How a Scottish Teacher Outsmarted Authority With Blasting Wagner: Malicious Compliance at Its Loudest
There are few moments more satisfying than turning the tables on a rule-loving authority figure—especially when you can do it with a wall of sound. One Redditor, u/Grumpy_Sober_Driver, shared a tale from a Scottish high school where the battle lines were drawn not over grades or discipline, but over the soundtrack to a teacher’s morning arrival. When “Freebird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd ruffled the feathers of a supervising teacher, the ensuing musical mischief became a symphony of malicious compliance that had Reddit’s r/MaliciousCompliance crowd raising their lighters (or, at least, their upvotes).
When Rock ‘n’ Roll Met the Rulebook
Our story kicks off in the teacher’s car park, circa 2000s Scotland. The protagonist, a teacher-in-training, rolls in with “Freebird” blaring—a classic move, and, as commenter u/GrannyTurtle noted, a song that makes any crowd go wild (“The whole audience went nuts when it came on during the Kingsman movie”). But in this school, the supervising teacher was having none of it. No complaints about noise, just about the music’s genre: “You can play pop, jazz, classical, anything but rock. If I hear that sort of music again, you fail.”
Redditors were quick to point out the absurdity. “This is not the 1950s,” OP protested, echoing the collective disbelief of music lovers everywhere. As u/SidratFlush put it, “Where do people think those genres came from? As a rock fan, classical music is awesome.” Indeed, the boundary between musical genres is blurrier than many realize.
Malicious Compliance: The Valkyries Take Flight
Cue the most epic compliance ever. OP swapped out “Freebird” for the bombast of Richard Wagner—think “Ride of the Valkyries,” “Tannhäuser” Overture, and all the operatic thunder that makes you want to don a horned helmet and conquer a continent. And, crucially, cranked the volume to 11.
The deputy headmaster, when asked about the daily Wagnerian wake-up, just chuckled, recognizing a brilliant loophole when he heard one. As u/nyrB2 quipped, “I mean, one can only play Wagner at full volume, so…” And u/Hot-Win2571 chimed in: “OP went OG heavy metal.” Turns out, classical composers like Wagner were the original rockstars, living large and, as u/SidratFlush pointed out, “elevated almost up to that of Royalty.”
Reddit’s music buffs weighed in with suggestions for further mischief. Why stop at Wagner? u/MikeSchwab63 suggested the “1812 Overture with Cannon,” and u/Fwoggie2 threw in Stravinsky, Shostakovich, and Bartok for good measure. Even avant-garde composers like Penderecki and George Crumb got a nod from u/Spartannia (“Should’ve blasted some Penderecki or George Crumb or some other avant garde art music”).
The Community’s Encore: Puns, Praise, and Pedagogy
The comment section quickly became a stage for music puns and alliteration. “He said, ‘I’ll be Bach,’” joked u/gotnonickname. “The appropriate response would be, ‘You can’t Handel the truth!’” volleyed u/ReactsWithWords. Meanwhile, u/Odd_Gamer_75 delivered a baroque masterpiece: “Musical miser multiplies misery manifestly. Cunning cooperator creates complete karmic cacophony causing consternation.”
But beyond the jokes, there was a deeper appreciation for OP’s cleverness and the power of subverting arbitrary authority. As OP clarified in the comments, “Told I couldn’t play rock but I could play classical, so I played the classical equivalent of heavy rock. Go listen to the Tannhäuser overture. It’s rock before there was such a thing.” Several users agreed, noting that Wagner and other composers were, in their day, the definition of musical rebellion.
Some even saw an educational opportunity: “Blast out some Shostakovich with Symphony no 8. When students ask what the hell it is, go into depth about what he was conveying concerning the horrors of war, etc.” (u/Wells1632). And for those worrying about the teacher’s reaction? OP reports, “She did have a face like someone had smeared shit under her nose after she had sucked on a lemon.” Mission accomplished.
Why This Story Resonates: The Spirit of Rock (and Wagner)
At its heart, this tale is about more than music. It’s a lesson in how to challenge rigid authority with creativity and wit—a kind of subversive education that any good teacher should appreciate. As u/Ok-Grape2063 reflected, sometimes it’s the unreasonable rules and supervisors that inspire us to seek out new paths (or, in this case, new playlists).
And let’s not forget: classical music isn’t the safe, staid genre some imagine. As u/No_Dependent_8346 pointed out, Grieg’s “Hall of the Mountain King” is considered by many to be the first “heavy metal” composition. The line between “high art” and “rebellion” is thinner than a violin string.
So next time you’re told to “turn down the rock,” remember: Beethoven, Wagner, and their ilk were the original headbangers. Sometimes, the most powerful way to comply is to do so with a wink—and a wall of sound.
Encore: Your Malicious Compliance Stories
What’s the cleverest way you’ve ever followed the rules to the letter—while making your point loud and clear? Have you ever used music as a protest, in school or beyond? Share your stories below, and let’s keep the spirit of mischievous compliance (and musical mischief) alive!
Rock on. Or, if you prefer, Valkyrie on.
Original Reddit Post: Principal teacher hated my music.