The end of the academic year has arrived again for second and third level students in Ireland.
For some, this marks the end of their journey with formal education. A wave of new graduates will close one chapter and move on to the next.
Whether it’s school or college, graduation is a bittersweet life stage for most. Even those who are happy to say goodbye to books are saddened by the thought of no longer seeing their buddies on a daily basis.
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The mix of emotions that come with leaving school or college often cannot be explained in words alone. This is why the graduation song was born.
Over the past few decades, many senior-year bands have found themselves adopting a song that captures the bittersweet reality of growing up. It served as a kind of theme music they will always share – even when their school days are a distant memory.
(Image: Tracy A. Woodward/The Washington Post/Getty Images)
Even those who graduated from a school that didn’t officially recognize the concept can be transported back in time with a song released or popular throughout their senior year.
For the time of year in there, we’ve decided to take a look back at the most popular graduation songs from the last few decades.
Corny pop anthems of friendship, existential alternatives, hopeful synths, solemn farewells and inspiring lyrics, these are the songs that embody the memories, anxieties and dreams the graduates have shared over the years. year.
Listen and tell us in the comments which song takes you back to your last days of school.
Lulu – “To Sir with Love” (1967)
Wang Chung – ‘Dance Hall Days’ (1983)
Cyndi Lauper – ‘Hour After Hour’ (1983)
Alphaville – ‘Forever Young’ (1984)
Simple Minds – “Forget Me Not” (1985)
Dionne Warwick – “That’s What Friends Are For” (1985)
Sundays – “Here’s Where the Story Ends” (1990)
Rusty Root – ‘Send Me On My Way’ (1990)
Boyz II Men – “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” (1991)
Cranberries – ‘Dreams’ (1993)
Green Day – “Good Riddance (The Time of Your Life)” (1997)
Semisonic – ‘Closing Time’ (1998)
Spice Girls – ‘Goodbye’ (1998)
Vitamin C – ‘Graduation (Friends Forever)’ (1999)
Jimmy Eat World – ‘The Middle’ (2001)
Kelly Clarkson – ‘Escape’ (2004)
Natasha Bedingfield – “Unwritten” (2004)
Ronan Keating – “I Hope You Dance” (2004)
Nickleback – ‘Photography’ (2005)
Miley Cyrus – ‘The Rise’ (2009)
Jay Z ft. Mr. Hudson – ‘Young Forever’ (2009)
Dr. Dog – “Where Was All The Time Going” (2010)
Taylor Swift – “Long Live” (2010)
Fun ft. Janelle Monáe – ‘We Are Young’ (2012)
Katy Perry – “Roar” (2013)
OneRepublic – “I Lived” (2014)
One Direction – ‘History’ (2015)
Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth – ‘See You’ (2015)
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