Why does Dewey urge the kids to “stick it to the man” instead of following the rules?

Because the rules they’re handed ignore their creativity. Dewey teaches that respectful rebellion—through music—lets them reclaim agency without losing their innocence.

Is the phrase “the man” literal or symbolic?

Symbolic. “The man” represents any oppressive force—parents, principals, politicians—that diminishes personal expression.

How does Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score differ from his earlier works?

Unlike the lush orchestration of Phantom or Cats, this score plugs into overdriven guitars and tight drum grooves, mirroring classic arena rock more than operetta.

Do the children actually play their instruments live onstage?

Yes. A signature selling point of the production is that every kid on the bandstand shreds in real time, amplifying authenticity.

Was the song featured outside the stage show?

Indeed. The Broadway cast performed it on the 2016 Tony Awards broadcast, turning Radio City Music Hall into a temporary rock club.

Stick It to the Man Lyrics – School of Rock

Stick It to the Man Lyrics

Dewey and Students

When the world has screwed you,
And crushed you in it’s fist.
When the way your treated,
Has got you good and pissed.
There's been one solution,
Since the world began.
Don’t just sit and take it,
Stick it to the man.
Rant and rave
and scream and shout.
Get all of your aggression out.
They try to stop you,
let ‘em know
exactly where they all can go.
And do it just as loudly as you can!
Stick it to the man.
Parents overwork ya,
Stick It To The Man!
Hate The Way They Jerk Ya!
Tired of the system!
Stick it to the man!
Rise up every system!
Stick it to the man!
Break the rules,
Ignore the signs!
And color way outside the line!
Go off the script!
Do what you like!
They hate it, they can take a hike.
And do it just as loudly as you can!!
Stick it to the man!

“If you're feeling angry,
then put into your music!!!
Failing MP Sessions!
Stick it to the man!
Parents all up in your face yes!?
Stick it to the man!
Bullied for eating good snack foods!
Stick it to the man!
Rock the house and make a scene
And cranks the amps to 17.
And scream until their ears are shot
They all can kiss your you know what.
Do everything they ever tried to ban!!
Stick it to the man!
When the world has screwed you,
And crushed you in it’s fist.
When the way your treated,
Has got you good and pissed.
There’s been one solution,
Since the world began.
Don’t just sit and take it,
Stick it to the man!
Rant and rave and scream and shout!
Stick your middle finger out!
Just be rude,
And rip your jeans.
And show ‘em what rebellion means.
Let’s barge in someone else’s camera van!
Especially those we’re SO much cooler than!
It’s time to throw some shit against a fan!
There's no way you can stop,
The School Of Rock!!!!!!!!!!!
Stick it to the man!
Last Update: July, 05th 2025

Song Overview

Screenshot from Stick It to the Man video by The Original Broadway Cast of School of Rock — The Original Broadway Cast of School of Rock belts out the “Stick It to the Man” Lyrics in the official clip.

Song Credits

Featured: Alex Brightman (as Dewey Finn)
Producers: Rob Cavallo, Andrew Lloyd Webber
Composer: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyricist: Glenn Slater
Release Date: December 4, 2015
Genre: Rock-infused Broadway show tune
Album: School of Rock: The Musical (Original Cast Recording) [Deluxe Edition]
Track #: 11 of 21
Label: Warner Bros. Records / The Really Useful Group
Language: English
Mood: Rebellious, high-voltage, tongue-in-cheek
Instruments: Electric guitars, bass, drum kit, keyboards, classroom percussion, full cast vocals
Copyright © 2015 The Really Useful Group Ltd. / Warner Bros. Records Inc. All rights reserved.

Song Meaning and Annotations

The Original Broadway Cast of School of Rock performing song Stick It to the Man — Chaos, chords, and classroom revolution onstage.

If School of Rock were a mixtape, “Stick It to the Man” would be the track you crank loud enough to make the librarian next door file a noise complaint. Structurally it’s musical-theatre mischief wrapped in a three-minute rock anthem: think Chuck Berry power-chords hijacked by a fifth-grade rebellion committee. The groove is four-on-the-floor, but the swagger belongs to front-man-turned-substitute-teacher Dewey Finn, who rallies his pint-sized bandmates to shred every rule in the Horace Green handbook.

Emotionally the number roars from disgruntled to defiant. It begins with Dewey’s sly wink—“When the world has screwed you…”—and snowballs into a full-classroom riot of crash cymbals and pre-teen war-cries. By the final down-beat, the children have found their collective voice, and every pencil-pushing grown-up becomes The Man. The tune riffs on a familiar rock-and-roll trope—youthful insurrection—but couches it in Broadway call-and-response, letting the kids finish every punchline. It’s a halftime pep-talk disguised as recess mayhem.

Lloyd Webber sneaks in clever harmonic detours (the bridge modulates up a major third—textbook “raise-the-roof” theatre trick), while Glenn Slater’s lines juggle comic relief and genuine adolescent angst. Somewhere between “color way outside the lines” and “crank the amps to seventeen,” you almost smell the Sharpie fumes scribbled across those Horace Green uniforms.

“Rant and rave and scream and shout / And stick your middle finger out”

The rhyme is cheeky, the intent cathartic. It’s less about vandalism, more about validating frustration—suggesting that fury, when funneled through art, becomes liberation.

Verse 1

Dewey sets the stakes: life squeezes, authorities condescend, but music offers a megaphone. The stanza is conversational, letting us eavesdrop on a substitute teacher who happens to idolize AC/DC.

Chorus

A call-and-response riot. Each “Stick it to the man” lands like a snare hit. The communal shouting establishes solidarity; the kids aren’t sidekicks—they’re co-conspirators.

Bridge / Breakdown

The tempo double-times, inviting guitars to chug beneath slogans aimed at politicians, hipsters, and “corporate culture.” The specificity keeps the satire sharp; even the iPad takes a comedic punch.

Finale Tag

Dewey’s climactic line—“There’s no way you can stop the School of Rock”—crowns the song a manifesto. Curtain rises, parent-teacher anxiety skyrockets, the amps hum on into Act Two.

Similar Songs

Thumbnail from Stick It to the Man video by The Original Broadway Cast of School of Rock — A split-second before the guitars explode.

“Revolting Children” – Matilda the Musical
Both numbers weaponize youthful voices against stodgy authority figures. Where “Revolting Children” parades clever wordplay and a music-hall groove, “Stick It to the Man” opts for hard-rock shredding; yet each song finishes with kids seizing autonomy, desks (or amps) be damned. Rhythmically they share chant-worthy refrains, perfect for playground encores. Both musicals also flip the adult-knows-best narrative, celebrating imagination over rigid discipline.
“Seize the Day” – Newsies
Here, orphaned newsboys strike against economic oppression; Dewey’s students strike against parental micromanagement. Stylistically, “Seize the Day” marries brass flourishes to a march tempo, whereas “Stick It to the Man” wields guitars; nonetheless, each anthem hinges on collective empowerment and high-octane choreography. Historically, both songs emerged from stage shows that honor working-class rebellion within family-friendly spectacles.
“You Can’t Stop the Beat” – Hairspray
This closing number shares the same producer (Rob Cavallo) and the same drum-driven euphoria. “You Can’t Stop the Beat” dismantles segregation with ’60s dance pop; “Stick It to the Man” dismantles academic repression through 21st-century riff-rock. Harmonically both songs finish on key changes that climb skyward, stoking audience adrenaline. Their lyrics emphasize unstoppable rhythm as metaphor for unstoppable social change.

Questions and Answers

Scene from Stick It to the Man track by The Original Broadway Cast of School of Rock — Class dismissed—riot commenced.

Why does Dewey urge the kids to “stick it to the man” instead of following the rules?: Because the rules they’re handed ignore their creativity. Dewey teaches that respectful rebellion—through music—lets them reclaim agency without losing their innocence.
Is the phrase “the man” literal or symbolic?: Symbolic. “The man” represents any oppressive force—parents, principals, politicians—that diminishes personal expression.
How does Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score differ from his earlier works?: Unlike the lush orchestration of Phantom or Cats, this score plugs into overdriven guitars and tight drum grooves, mirroring classic arena rock more than operetta.
Do the children actually play their instruments live onstage?: Yes. A signature selling point of the production is that every kid on the bandstand shreds in real time, amplifying authenticity.
Was the song featured outside the stage show?: Indeed. The Broadway cast performed it on the 2016 Tony Awards broadcast, turning Radio City Music Hall into a temporary rock club.

Awards and Chart Positions

The full cast recording containing “Stick It to the Man” nabbed a 2017 Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album and reached the top ten on Billboard’s Cast Albums chart. The live Tony Awards performance earned the show four nominations that season, with critics singling out this number for its “stadium-level voltage.”

Fan and Media Reactions

“Never thought a Broadway show could out-rock my favorite band, but those kids just melted my face.” —YouTube user @GuitarDad88

“I teach sixth grade. Played this in class—now my students think homework is ‘the man’ and refuse to comply. Worth it.” —@MsCraftyCat

“Alex Brightman’s howl belongs on a Foo Fighters record. Unreal stamina.” —BroadwayWorld commenter

“This song is like giving my inner child a double espresso.” —@StageDoorSiren

“Parents in the mezzanine looked horrified; my eight-year-old was dancing on his seat. Mission accomplished.” —@RockMom27

Critics echoed the enthusiasm, with Variety calling the track “a molotov cocktail of riffs and playground politics,” while The New York Times dubbed it the show’s “undeniable earworm.” Even Andrew Lloyd Webber joked in interviews that he’d “waited decades to unleash [his] inner Angus Young on Broadway.”

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