John Popper

What grade did you get on that great song?

I passed.

I was flunking English, and they just... I had to go up here at some adult PTA meetings and sing the song.

And then I not only graduated with that, but first year, I went to the new school, and I was a harmonica major.

Again, they were starting a jazz program, and I didn't have to have a curriculum because I had straight Fs.

And I'm sitting there with the dean.

He's looking at my transcripts like, oh, God.

And I had a harmonica in my pocket.

And so that's what basically fuck school, fuck grades.

Have a harmonica in your pocket is the moral of the story.

And he said, OK, we'll let you in.

But I had to take an English class.

And basically I just went to my old go-to, which is just nod, challenge the teacher about everything.

Sure.

You know, it was critique in art history, like what are art critics really made of?

And like, well, what does that mean, what Plato said?

Right.

And then just sang the Space Shuttle song at the end of the thing, and they passed me again.

I was failing biology in 1980 at North Hollywood High, and I sung the Jingle Bells, Batman Smells, Robin Laid an Egg song.

And a single tear came out from Mr. Dilberti's eye, and he moved me right along.