Cordelia's Dad was founded in 1987 by Amherst College students Tim Eriksen (bass, vocals), Peter Irvine (drums), Tom King (guitar). Although all three had previous experiences with traditional American music their initial sound was closer to that of alternative rock bands like Dinosaur Jr. and accordingly they recorded their first, eponymous album at Fort Apache Studios in Boston. The main distinguishing characteristic from their Fort Apache peers was that with few exceptions, their early recorded output consisted entirely of Anglo-American traditional folk tunes recorded as rock songs. Their second album How Can I Sleep, recorded by Dave Schramm continued the prominent use of traditional material, but increased the share of songs played as acoustic folk songs, starting a trend to call the sound of the band "schizophrenic". The transition to folk outfit was completed in 1993 with the recording of the limited release mini-album The Joy Fun Garden for German mail order label Return to Sender (a sublabel of Normal Records, which released all Cordelia's Dad albums in Germany). King left after the recording to be replaced by bassist Cath Oss. Eriksen switched to guitar and their third regular album, Comet (1995) continued the conversion toward an acoustic sound, with only a single song, the closer "Jersey City", being played with rock instruments.
In 1996, the band released the punk-infused live album Road Kill (1996) as a farewell to their rock side, which for the next years would continue only as a side project named "io". The members of the main, now fully acoustic band had previously taken up shape note singing, and the new interest made an appearance on the Steve Albini produced album Spine (1998), for which folk fiddler Laura Risk joined the band. Spine would become their most critically acclaimed album, but also the last for four years, as band members moved away from their West Massachusetts home base. Irvine moved to Portland, Oregon to become a music lawyer, while Eriksen moved to Minneapolis and later participated in creating the soundtrack for the movie Cold Mountain.
The album What It Is, while released in 2002, contained music recorded during two sessions in 1997–98, and the band remained in hiatus until Eriksen and Irvine moved back to Massachusetts, and to celebrate their 20th anniversary, decided to reunite for local shows, playing both acoustic and electric sets.
Knife
Cordelia's Dad Lyrics
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acrawling and acreeping.
I spied a fair maiden
asnoring and asleeping.
Just lay your leg over me, do.
Says I, "My pretty monarch,
I'll come to bed to you."
She snored, and replied,
and lay your leg over me do."
"Your drawers are so tight
that I can not undo them."
She snored, and replied,
"Then take a knife to them.
Just lay your leg over me, do."
"I haven't owned a knife
since I can remember."
She snored, and replied,
"There's a knife in the window.
Just lay your leg over me, do."
The knife was got down
and the drawers was cut under,
and then they went at it
like alightning and athunder
and alay your leg over me, do.
In about nine months,
this maid fell aweeping,
and then she remembered
the snoring and the creeping
and the "Lay your leg over me, do."
The babe it was born.
It was an awful wonder
that it wasn't killed
by the lightning and the thunder
and the "Lay your leg over me, do."
The lyrics of Cordelia's Dad's "Knife" tell a story of a man who comes across a sleeping woman and desires to have sex with her. He first attempts to undress her, but her undergarments are too tight, and she tells him to take a knife to them. He locates a knife, cuts her undergarments, and they engage in sex. The woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a child, which is described as an "awful wonder" since it was not harmed by the passion they had shared.
The lyrics may appear to be a straightforward tale of sexual desire and its consequences, but upon closer examination, it can be seen as a commentary on the usage of power, particularly by men, as well as the role of women in sexual relations. The man in the song takes advantage of the woman's vulnerability while she is asleep and unable to give her consent. The woman's consent is not verbalized but rather implied in her suggestion to take a knife to her undergarments, which can be seen as a form of coercion. Additionally, when she becomes pregnant, she bears the brunt of the consequences while the man is never held accountable.
Overall, "Knife" is a song that highlights the complexities of sexual relations and the dangers of abuse of power.
Line by Line Meaning
I was out one night
I went out one night
acrawling and acreeping.
I was crawling and creeping
I spied a fair maiden
I saw a beautiful woman
asnoring and asleeping.
She was snoring and sleeping
Just lay your leg over me, do.
She asked me to come to bed with her
Says I, "My pretty monarch,
I said, "My beautiful queen,
I'll come to bed to you."
I'll come to bed with you."
She snored, and replied,
She snored and answered
"Just come to bed to me,
"Just come to bed with me,
and lay your leg over me do."
and get in bed with me."
"Your drawers are so tight
"Your pants are so tight
that I can not undo them."
I can't take them off."
She snored, and replied,
She snored and answered
"Then take a knife to them.
"Then use a knife to cut them off.
Just lay your leg over me, do."
Then get in bed with me."
"I haven't owned a knife
"I don't have a knife
since I can remember."
For as long as I can remember."
She snored, and replied,
She snored and answered
"There's a knife in the window.
"There's a knife on the windowsill.
Just lay your leg over me, do."
Then come to bed with me."
The knife was got down
The knife was taken down
and the drawers was cut under,
And the pants were cut off,
and then they went at it
And then they had sex
like alightning and athunder
Passionately and loudly
and alay your leg over me, do.
While she kept asking me to get in bed with her."
In about nine months,
About nine months later,
this maid fell aweeping,
The woman cried
and then she remembered
She remembered
the snoring and the creeping
The fact that I snored and crept around
and the "Lay your leg over me, do."
And my constant request for sex."
The babe it was born.
The baby was born.
It was an awful wonder
It was a miracle
that it wasn't killed
That the baby wasn't killed
by the lightning and the thunder
By the intensity of our lovemaking
and the "Lay your leg over me, do."
And my constant request for sex."
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: AIDAN HOLLORAN, MARTIN KENNEDY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind