Umbrella

Rihanna’s “Umbrella” is the unexpected hit of a bus sing-along during the Washington, D.C. field trip. Tony Danza learns the song from an Internet video especially for the excursion, then uses it to turn a planned classroom outing into a moment of shared participation among students, teachers, and the driver.

Preparation for the Trip

Because the field trip is being filmed, Danza plans group activities to keep the students engaged rather than sitting silently or staring out the windows. He brings his ukulele and prepares a sing-along, including songs from his own era that the students do not know. “Umbrella” is his deliberate surprise: he has learned it in advance from a video on the Internet, making the performance a bridge between his musical interests and the students’ musical world.

The Bus Sing-Along

Danza introduces “Umbrella” during the ride, and the song proves an immediate hit. Its reception is not limited to the students: Fred, the bus driver, joins in for several choruses. The sequence turns the bus into a temporary communal performance space, with the song giving the group a shared activity as they travel toward the capital.

Role in the Field Trip

The song’s significance lies in the way it makes participation audible and visible. Danza has planned activities partly because activity works better on camera, but the response to “Umbrella” also serves his broader aim of making the journey enjoyable for the students. The song is especially intended for Howard, and its success helps mark a shift from the unfamiliar old songs to a performance the group can join together.