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)
Spend Spend Spend
Girlschool Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spending all my bread, sink into the red
Going on a spending spree
Heading for a crash, already spent the cash
City crook economy
Sold the family silver, to the highest bidder
Getting hard to borrow, pay the bills tomorrow
Brokers gone and summons served.
Wheel of fortune, turns around
Spend Spend Spend by Girlschool is a gritty, hard-rocking critique of the culture of excessive consumerism and its effects on the personal finances and larger economy. Enid Williams' vocals seethe with frustration as she describes the consequences of spending more than she can afford, sinking into debt and facing the prospect of financial ruin. The song's driving rhythm and aggressive guitar riffs evoke a sense of urgency and desperation, reflecting the destructive consequences of unchecked greed and materialism.
Through the lyrics, Williams refers to the dangers of spending beyond one's means, with lines alluding to the consequences of the economic recession in the 1980s, long term implications of decisions that may seem profitable initially and the consequences that follow. Girlschool warns against the dangers of ignoring the warning signs of an economic downturn, urging people to escape from a cycle of debt and consumption that they cannot sustain in the long run.
Overall, Spend Spend Spend is a powerful statement on the dangers of consumerism and the need for individuals and society as a whole to prioritize financial responsibility and sustainability over short-term pleasure and indulgence.
Line by Line Meaning
Spending all my bread, sink into the red
I am spending all my money and going into debt.
Going on a spending spree
I am excessively buying things that I cannot afford.
Heading for a crash, already spent the cash
I am destined to crash as I have already spent all the money.
City crook economy
The city's economy is corrupt.
Sold the family silver, to the highest bidder
I had to sell my family's assets to pay off debts.
Chancellor sold the gold reserves
The government sold the gold reserve to cover expenses.
Getting hard to borrow, pay the bills tomorrow
It is becoming difficult to borrow money to pay off debts.
Brokers gone and summons served.
The brokers are no longer lending money to me and I have been served with legal papers.
Wheel of fortune, turns around
The situation may change unexpectedly in my favor or against me.
Contributed by Adalyn N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.