School's Out (song)

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"School's Out" is a 1972 title track single released on Alice Cooper's fifth album.

The 45 of School's out

Cooper has said he was inspired to write the song when answering the question, "What's the greatest three minutes of your life?"

Says Cooper: "There's two times during the year. One is Christmas morning, when you're just getting ready to open the presents. The greed factor is right there. The next one is the last three minutes of the last day of school when you're sitting there and it's like a slow fuse burning. I said, 'If we can catch that three minutes in a song, it's going to be so big.'"

Cooper has also said it was inspired by a line from a Bowery Boys movie.

"School's Out" became Alice Cooper's first big song, reaching #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart and propelling the album to #2 on the Billboard 200 pop albums chart. The song reached #1 on the UK singles chart for three weeks in August 1972. It also marked the first time that Alice Cooper became regarded as more than just a theatrical novelty act. It is still Alice Cooper's most recognized song.

The lyrics of "School's Out" indicate that not only is school year ended for summer vacation, but ended forever, and that the school itself has been blown up. It incorporates the childhood rhyme, "No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks" into its lyrics. It also featured children contributing some of the vocals, just as in Pink Floyd's 1979 hit "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)".

[edit] Song in Media

The song has been used in the movies Scream, Dazed and Confused, and Rock 'n' Roll High School.

In 2004, the song was also used in a Staples television commercial in which Alice appeared as himself. A young girl, obviously disappointed that school is starting soon, says, "I thought you said 'School's out forever.'" Alice replies, "No, no, no ... the song goes, 'School's out for summer.' Nice try though." (However, the lyrics to the song do include the phrase "School's out forever.")