The Teacher (Foo Fighters song)

Last updated
"The Teacher"
Single by Foo Fighters
from the album But Here We Are
ReleasedMay 30, 2023
Genre
Length10:04
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Foo Fighters singles chronology
"Show Me How"
(2023)
"The Teacher"
(2023)
"The Glass"
(2023)
Music video
"The Teacher" on YouTube

"The Teacher" is a song by American rock band Foo Fighters released as the fourth single from their eleventh album, But Here We Are , on May 30, 2023. [3]

Contents

Composition and lyrics

According to Chad Childers of Loudwire , "The Teacher" deals with Foo Fighters' frontman Dave Grohl's mourning period, his mother Virginia and Foo Fighters' drummer Taylor Hawkins both having died in 2022. [3] According to Jeffrey Goldberg, writing for The Atlantic , "The Teacher" is a tribute to Grohl's mother, Virginia, herself having been a school teacher, with the lyrics "Hey kid, what's the plan for tomorrow? / Where will I wake up? / Where will I wake up?". [4]

Music video

The song was released with a 10-minute music video that was made by Tony Oursler and included footage that had been filmed on VHS tapes more than 30 years ago. [5] The video also references the passing of drummer Taylor Hawkins and Grohl's mother Virginia. [6] Jon Blistein of Rolling Stone described the music video as "like a psychedelic collage, incorporating archival and stock footage and new sequences centered around Grohl and the band that have otherworldly, occult-like aura". [7]

Personnel

Foo Fighters

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "The Teacher"
Chart (2023)Peak
position
UK Rock & Metal (OCC) [8] 32

References

  1. Phillips, Greg (December 7, 2023). "REVIEW: FOO FIGHTERS - AAMI PARK, MELBOURNE". Australian Musician . Retrieved August 5, 2025.
  2. "Foo Fighters - But Here We Are". Jason's Jukebox. July 8, 2023. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Childers, Chad (May 30, 2023). "Dave Grohl Mourns Death, Finds Way To Move Forward With Driving New Foo Fighters Song 'The Teacher'". Loudwire . Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  4. Goldberg, Jeffrey (June 30, 2023). "Dave Grohl's Monument To Mortality". The Atlantic . Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  5. Cohen, Jonathan (May 30, 2023). "Foo Fighters Say Powerful Goodbyes On Epic 'The Teacher'". Spin . Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  6. Anagricel, Duran (May 30, 2023). "Listen to Foo Fighters' powerful 10-minute single 'The Teacher'". NME . Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  7. Blistein, Jon (May 30, 2023). "Foo Fighters Learn To Say Goodbye On New Song 'The Teacher'" . Rolling Stone . Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  8. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 2, 2025.