‘Smokin' in the Boys Room’ is a song originally recorded by Brownsville Station in 1973 on their album ‘Yeah!’. It reached number 3 in Canada and on the US Billboard Hot 100, and was later certified by the RIAA. The song is about students hoping to avoid being caught violating their school's smoking ban by smoking cigarettes in the boys' restroom. The song begins with a spoken recitation, and the verses and a part of the chorus, are mostly spoken, rather than sung. The song was covered in 1985 by Mötley Crüe. Released as a single, ‘Smokin' in the Boys Room’ reached #16 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and became Mötley Crüe's first Top 40 hit.
This song is about a group of schoolboys who sneak out of class to smoke tobacco in the boys' bathroom, only to be found by the principal who reminds them "No smoking allowed in school." Cub Koda got the idea for the song from memories of hanging out at a movie theater with his childhood friends - they would smuggle cigarettes lifted from their parents into the men's room at the Clinton Theater in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Friday nights. Coda says the "old duffer" who owned the theater would come after them, but never caught them in the act. When he found himself in a band, Koda drew from this experience to write the song, shifting the scene from the movie house to the schoolhouse.
For school outcasts who often questioned authority, this was a very validating song. It became an anthem for frustrated youth who felt marginalized at school. It took Koda just a half hour to write the song and an hour for the band to record it. They didn't think much of it, but the song became far and away their biggest hit. Brownsville Station - comprised of Koda, bass player Michael Lutz and drummer Henry Weck at the time - had released two album previous to Yeah! and were enjoying regional acclaim around Michigan when ‘Smokin' In The Boy's Room’ took them to the national level. The band was known for their high-energy stage shows, which - along with a daring choice of stagewear - earned them a spot as the opening act for Slade on their 1974 UK tour.
Producer Doug Morris (also the owner of Big Tree Records) hated the song - he refused to release it as a 45 until a Portland, Maine, FM station started to play it off an LP. Afterwards, requests for the song streamed into the record company - it had over 100,000 orders for the single before Morris changed his mind and released it.
Label – Big Tree
Songwriters – Cub Koda, Michael Lutz
Producers - Doug Morris, Brilliant Sun
SONG LYRICS
[Intro]How you doin' out there? Ya ever seem to have one of those days
Where it just seems like everybody's gettin' on your case?
From your teacher all the way down to your best girlfriend?
Well, ya know, I used to have 'em just about all the time
But I found a way to get out of 'em
Let me tell you about it
Sitting in the classroom, thinking it's a drag
Listening to the teacher rap, just ain't my bag
The noon bells rings, you know that's my cue
I'm gonna meet the boys on floor number two!
Smokin' in the boys' room
Smokin' in the boys' room
Now, teacher, don't you fill me up with your rules
But everybody knows that smokin' ain't allowed in school
Checkin' out the halls, makin' sure the coast is clear
Lookin' in the stalls, "No, there ain't nobody here!"
Oh, my buddy Fang, and me and Paul
To get caught would surely be the death of us all
Smokin' in the boys' room
Smokin' in the boys' room
Now, teacher, don't you fill me up with your rules
But everybody knows that smokin' ain't allowed in school
All right!
[Instrumental]
Oh, put me to work, in the school book store
Check out counter and I got bored
Teacher was lookin' for me all around
Two hours later, you know where I was found
Smokin' in the boys' room (Yes indeed, I was)
Smokin' in the boys' room
Now, teacher, don't you fill me up with your rules
But everybody knows that smokin' ain't allowed in school
One mo'!
Smokin' in the boys' room
Oh, smokin' in the boys' room
Smokin' in the boys' room
Smokin' in the boys' room
Now, teacher, I am fully aware of the rules
And everybody knows that smokin' ain't allowed in school