“Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory of the Burning of the School”

Description

"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school, We have tortured every teacher, we have broken every rule." The students describe (with many variations) how they overthrew the scholastic regime

Supplemental text

Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory of the Burning of the School
  Complete text(s)

          *** A ***

Don't ask me where I learned this. I did, that's all I can say.
The funny thing is, I grew up in Minnesota, and the Prairie Home
Companion Folk Song Book is based largely on songs submitted by
Minnesotans -- and it doesn't have my lines. Presumably I learned
this some time between 1966 and 1970. - RBW

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school,
We have tortured every teacher, we have broken every rule,
We went into the office and we tickled the principal
Our school is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah,
Teacher hit me with a ruler.
I bopped her on the bean with a rotten tangerine
And she ain't gonna teach no more.

Notes

I wonder if this isn't the most popular folk song in America today. - RBW

Cross references

• cf. "John Brown's Body" (tune)
• cf. "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Horror of the Ending of the Term"

References

1. Pankake-PHCFSB, p. 100, "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory of the Burning of the School" (1 text with many variants, tune referenced)
2. DT, BURNSCHL
3. ST PHCFS100 (Full)
4. BI, PHCFS100