Founded by Creager in 1992, they have long held true to their mission of enlightening the common man as to the power and versatility of the mighty cello. Historically influenced, and constantly costumed, Rasputina keeps a small legion of incredibly passionate admirers enthralled with their earnest musicianship. Considered to be quite a pioneer and visionary, Melora and her group have inspired countless young people to pick up the cello, and have re-inspired many uninspired string players. Rasputina considers this to be the finest payment for their work.
Professional involvements have included Nirvana, Ultra Vivid Scene, Marilyn Manson, Porno For Pyros, Belle and Sebastian,and Cheap Trick.
Former Members of Rasputina:
Julia Kent (89-99)
Kris Cowperthwaite (00-02)
Zoë Keating (02-06)
Sarah Bowman (06-08)
Jonathon TeBeest (00-08)
Draconian Crackdown
Rasputina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of brazen insubordination,
By indigenous insurgents, belligerents, degenerates.
Imagine my bewilderment at the conspicuous dismemberment
Of all that I had believed,
At how we have all been deceived.
It was short, sharp, sudden, surprising.
It was unfathomable catastrophe.
There were things no one should ever see.
Arrests were made arbitrarily,
Evacuations made mandatory,
Indefinite detentions, unsolvable killings,
Weeks and weeks of agonizing raids,
Relentless, unexplained physical attacks,
Gout, goiters, plague, anthrax,
New and unconventional threats, simultaneously secretive & violent events.
Oh what have they done? There's no fun to a draconian crackdown.
And what will you do when they come for you in the draconian crackdown?
Yes sir, I say no sir and then... Yes sir, I say no sir again.
Something's wrong, oh very, very wrong here -
The chaotic nature of the soured atmosphere.
We have found ourselves participants in their nightmare.
I took the blame, the hatred, then with certainty I said,
"I now declare a state of emergency
With immediate effect indefinitely."
I lurked, I plotted and I planned, from here -
A fearful, vicious, secret no-man's-land.
Oh what have they done? There's no fun to a draconian crackdown.
And what will you do when they come for you in the draconian crackdown?
The song "Draconian Crackdown" by Rasputina appears to be a commentary on the harmful effects of government oppression on its citizens. The lyrics describe a situation in which the governing power is using excessive, brutal force to quell rebellion or dissent, resulting in chaos and fear for the people. The verses use vivid imagery and strong adjectives to paint a picture of the violence and destruction taking place, such as "conspicuous dismemberment," "unfathomable catastrophe," and "relentless, unexplained physical attacks." The chorus emphasizes the severity of the situation, warning that there is no fun or escape to be found in such a draconian crackdown.
The singer of the song appears to be a participant in the rebellion, or at least sympathetic to its cause. Despite the danger, they declare a state of emergency and begin to plan further acts of resistance from a secret location. However, even as they take action against the oppressors, they are haunted by the chaos and brutality of the crackdown and the toll it is taking on society.
Overall, "Draconian Crackdown" is a powerful commentary on the dangers of unchecked government power and the need for citizens to stand up against oppression. The song speaks to the universal struggle for human rights and freedom in the face of tyranny.
Line by Line Meaning
A tragic demonstration
A sad and unfortunate display
Of brazen insubordination,
A rebellious act that showed no fear or respect for authority
By indigenous insurgents, belligerents, degenerates.
Committed by local rebels, aggressive individuals, and people with corrupt morals
Imagine my bewilderment at the conspicuous dismemberment
I was shocked and confused by the obvious destruction
Of all that I had believed,
Of everything I had previously trusted
At how we have all been deceived.
By how we have all been tricked and misled
It was short, sharp, sudden, surprising.
A quick, intense, sudden and unexpected event occurred
Short, sharp, sudden...
Quick, intense, sudden...
It was unfathomable catastrophe.
It was a disaster that could not be easily understood or grasped
There were things no one should ever see.
The events were traumatic and extremely disturbing
Arrests were made arbitrarily,
People were detained without reason or explanation
Evacuations made mandatory,
People were forced to leave their homes and move away
Indefinite detentions, unsolvable killings,
People were held without a clear end date, and murders were committed without anyone being held accountable
Weeks and weeks of agonizing raids,
For weeks on end, people lived in fear of violent law enforcement raids
Relentless, unexplained physical attacks,
People were continually and inexplicably harmed or assaulted
Gout, goiters, plague, anthrax,
Diseases and illnesses were thriving, including gout, goiters, plague, and anthrax
New and unconventional threats, simultaneously secretive & violent events.
Unusual and unorthodox risks presented themselves, and covert and aggressive actions were taken at the same time
Oh what have they done? There's no fun to a draconian crackdown.
What was done was terrible; there is nothing enjoyable or amusing about a severe, authoritarian crackdown
And what will you do when they come for you in the draconian crackdown?
What will you do when the draconian laws and punishments target you and impact your life?
Yes sir, I say no sir and then... Yes sir, I say no sir again.
Someone may have initially tried to comply with the authority, but then decided to stand up and refuse to accept the draconian rules
Something's wrong, oh very, very wrong here -
Something is very clearly and extremely awry
The chaotic nature of the soured atmosphere.
The disordered and tumultuous environment is negative and unpleasant
We have found ourselves participants in their nightmare.
We are involuntarily caught up in someone else's terrible experience
I took the blame, the hatred, then with certainty I said,
I took responsibility for things wrongly blamed on me, absorbed negativity, and then made a decisive decision
"I now declare a state of emergency
"I am officially announcing that there is an emergency situation
With immediate effect indefinitely."
"It takes effect right away and will last for an unknown amount of time."
I lurked, I plotted and I planned, from here -
I schemed and devised a strategy, from where I was situated
A fearful, vicious, secret no-man's-land.
A terrifying and hostile area where one must take extreme precautions, where no one is safe
Contributed by Blake J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.