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)
Knife
Girlschool Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Saw a reflection in the blade of a knife
I saw a knife right in front of my eyes
Saw a reflection in the blade of a knife
Grinning some smile, I'll be here for awhile,
Don't try to stop me, I'm sorry I lied
There's no remorse when the wicked steal
Who saw how could you tempt me?
How could you make this life seem so unreal?
You gave me all of your madness
And in your shadow I will follow
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Saw a reflection in the blade of a knife
Saw a reflection in the blade of a knife
I saw a face in the coat of steel
It's the hand that I had to deal
Can't go back 'cause it's gone too far
I saw a face staring back at me
I'm leaving you my wound, my scar
Rearranging your sanity
Who saw how could you tempt me?
How could you make this life seem so unreal?
You turn my days into darkness
And in your shadow I will follow
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Saw a reflection
Saw a reflection
Saw a reflection
In the blade of a knife
And it was you
The song "Knife" by Girlschool is a lyrically intense and haunting track that speaks of the horrors of domestic violence. The first verse describes the lead singer seeing her own reflection in the blade of a knife, signifying the confrontation of a dangerous situation. The chorus repeats the imagery of seeing a reflection in the blade of a knife, emphasizing the idea of looking back at what has been done. The second verse delves deeper into the thoughts of the victim, expressing pain and confusion at the betrayal of someone they once loved. It also reflects on the idea of leaving someone with the scars they have caused – a powerful statement about taking back control.
The lines "There's no remorse when the wicked steal, the wicked feed on the innocent" convey the belief that some people are inherently cruel and take pleasure in causing pain. The bridge of the song is a plea for answers – asking how someone could lead another down a path of darkness and despair. It's a heartbreaking representation of the confusion and helplessness that victims of domestic violence experience.
Overall, the song is a powerful statement on the effects and aftermath of an abusive relationship. It speaks to the resilience of survivors and the importance of addressing the issue of domestic violence.
Line by Line Meaning
Saw a reflection in the blade of a knife
Witnessed a reflection of myself in the sharp steel of the knife
Saw a reflection in the blade of a knife
Saw my own face reflecting on the blade of the sharp weapon
I saw a knife right in front of my eyes
The dangerous knife was visible right in front of me
Saw a reflection in the blade of a knife
Gazed upon my own image in the reflective surface of the blade
Grinning some smile, I'll be here for awhile,
I am smiling a wicked grin, planning to stay here for a while
Don't try to stop me, I'm sorry I lied
Do not make an effort to prevent me, I apologize for lying
There's no remorse when the wicked steal
Wicked individuals do not feel remorse when they steal from others
The wicked feed on the innocent
Evil individuals thrive on exploiting the innocent
Who saw how could you tempt me?
Who could have witnessed and tempted me to resort to such actions?
How could you make this life seem so unreal?
Why would someone make life appear so surreal?
You gave me all of your madness
You shared all your madness with me
And in your shadow I will follow
I will follow you in your shadow
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
No explicit meaning
Saw a reflection in the blade of a knife
Observed a reflection of myself through the blade of the knife
Saw a reflection in the blade of a knife
My own reflection was visible through the sharp, reflective blade
I saw a face in the coat of steel
The blade had an image of a face on it
It's the hand that I had to deal
I was stuck dealing with the consequences of my actions
Can't go back 'cause it's gone too far
It is impossible to go back because things have already gone too far
I saw a face staring back at me
The reflective blade showed me a face staring back at me
I'm leaving you my wound, my scar
I am leaving you with the consequences of my actions
Rearranging your sanity
Making you lose your sanity
You turn my days into darkness
You have turned my days into a period of darkness
And in your shadow I will follow
I will follow you in your shadow
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
No explicit meaning
Saw a reflection
Witnessed a reflection of myself
Saw a reflection
Witnessed a reflection of myself
Saw a reflection
Witnessed a reflection of myself
In the blade of a knife
Visible through the blade of the sharp knife
And it was you
And the reflection was you
Contributed by Evelyn W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.