Hot for Teacher
Encyclopedia
"Hot for Teacher" is a song on Van Halen
's album 1984
.
The sexually suggestive song was best known for its long opening drum solo, near motorcycle-like drum fills and its music video
featuring the band as both adults and young students in a high school
. The Parents Music Resource Center
protested it, calling for it to be pulled from both the radio and television, due to the song's sexually suggestive lyrics referring to sex with a teacher, and a beautiful female teacher stripping in the video, among other issues. In 2009 it was named the 36th best hard rock song of all time by VH1
. Digital Dream Door ranked the drumming performance by Alex Van Halen
on the song "Hot for Teacher" number 12 on their list of 100 Greatest Rock Drum Performances.
The ending of this song comes from a studio outtake from the band's club days, entitled "Voodoo Queen".
and David Lee Roth
) (produced by Jerry Kramer and Glenn Goodwin), and (concept/treatment by Anthony Nasch) was filmed at John Marshall High School, with Phil Hartman
performing the voice of Waldo, the video's hero. Along with Waldo, the "kid versions" of Van Halen face the trials and tribulations of (shown in black-and-white
) grade school. Once the schoolteacher arrives, she steps onto the desks, arrayed like a runway. She then tears off her dress, revealing a bikini bottom, cropped top and a sash that reads "Phys Ed", all to the cheers of the students, male and female. In the end, the kids grow up to become, variously, a gynecologist (Alex
), sumo wrestler (Mike), psychiatric hospital
patient (Eddie
), pimp
(Waldo) and game show host (Dave
).
Urban myth is alive and well in regards to the multitude of music insiders who claim creative credit for HFT. The original director, Rick Friedberg was hired for his knack to to tell funny stories ("Pray TV"). Unfortunately, Friedberg's old-school film making approach did not mesh with the free wheeling high-wire ways of VH. At the end of the day Angelus and Roth made the final editing decisions. On the set Angelus contributed to a few shot selections, combined with 'directing by committee', incredibly in spite of the footloose production history will bestow "Hot For Teacher" as one of the most influential MTV videos that helped catapult the network to legendary success.
is based on the video for this song.
The song appears in Guitar Hero World Tour
and Guitar Hero Van Halen as one of the most difficult songs on the setlists. In a job advertisement for playtesters for future Guitar Hero games was released by Neversoft
in 2008, Hot For Teacher was one of four songs applicants had to be capable of playing to receive a job.
The song was covered by mandolinist David Grisman
on the tribute album "Strummin' With The Devil: Bluegrass Tribute to Van Halen."
The song was referred to in the Family Guy
episode "Untitled Griffin Family History
" when Nate Griffin tells Quagdingo that he is going to hollow out a log to play the opening to "Hot For Teacher".
The song was mentioned by Frank Zappa
when he appeared on CNN
's Crossfire TV series
and debated issues with Washington Times commentator John Lofton
in 1986.
The song was referenced to in the Psych episode, "Yin 3 in 2D" as a clue when Shawn (James Roday
) discovers two of his record albums (rated and catalogued by "sweetness") missing: The Smiths
' "Meat Is Murder
" and Van Halen's "1984
" and remembers the first track off of "Meat Is Murder" ("The Headmaster Ritual") and the second track off of "1984" ("Hot For Teacher"), leading them to the next clue.
The song appears in the third season episode of Glee
called "Mash Off
".
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
's album 1984
1984 (Van Halen album)
1984 is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Van Halen. One of the band's more popular albums , 1984 is to date the final album featuring singer David Lee Roth before he left the band in the spring of the following year.-Background and recording:Eddie Van Halen,...
.
The sexually suggestive song was best known for its long opening drum solo, near motorcycle-like drum fills and its music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
featuring the band as both adults and young students in a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. The Parents Music Resource Center
Parents Music Resource Center
The Parents Music Resource Center was an American committee formed in 1985 with the goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to be violent, have drug use or be sexual.The committee was founded by four women: Tipper Gore, wife of Senator and later Vice...
protested it, calling for it to be pulled from both the radio and television, due to the song's sexually suggestive lyrics referring to sex with a teacher, and a beautiful female teacher stripping in the video, among other issues. In 2009 it was named the 36th best hard rock song of all time by VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
. Digital Dream Door ranked the drumming performance by Alex Van Halen
Alex Van Halen
Alexander Arthur "Alex" Van Halen is a Dutch-born American musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen. Originally, his brother Eddie had taken lessons for drums, while Alex practiced guitar...
on the song "Hot for Teacher" number 12 on their list of 100 Greatest Rock Drum Performances.
The ending of this song comes from a studio outtake from the band's club days, entitled "Voodoo Queen".
Music video detail
The music video (directed by Pete AngelusPete Angelus
Pete Angelus is an artist manager who has worked in the music business since 1975. During his career, he has worked with Van Halen, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Slash, Hall & Oates and has been the only manager of The Black Crowes since they began touring in 1990.-Early Van Halen years:He first...
and David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
) (produced by Jerry Kramer and Glenn Goodwin), and (concept/treatment by Anthony Nasch) was filmed at John Marshall High School, with Phil Hartman
Phil Hartman
Philip Edward "Phil" Hartman was a Canadian-American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and graphic artist. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hartman and his family moved to the United States when he was 10...
performing the voice of Waldo, the video's hero. Along with Waldo, the "kid versions" of Van Halen face the trials and tribulations of (shown in black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
) grade school. Once the schoolteacher arrives, she steps onto the desks, arrayed like a runway. She then tears off her dress, revealing a bikini bottom, cropped top and a sash that reads "Phys Ed", all to the cheers of the students, male and female. In the end, the kids grow up to become, variously, a gynecologist (Alex
Alex Van Halen
Alexander Arthur "Alex" Van Halen is a Dutch-born American musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen. Originally, his brother Eddie had taken lessons for drums, while Alex practiced guitar...
), sumo wrestler (Mike), psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
patient (Eddie
Eddie Van Halen
Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
), pimp
Pimp
A pimp is an agent for prostitutes who collects part of their earnings. The pimp may receive this money in return for advertising services, physical protection, or for providing a location where she may engage clients...
(Waldo) and game show host (Dave
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
).
Urban myth is alive and well in regards to the multitude of music insiders who claim creative credit for HFT. The original director, Rick Friedberg was hired for his knack to to tell funny stories ("Pray TV"). Unfortunately, Friedberg's old-school film making approach did not mesh with the free wheeling high-wire ways of VH. At the end of the day Angelus and Roth made the final editing decisions. On the set Angelus contributed to a few shot selections, combined with 'directing by committee', incredibly in spite of the footloose production history will bestow "Hot For Teacher" as one of the most influential MTV videos that helped catapult the network to legendary success.
In popular culture
The music video for 2006's "Situations" by Escape the FateEscape the Fate
Escape the Fate is an American post-hardcore band from Las Vegas, Nevada formed in 2005 and originally from Pahrump, Nevada. They have released three EPs and three full-length studio albums. Dying Is Your Latest Fashion was the band's debut album and only album to feature vocalist Ronnie Radke...
is based on the video for this song.
The song appears in Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series...
and Guitar Hero Van Halen as one of the most difficult songs on the setlists. In a job advertisement for playtesters for future Guitar Hero games was released by Neversoft
Neversoft
Neversoft Entertainment is an American video game developer, founded in 1994 by Joel Jewett, Mick West and Chris Ward. Neversoft is best recognized for their line of Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk skateboarding games, known as the Tony Hawk's series...
in 2008, Hot For Teacher was one of four songs applicants had to be capable of playing to receive a job.
The song was covered by mandolinist David Grisman
David Grisman
David Grisman is an American bluegrass/newgrass mandolinist and composer of acoustic music. In the early 1990s, he started the Acoustic Disc record label in an effort to preserve and spread acoustic or instrumental music.-Biography:Grisman grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey...
on the tribute album "Strummin' With The Devil: Bluegrass Tribute to Van Halen."
The song was referred to in the Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
episode "Untitled Griffin Family History
Untitled Griffin Family History
"Untitled Griffin Family History" is the twenty-seventh episode of the fourth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on May 14, 2006. The episode begins after robbers break in to the Griffin family home, so the family flees to safety in...
" when Nate Griffin tells Quagdingo that he is going to hollow out a log to play the opening to "Hot For Teacher".
The song was mentioned by Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
when he appeared on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Crossfire TV series
Crossfire (TV series)
Crossfire was a current events debate television program that aired from 1982 to 2005 on CNN. Its format was designed to present and challenge the opinions of a politically liberal pundit and a conservative pundit.-Format:...
and debated issues with Washington Times commentator John Lofton
John Lofton
John Lofton is an American conservative political commentator and editor of The American View radio program run by Michael Peroutka. Lofton has also been a newspaper editor, a journalist, a columnist, and a political advisor...
in 1986.
The song was referenced to in the Psych episode, "Yin 3 in 2D" as a clue when Shawn (James Roday
James Roday
James Roday is an American actor and screenwriter. He currently stars on the USA Network series Psych as hyper-observant consultant detective and fake psychic Shawn Spencer.-Personal life:...
) discovers two of his record albums (rated and catalogued by "sweetness") missing: The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
' "Meat Is Murder
Meat Is Murder
Meat Is Murder is the second studio album by the English alternative rock band The Smiths. It was released in February 1985 and became the band's sole number one album in the UK charts during the band's lifetime, staying on the chart for 13 weeks. It reached number 110 in the US...
" and Van Halen's "1984
1984 (Van Halen album)
1984 is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Van Halen. One of the band's more popular albums , 1984 is to date the final album featuring singer David Lee Roth before he left the band in the spring of the following year.-Background and recording:Eddie Van Halen,...
" and remembers the first track off of "Meat Is Murder" ("The Headmaster Ritual") and the second track off of "1984" ("Hot For Teacher"), leading them to the next clue.
The song appears in the third season episode of Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
called "Mash Off
Mash Off
"Mash Off" is the sixth episode of the third season of the American musical television series Glee, and the 50th overall. Written by former season one guest star and consulting producer Michael Hitchcock and directed by Eric Stoltz, the episode aired on Fox in the United States on November 15,...
".
Personnel
- David Lee RothDavid Lee RothDavid Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
- lead vocals - Eddie Van HalenEddie Van HalenEdward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen is a Dutch-American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
- leadLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
and rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Michael Anthony - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Alex Van HalenAlex Van HalenAlexander Arthur "Alex" Van Halen is a Dutch-born American musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen. Originally, his brother Eddie had taken lessons for drums, while Alex practiced guitar...
- drums, percussion
Chart position
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 56 |
External links
- Music Video on VH1 ClassicVH1 ClassicVH1 Classic is a television network, launched on May 8, 2000. It is operated as part of MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom and primarily features music videos and concert footage from the 1970s through the mid-1990s, though it formerly included a wider range of genres and time periods...
website