Sock It To 'Em Teach (Black Text)

Large, bold text in the center of the button.  Black text on a red background.

“Sock it to me” conveys enthusiasm and a willingness to engage, often with a challenge. It gained popularity among Black musicians in the soul and jazz scenes of the late 1960s and early 1970s. In Aretha Franklin’s 1967 hit "Respect," background singers repeat the phrase to highlight eagerness for societal recognition and the demand for respect. The phrase also became a catchphrase on the TV show "Laugh In," signaling readiness for the next joke or story. The catchphrase was famously even said by Richard Nixon in 1968. In 1972, The Jimmy Castor Bunch used it in their song "Troglodyte" to suggest sexual advances. 

In 1960s slang, “teach” is used as a casual term for “teacher”—for example, “Hey, Teach.” It has been in use since at least the mid-20th century. Students say “Sure, teach” in the 1955 film Blackboard Jungle, illustrating the school slang of that era. The term can seem friendly or a bit cheeky depending on the tone.