La Rentrée is the time in France when kids go back to school and their mums and dads go back to work, hence my digest of songs related to school, work or just any resumed activity.
| Title | Artist | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Manic Monday | The Bangles | Manic Monday by The Bangles, written by Prince (under the pseudonym Christopher) is about the stressful start of the workweek, capturing the universal dread of Monday mornings. |
| Back on the Chain Gang | The Pretenders | Back on the Chain Gang by The Pretenders, written by Chrissie Hynde in response to the death of the band’s guitarist, James Honeyman-Scott. The track reflects themes of loss and resilience and became one of The Pretenders’ signature songs. |
| Rock ‘N’ Roll High School | The Ramones | Rock ‘N’ Roll High School by The Ramones was written by Joey and Dee Dee Ramone for the 1979 film “Rock ‘N’ Roll High School”. |
| Teenage Kicks | The Undertones | Teenage Kicks by The Undertones, a Northern Irish punk band led by Feargal Sharkey, written by John O’Neill, is considered one of the greatest punk rock songs of all time, famously loved and praised by the late BBC DJ John Peel. |
| Centerfold | J. Geils Band | Centerfold by J. Geils Band, written by the band’s keyboard player Seth Justman, tells the story of a guy who is shocked to find a former crush in high school posing as the centerfold in a men’s magazine. |
| Learnalilgivinanlovin | Gotye | Learnalilgivinanlovin by Gotye, written by Belgian-Australian singer-songwriter Wally De Backer (Gotye), brings a positive message about love and generosity. |
| Vencemeros-We Will Win | Working Week | Vencemeros-We Will Win by Working Week, written by Simon Booth, Larry Stabbins and Julie Roberts, is an anthem of hope and solidarity, blending jazz and soul with a message of political activism. |
| Don’t Stop Believin’ | Journey | Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey written by Steve Perry, Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain, is considered as one of the greatest rock anthems of all time. |
| Flashdance… What A Feeling | Irene Cara | Flashdance… What A Feeling by Irene Cara, written by Giorgio Moroder, Keith Forsey, Irene Cara, was the theme song for the 1983 film *Flashdance* |
| Absolute Beginners (Live) | David Bowie | Absolute Beginners (Live) was written by David Bowie for the 1986 film *Absolute Beginners*. The live version from ‘Bowie at the Beep’ captures the energy and artistry that made Bowie a legendary performer. |
| Life In The Fast Lane | Eagles | Life In The Fast Lane – Eagles, written by Joe Walsh, Glenn Frey and Don Henley, embodies the hedonistic lifestyle of the 1970s rock scene. |
| The World Is Gonna End Tonight | School Is Cool | The World Is Gonna End Tonight is written and performed by Belgian band School Is Cool, founded in September 2009 in Antwerp. |
| The Logical Song | Supertramp | The Logical Song by Supertramp, written by band leader Roger Hodgson, is a critique of the education system and the loss of innocence as one grows up. |
| Kodachrome | Paul Simon | Kodachrome written and performed by Paul Simon, was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Alabama with the famous Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and is an appreciation of the things that colour our world, and a look at how our memories are framed to fit our worldviews. |
| The Boxer | Simon & Garfunkel | The Boxer by Simon & Garfunkel, written by Paul Simon, who found inspiration for this song in the Bible is about struggle and perseverance. The chorus vocals were recorded in St. Paul’s Chapel at Columbia University in New York. |
| Working Class Hero | Marianne Faithfull | Working Class Hero is Marianne Faithfull’s cover of John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero” reflecting the struggles and disillusionment of the working class. |
| I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony) | The New Seekers | I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony) by The New Seekers was originally written as a Coca-Cola commercial jingle in 1971 as “I’d like to buy the world a Coke, and keep it company” by British songwriters Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway. |
| Son-Of-A Preacher Man | Dusty Springfield | Son-Of-A Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield, written by John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins, was one of her biggest hits and gained renewed popularity after being featured in the film *Pulp Fiction*. The song was originally offered to Aretha Franklin (who is a preacher’s daughter), but she turned it down because she thought it was disrespectful. The backup vocals were by a female group called the Sweet Inspirations, who were made up of Cissy Houston (Whitney’s mother), Sylvia Shemwell, Myrna Smith and Estelle Brown. |
| Too Busy Thinking About My Baby | Marvin Gaye | “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby” is a Motown song, written by Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong, and Janie Bradford, first recorded by The Temptations in 1966 and covered three years later, Motown artist Marvin Gaye |
| You Learn | Alanis Morissette | You Learn by Alanis Morissette, is an anthem of the 1990s based on the saying “Live and Learn” to encourage embracing life’s experiences, both good and bad, and became |
| Don’t Ask Me Questions | Graham Parker & The Rumour | Don’t Ask Me Questions by Graham Parker & The Rumour was written by Graham Parker and became one of his most well-known songs. Don’t Ask Me Questions is also the title of Michael Gramaglia’s documentary of the band. |
| Papa Don’t Take No Mess, Part 1 | James Brown | Papa Don’t Take No Mess, Part 1 by James Brown, was written by James Brown, Fred Wesley, Charles Bobbit and John Starks as a tribute to Brown’s father and became one of his longest songs, featuring extended instrumental grooves. |
| Prendre Un Enfant Par La Main (À Martine) | Yves Duteil | Prendre Un Enfant Par La Main is written and performed by French singer Yves Duteil, dedicated to his daughter Martine (born in 1975). It is considered one of the nicest french songs of the twentieth century. |
Sources
The information sources of the song facts include, but are not limited to, Wikipedia, songfacts.com, discogs.com, secondhandsongs.com, YouTube and artists’ related websites.
