Quick September-related question for you: what do you call the bag that kids use to carry their various school supplies?

To me, this was always a knapsack. But I was somewhat shocked to learn that “knapsack” is a term used by very few people outside my region.

Okay, I should clarify. Where I live, the words “backpack” and “knapsack” are pretty interchangeable. But I was surprised that “knapsack” didn’t have the widespread usage I always assumed it did. “Backpack” appears to be standard in most of the US (although some southern states prefer “book bag”) and British kids carry a “rucksack.”

The more I read about these three interchangeable terms, the more I started to wonder about their origin. I mean, “backpack” is pretty obvious, but what are rucks and knaps, and why do they need sacks?

Both words, it turns out, come from German, and both have to do with eating. “Knappen” is an old German word meaning “bite” and “ruck” is the German word for “food.” Trust those well-fed Germans to come up with multiple ways to carry their food around with them. And trust English speakers to steal two German words when one would have done just fine.

Knapsack the musician is American, but appropriately enough his collaborator on this song, the previously-featured Ford, is German. To me, this song gives off good first-week-of-school energy.

What makes this a beautiful song:

1. The janky guitar that introduces the song sounds like a summer campfire fading into memory.

2. The percussion is perfectly paced for walking to school. And you’ve gotta love that one percussive clicking that sounds like the noise you’d make when giving someone finger guns.

3. The descending plinks at 1:22 are perfectly paced for those days when you’re so excited for school that you’re skipping on your way there.

Recommended listening activity:

Looking back on your school report cards.

Buy it here.

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