Hot For Teacher - Van Halen

Artist: Van Halen
Song: Hot For Teacher
Year: 1984
Album: 1984

Ahh, the days when MTV actually played videos and the bands made interesting promos for their songs. I miss those days... a lot. This was one of the most visual and entertaining videos from the 1984 album. It shows David Lee Roth's passion for game show hosting and precedes all the student/teacher scandals of the past decade by well over a decade.

Back in 1984, I guess the teacher and student fantasy was still an acceptable daydream. These days you can't be too careful with those kinds of thoughts. They will get you in all sorts of trouble. People are way too sensitive in this politically correct age of enlightenment. Which is another way of saying, people can't let things go anymore. There is more pressure on the students and the teachers to act upon these feelings because the pressure is everywhere else in their lives. It's OK to live in a fantasy world. The reality of these fantasies are usually nothing to write home about.

The first element that hooks you into the song is the drum track. It almost sounds like a kid's heart beating fast on that first day of school. Then the guitar comes in and takes it to a whole new level. Van Halen ruled the rock world in 1984 and this is the showcase for that statement.

These songs may have been lost to time if it hadn't been for the videos. The "Hot For Teacher" video was one of the best off of this album. It's a cross between a fantasy and Animal House. Then again, so were the Twisted Sister videos. I suppose that's why this type of video was popular back then and still gets a smile.

One aspect of the video that most people don't know would be the addition of Phil Hartman. He does the voice of Waldo in the video. I wouldn't have picked that out either. Now that I know Phil was the voice, it's unmistakable. I just wouldn't have thought to listen for his voice there.

This was the last great album before Van Halen imploded on itself and restructured. Sure, they had lots of success with Sammy Hagar after this, but it will never be the same. Once the initial magic is gone it's hard to recapture.

Lyrics:
Oh, wow, man, I said
Wait a second, man
What do you think the teacher's gonna look like this year?
Fuck man!

Uh!
Oh yeah!

T-T-teacher stop that screamin'
Teacher don't you see?
Don't wanna be no uptown fool
Maybe I should go to hell
But I am doing well
Teacher needs to see me after school

I think of all the education that I've missed
But then my homework was never quite like this!

Ow! Got it bad,
Got it bad,
Got it bad,
I'm hot for teacher!
I've got it bad, so bad
I'm hot for teacher!

Hey, I heard you missed us
We're back! (Hey!)
I brought my pencil
Give me something to write on, man!
Whoa

Uh!

Ooo-oo-ooo

I heard about your lessons
but lessons are so cold
I didn't know about this school
Little girl from Cherry Lawn
How can you be so bold?
How did you know that golden rule?

I think of all the education that I've missed
But then my homework was never quite like this!

Whoa! Got it bad,
Got it bad,
Got it bad,
I'm hot for teacher!
I've got it bad, so bad
I'm hot for teacher!

Whoa!

Oh man, I think the clock is slow
(What are you doin' this weekend?) I don't feel tardy
Class dismissed!
Ooh-yeah!

I've got it bad,
Got it bad,
Got it bad,
I'm hot for teacher!

Whoa!
Oh! Ooh, yes I'm hot
Wow!

Oh my God!
Woo!