About a week ago I posted a list of song titles — some real, some made up — that a group of students pulled together to characterize their first week of school. These students are in a class taught by my friend Julie Freebern at Burr & Burton Academy in Manchester, VT. As she put it, the class is “a blend of music theory, classical music history, contemporary music history, world music and applied music.”
Not only did Julie’s students make a list of songs, but they
dumped all the titles into ChatGPT and asked it to create lyrics
dumped the lyrics into SUNO and asked it to create multiple versions in different genres
chose the genre “Techno Funk”
gave it the name “Back to the Hallway!”
paid $10 to make the song accessible for a month
Now you, dear listeners, can listen your very own selves. For one month only. Enjoy! Share! Leave comments for Julie and her fantastic students!
And here are the lyrics for those of you who (like me) can’t catch words that are said or sung really fast. The titles in bold are from the students’ original list.
(I gotta say: I’m impressed by how AI fit in my favorite title, “Why Is My Schedule Confusing?” Look for it!)
"Back to the Hallway"
—a first week freestyle
[Verse 1]
Yo, it’s A New Start, stepped fresh through the gate,
But five minutes in, I’m feelin’ that Hell is Real fate.
Teacher said “Chill Out and Learn the Ropes,”
But my head’s in the clouds, tryna just cope.
In My Bones, I feel the shift, new zone,
Like Almost Finished with a race I ain’t known.
But the vibe’s kinda weird, like Toxic Garbage Island,
Tryna stay cool but the pressure’s still wildin’.
I Fade Into You—just watchin’ the crowd,
Feelin’ lost like Flight B741 in a shroud.
Deftones blarin’, yeah, Back to School pain,
Half my brain on the lesson, half ridin’ the train.
[CHORUS]
Good and Happy? Nah, it’s So High School strange,
Like Fifteen again, emotions deranged.
I just wanna hit snooze, yeah Go Back to Sleep,
But I’m playin' this role, tryna sow what I reap.
Good and Happy? Nah, it’s So High School strange,
Like Fifteen again, emotions deranged.
Friday Come Sooner, that’s my only demand,
Till then, I'm Coming Home in my mind where I stand.
[Verse 2]
Tryna be Happy, like the track by Pharrell,
But I’m stuck in a loop, can’t break the shell.
Ivy dreams and Frank Ocean moods,
Feelin’ deep like Thinking Bout You in homeroom blues.
Do I Wanna Know if I’ll make it this year?
Or just ride out like vapor, Hikouki clear.
It’s a Serene Journey After Death they said,
But it’s more like a mind race inside my head.
If I could write a song, I'd call it Only If,
Like Only if the lunch line moved swift.
Or Only if this test wasn’t so rough,
Or Only if this school year wasn’t this tough.
[CHORUS]
Good and Happy? Nah, it’s So High School strange,
Like Fifteen again, emotions deranged.
I just wanna hit snooze, yeah Go Back to Sleep,
But I’m playin' this role, tryna sow what I reap.
Good and Happy? Nah, it’s So High School strange,
Like Fifteen again, emotions deranged.
Friday Come Sooner, that’s my only demand,
Till then, I'm Coming Home in my mind where I stand.
[Outro – Spoken Word Style]
They say Pretty Isn’t Pretty, and maybe that’s right,
But I’m still here showin’ up, still ready to fight.
This week was a tracklist, a mixtape of moods,
From “I got this” highs to low altitude.
Why Is My Schedule Confusing?—man, who made this maze?
Still I rise like the bell—day by day.
Good and Happy?
Good and Happy?
