My daughter just graduated from middle school. Congratulations, Anais! Congratulations to all the students and families who made it through another school year together.
One of the highlights of middle school for me happened last summer when Anais asked about playing the guitar. We learned to play more than a dozen Taylor Swift songs together. I taught her the chords, and she taught me the intricacies of the song and the Swiftie universe.
I grew in appreciation of Anais, and Taylor. When we all went to see The Eras Tour movie in October, I was able to sing along to a few of the songs and hang with the Swifties for a second.
As we approached the end of this school year, Maile gave me my favorite type of assignment: write a song for the occasion. (She and Anais had written and performed a customized version of Swift’s Cornelia Street about my history for my last birthday.) I knew immediately what to do: Write my own version of Taylor’s Lavender Haze about middle school. Middle School Haze!
I’ve always liked the feel of the song, so I tried to capture my nostalgia for the middle school days that had just slipped away in a blur. I updated Taylor’s chorus to “I just wanna stay in that lavender haze middle school haze.”
For the verses, I searched my memory of all the conversations at the end of the school day. I had learned along the way that questions about teachers, classes and subjects would only get me so far into the heart of the experience.
What happened on the bus, at lunch, or after school at a sleepover was closer to the core. So here is my tribute to Anais and her friends, to middle school, and to Taylor Swift, who are all bound together in my hazy memory.
After recording the version above with loops of vocals, percussion and ambient sounds, I stripped it down to just me and guitar and moved the capo up a step. Which do you prefer?
Middle School Haze
Meet me at 8 AM
Walkin’ to the bus with you
Oh, you don’t ever say too much
Unless you’re tryin to guess who
Might be my new crush
Do we have a quiz in History?
Algebra is killing me
STEM will be the end of me
I feel those high school days are creepin’ up on me
Fiorella says “Real!”
I’m damned if I do give a damn what teachers say
No deal, all the homework that they’ll want from me
I just wanna stay in that middle school haze
All they keep askin’ me
Is if I’m gonna spill the tea
The only kind of girl they see
Is a gossip or a drama queen
Who is gonna sit with me?
Share their food and bitch with me?
You better never snitch on me!
I feel those high school days are creepin’ up on me
Fiorella says “Real!”
I’m damned if I do give a damn what teachers say
No deal, all the homework that they’ll want from me
I just wanna stay in that middle school haze
Those neighborhood days
Talkin’ on the bus and textin’ later
Who can host a sleepover?
Bring some gummy worms
We’ll watch some horror films
Talkin’ on the bus and textin later
How can we get a get-together?
Bring your bathing suit
Girl, we’re all looking cute!
I feel those high school days are creepin’ up on me
Fiorella says “Real!”
I’m damned if I do give a damn what teachers say
No deal, all the homework that they’ll want from me
I just wanna stay in that middle school haze
Hard to choose between the two versions! Enjoyed them both so much. You aced the assignment J! I just want to know how Anaias reacted to this adorable creation.
Thank you, Sandie!!!!!!
I was nervous about how she would respond, but Anais liked it, and blessed it. The Friorella named in the chorus is the hardcore Swiftie, so when she approved, I was also very relieved and grateful. It’s dicey when middle-aged dads try to be cool and enter their daughter’s cultural territory!