Lulu - To Sir with Love - Lyrics Meaning

To Sir with Love was a song taken from a movie of the same that starred US actor Sidney Poitier as well as Scottish singer and actress Lulu who also performed the title song. It reached number one on the U.S. pop charts in 1967.

Written by Don Black and Mark London, "To Sir with Love" was never released in the UK as a single, although the film was tremendously successful there.

The song's lyrics poignantly describe life in UK in the sixties and the teenage revolution that was gaining full momentum at that time. The lyrics describe the pupils' anti-establishment leanings and how they were curbed by the wisdom and foresight of their school teacher, Sydney Poitier. In 1967 it was unusual to find an American schoolteacher working in Great Britain, and especially one who was colored. After initial resentment and determined efforts to undermine Poitier's authority, eventually the class began to respect and love their teacher, as he helped them to face their first steps into the adult world as the end of their final school year approaches. Lulu gives a first class rendition of the song, which has remained a classic to this day.