distraction or disturbance during class

Ring ring goes the bell
The sound of the bell signaling the end of class

The cook in the lunchroom ready to sell
Lunchtime has arrived and the cafeteria is open for business

You're lucky if you can find a seat
Finding a place to sit during lunch can be difficult

You're fortunate if you have time to eat
Sometimes there is not enough time to finish eating before class starts again

Back in the classroom open your books
Returning to class and opening up the textbook

The teacher don't know how mean she looks
The teacher can appear stern or strict, even if they are not intending to be

Ha ha ha ha ha
Laughing at the situation or activities taking place at school

Are you ready?
Asking if the listener is prepared for the rest of the song or perhaps for what is to come in the next school day

Soon as three o'clock rolls around
The time of day when school ends

You finally lay your burden down
Feeling relieved once the school day has concluded

Throw down your books get out of your seat
Putting away textbooks and leaving one's seat after class

And down the halls and into the street
Leaving school and going out into the world beyond the classroom

Up to the corner and 'round the bend
Going somewhere after school, possibly to meet up with friends

Right to the juke joint you go in
Visiting a popular spot where people go to listen to music and dance

Drop the coin right into the slot
Inserting money into the jukebox to start playing music

You gotta hear somethin' that's really hot
Wanting to listen to a song that has a good beat

With the one you love you're makin' romance
Having a romantic moment with one's significant other

And all day long you've been wantin' to dance
Looking forward to dancing for the entire day

Feelin' the music from head to toe
Enjoying the music and feeling it throughout one's whole body

And round and round and round you go
Dancing around in circles, enjoying the music and the moment

Hail hail rock and roll
Celebrating the music genre of rock and roll

Deliver me from the days of old
Wanting to escape from the mundane routine of school and the past

Long live rock and roll
Wishing for more music and celebrations to come

The beat of the drums loud and bold
Emphasizing the strong rhythm and percussion in rock and roll music

Rock rock rock and roll
Chanting in support of rock and roll as a genre

The feelin' is there, body and soul
The music is fulfilling to listen to and is deeply affecting one's emotions and physical body

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADAM BERRY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Jean Franco Fonseca

School days School days
Dear old Golden Rule days
Up in the morning and out to school
The teacher is teachin' the Golden Rule
American History and Practical Math
Studyin' hard and hopin' to pass and
workin' your fingers right down the bone
The guy behind you won't leave you alone
Ring ring goes the bell
The cook in the lunchroom ready to sell
You're lucky if you can find a seat
You're fortunate if you have time to eat
Back in the classroom open your books
The teacher don't know how mean she looks
Ha ha ha ha ha Are you ready?
Soon as three o'clock rolls around
You finally lay your burden down
Throw down your books get out of your seat
And down the halls and into the street
Up to the corner and 'round the bend
Right to the juke joint you go in
Drop the coin right into the slot
You gotta hear somethin' that's really hot
With the one you love you're makin' romance
And all day long you've been wantin' to dance
Feelin' the music from head to toe
And round and round and round you go
Hail hail rock and roll
Deliver me from the days of old
Long live rock and roll
The beat of the drums loud and bold
Rock rock rock and roll
The feelin' is there, body and soul