Kelly Johnson and Denise Dufort later joined and in April 1978 they changed their name to Girlschool.
Their first single Take it all away was released on the City Records label which led to them gaining a Motörhead support slot on the Overkill tour in 1979.
Having signed with Lemmy´s record company Bronze later that year, the band released their first album Demolition in 1980.
After touring Japan in 1982, Enid left and was replaced by Gil Weston of The Killjoys and Girlschool recorded their third album Screaming Blue Murder.
When Kelly left to live in L.A. she was replaced by Cris Bonacci on lead guitar and singer Jackie Bodimead on lead vocals for the 1985 album Running Wild.
After many more line-up changes and releases on various labels, the original bassist/vocalist Enid rejoined the band in 2000, together with Jackie Chambers. In 2002 the band released the 21st Anniversary: Not that Innocent album.
Their 12th and latest output is the re-recorded Hit and Run: Revisited. Girlschool continued to tour Europe and South America in 2011-12 and returned in Japan in 2013. In early 2015, they recorded a new album titled 'Guilty as Sin' with producer Chris Tsangarides, which was released on 13 November 2015. On 30 January 2019, it was announced on the band's website that "Girlschool have parted ways once again with bassist Enid Williams" and that Tracey Lamb would return to replace her.
In 2023, Girlschool, now consisting of Kim McAuliffe on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Denise Dufort on drums, Tracey Lamb on bass and Jackie Chambers on lead guitar have unveiled a video for their new single “Are You Ready?” from their upcoming studio album WTFortyfive?, which will be released on July 28, 2023.
--Discography--
Demolition (1980)
Hit and Run (1981)
Screaming Blue Murder (1982)
Play Dirty (1983)
Running Wild (1985)
Nightmare at Maple Cross (1986)
Take a Bite (1988)
Girlschool (1992)
21st Anniversary: Not That Innocent (2002)
Believe (2004)
Legacy (2008)
Hit and Run - Revisited (2011)
Guilty as Sin (2015)
WTFortyfive? (2023)
Flesh and Blood
Girlschool Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Flesh and blood
Flesh and blood
You take the flesh when its ripe
But when it bleeds you throw it back in her face
She's a fool - but there's nothing she can do
Because she loves you when she can, when she's clean
She's a woman and a witch - so you sterilize the pitch
Flesh and blood
Flesh and blood
So this is your religion
And this is your creed
The force of light doesn't interest you
Only the way she bleeds
And she bleeds
Flesh and blood
Flesh and blood
Flesh and blood
Flesh and blood
The lyrics to Girlschool's "Flesh and Blood" are a powerful commentary on abusive and manipulative relationships, particularly those where men take advantage of women for their own desires and then discard them when they no longer serve their purpose. The repeated refrain of "flesh and blood" emphasizes the physical nature of these relationships, highlighting how men often use women's bodies as mere objects to satisfy their own needs. The lines "You take the flesh when it's ripe / But when it bleeds you throw it back in her face" speak to the double standard that often exists in these relationships, where men demand women's compliance and submission but then show no empathy or concern when they are hurt.
The song also touches on the idea of power and control, with the lyrics describing the woman as a "witch" who is ultimately sterilized and controlled by the man. This speaks to how women who challenge the status quo or assert their agency are often demonized and punished, with their power or strength seen as a threat to men who want to maintain their dominance. The line "The force of light doesn't interest you / Only the way she bleeds" underscores this idea, suggesting that men are not interested in building healthy, equal partnerships with women but instead seek to exploit and harm them for their own pleasure.
Overall, "Flesh and Blood" is a powerful and important song that speaks to the experiences of many women who have been victimized or abused in relationships. By shining a light on the dark underbelly of patriarchal power structures, Girlschool creates a message of empowerment and solidarity for those who have suffered at the hands of abusers.
Line by Line Meaning
Flesh and blood
The person being referred to is human, not just an object.
Flesh and blood
The person is made up of flesh and blood, and therefore is not indestructible.
Flesh and blood
The person is vulnerable and can be hurt.
You take the flesh when its ripe
You only want the person when they are at their best.
But when it bleeds you throw it back in her face
When the person shows any signs of vulnerability, you reject them and may actively hurt them.
She's a fool - but there's nothing she can do
The person being referred to may not realize how they are being mistreated, or may feel powerless to stop it.
Because she loves you when she can, when she's clean
Despite the mistreatment, the person still loves the one hurting them when they are at their best.
She's a woman and a witch - so you sterilize the pitch
The person is both feminine and powerful, so you attempt to silence or neutralize them by any means necessary.
Now she's slithering in a sea of
The person is now trapped and struggling to survive in a difficult environment.
Flesh and blood
Despite the mistreatment, the person is still human and therefore deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
Flesh and blood
No matter how powerful someone may be, they are still subject to physical and emotional harm.
Flesh and blood
Even when someone is being hurt, they are still alive and have the potential to heal and recover.
So this is your religion
The person hurting the other has made this their guiding belief or principle.
And this is your creed
They are actively living out this belief system in their actions towards the other person.
The force of light doesn't interest you
The person hurting the other is not interested in any kind of positivity or growth - only in causing pain and destruction.
Only the way she bleeds
The only thing this person cares about is seeing the other person hurt and suffering.
And she bleeds
The person is actively being hurt and needs help to escape this situation.
Contributed by Sadie O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.