School Days (Will D. Cobb and Gus Edwards song) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "School Days" |
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Sheet music cover
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| Song | |
| Published | 1907 |
| Songwriter(s) | Gus Edwards, Will D. Cobb |
"School Days" is a very popular American song. It was written in 1907 by Will D. Cobb and Gus Edwards. The song is about two grown-ups who remember their time together in primary school. They look back fondly on their childhood days.
Contents
About the Song "School Days"
What the Song is About
The song "School Days" tells a sweet story. It describes a couple looking back at their younger years. They remember being kids in school. The song brings up feelings of nostalgia, which means a happy memory of the past.
The most famous part of the song is its chorus. It talks about simple school lessons and childhood crushes.
School days, school days
Dear old Golden Rule days
'Reading and 'riting and 'rithmetic
Taught to the tune of the hick'ry stick
You were my queen in calico
I was your bashful, barefoot beau
And you wrote on my slate, "I Love You, Joe"
When we were a couple o' kids
Understanding the Chorus
The "Golden Rule" means treating others how you want to be treated. "'Reading and 'riting and 'rithmetic" are the basic lessons taught in school. A "hick'ry stick" was sometimes used by teachers in the past. "Calico" is a simple cotton fabric. A "slate" was a small board used for writing before paper was common.
Famous Recordings
Many artists have recorded "School Days" over the years. Byron G. Harlan was one of the first to make it a hit song. Billy Murray and Ada Jones also sang it as a memorable duet. A duet is when two people sing together.
Later, a musician named Tiny Tim sang both parts of the duet himself. He used his special high-pitched voice, called a falsetto.
Louis Jordan's Version
In 1949, Louis Jordan recorded a different version of "School Days." He called it "School Days (When We Were Kids)". His version was a jump blues song. Jump blues is a fast style of blues music.
Louis Jordan's song used the same chorus words. However, he changed the original music to a twelve bar blues style. He also replaced most of the other lyrics with well-known nursery rhymes. This made his version sound very different from the original.
