Released in 1991
Written by Paul McCartney • Carl Davis
Last updated on July 10, 2019
Album This song officially appears on the Liverpool Oratorio Official album.
Timeline This song was officially released in 1991
“We’re Here in School Today to Get a Perfect Education” is the first track of the second movement – entitled “School” – of Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio, released in 1991.
II: SCHOOL. 1953. The war baby – Shanty – now 11 years old and at school, celebrates his Liverpool upbringing. With classmates, he skips lessons to “sag off” and sunbathe in the graveyard of Liverpool Cathedral. Sleeping on a gravestone, he dreams of ghosts of the past and the future. One of the ghosts, Mary Dee, is his bride-to-be. Waking and back at school, Shanty and his classmates are taught Spanish in the form of a folk song by their new mistress, Miss Inkley.
“Liverpool Oratorio” liner notes
BOYS
We're here in school today to get a perfect
education,
Yes, we're going up.
We're keen to learn the rules and laws that
civilization taught us,
Yes, we're growing up.
Not for ourselves,
But for the whole world were we born.
And we were born in Liverpool.
Our teachers say that ignorance will always
drag us down,
It's like a nagging cough.
SHANTY (thrown away)
But I can say that looking back,
The most important thing I found was
sagging off!
Not for the whole world,
But for yourself were you born.
And you were...
SHANTY and BOYS
Born in Liverpool.
BOYS
Not Birmingham
Nor Edinburgh.
Not Manchester
Or Sunderland.
SHANTY
Being born where you were born
Carries with it certain responsibilities.
BOYS
This school is good for us.
SHANTY
This school is only good for those
Who want to learn from books.
You'll lose your sense of purpose...
BOYS
But we dare not answer back,
We're scared of teacher's looks.
Not for ourselves,
But for the whole world were we born.
And we were born in Liverpool.
SHANTY
Not Coventry
HEADMASTER
Or Solihull.
BOYS
Not Scarborough
SHANTY
Nor Inverness.
Being born where you were born
Carries with it certain responsibilities.
Official album • Released in 1991
2:10 • Live • L1
Paul McCartney : Executive producer Eddie Klein : Additional engineer John Timperley : Balance engineer Carl Davis : Orchestra conductor Peter Mew : Additional engineer, Editor John Fraser : Producer Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra : Orchestra Nic Raine : Assistant to carl davis Martin Astle : Additional engineer Tom Leader : Additional engineer, Editor Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir : Choir Choristers of Liverpool Cathedral : Choir Ian Tracey : Chorus master and master of the choriste Jerry Hadley : Tenor Willard White : Bass
Concert From the concert in Liverpool, United Kingdom on Jun 28, 1991
Selections from Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio
Official album • Released in 1992
2:10 • Live • L1
Paul McCartney : Executive producer Eddie Klein : Additional engineer John Timperley : Balance engineer Carl Davis : Orchestra conductor Peter Mew : Additional engineer, Editor John Fraser : Producer Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra : Orchestra Nic Raine : Assistant to carl davis Martin Astle : Additional engineer Tom Leader : Additional engineer, Editor Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir : Choir Choristers of Liverpool Cathedral : Choir Ian Tracey : Chorus master and master of the choriste Jerry Hadley : Tenor Willard White : Bass
Concert From the concert in Liverpool, United Kingdom on Jun 28, 1991
“School - We're Here in School Today to Get a Perfect Education” has been played in 6 concerts.
Jul 27, 2024 • Part of Liverpool Oratorio
Jul 21, 2024 • Part of Liverpool Oratorio
Jul 20, 2024 • Part of Liverpool Oratorio
Jul 18, 2024 • Part of Liverpool Oratorio
Liverpool • Liverpool Cathedral • United Kingdom
Jun 29, 1991 • Part of Liverpool Oratorio
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