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)
Girls
Rasputina Lyrics
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With berries in aprons, I see them still
See black empty eyes staring, no hair, yet ahead
There's no dignity there, they're not living, not dead
Swayback, and ripchord and parachute face
Were pulled from the water and put in a place
I've not been to, but what you'll find
It's not like they mattered
Who sucked out your spirit?
Listen how we shout at them
They can't hear it
It's not fair
And it seems impossible
That it happened at all
That there were people who saw
The herb girls of birkenau
The herb girls of birkenau walk by on a hill
With berries in aprons, I still see them still
It's not fair
And it seems impossible
That it happened at all
That there were people who saw
The herb girls
But what's fair?
Anything is possible
But can you understand that there were
People who saw the herb girls?
It's not fair
And it seems impossible
That it happened at all
That there were people who saw
The herb girls of birkenau
In “Herb Girls of Birkenau,” Rasputina powerfully evokes the haunting image of concentration camp victims, who are known as herb girls, walking by with berries in their aprons. Despite their appearance, they are not living or dead. Their eyes are empty and they have no hair. Rasputina laments that there is no dignity for these victims who were experimented on, sucked of their spirit, and reduced to mere shells of human beings.
Rasputina refers to some of the victims by name: Swayback, Ripchord and Parachute Face. They were pulled from the water and placed in a location that Rasputina has not visited, but the kommandant hoards the vegetable rinds. The meaning of this line is not entirely clear, but it may be a reference to the use of prisoners’ bodies for fertilizer in the camp’s vegetable garden.
The lyrics are a powerful reminder of the inhumanity and brutality of the Holocaust. The herb girls were Nazi prisoners who were used as guinea pigs for medical experiments. They were often subjected to inhumane experiments, including the testing of drugs and chemicals, and were used to test the effects of radiation poisoning. Many of them died during these experiments, and the survivors were often left with permanent physical and emotional scars.
Line by Line Meaning
Experiment victims walk by on a hill
People who were used as experimental subjects walk by on a hill.
With berries in aprons, I see them still
These people were carrying berries in their aprons, and the image of them remains hauntingly vivid in the songwriter's mind.
See black empty eyes staring, no hair, yet ahead
The people are emaciated and sickly-looking, with blank gazes and no head hair left on their bodies.
There's no dignity there, they're not living, not dead
These people have been stripped of their humanity and are neither fully alive nor fully dead.
Swayback, and ripchord and parachute face
These are likely nicknames or descriptors of some of the people who were brought to the concentration camp. They are meant to emphasize the unique, individual nature of each victim.
Were pulled from the water and put in a place
These people were rescued from some form of perilous situation and brought to the concentration camp, where they were imprisoned.
I've not been to, but what you'll find
The songwriter has not personally visited the concentration camp, but she can imagine what kinds of atrocities took place there.
Is the kommandment hoarding the vegetable rinds
The people in charge of the camp are wasting no resources, no matter how meager, and are even hoarding scraps of food.
It's not like they mattered
The people in charge of the camp did not see their prisoners as human beings, worthy of even basic kindness or respect.
Who sucked out your spirit?
The songwriter is addressing the victims of the concentration camp, expressing her pain and horror at the cruelty they experienced.
Listen how we shout at them, they can't hear it
The songwriter is acknowledging that the victims are no longer alive and cannot hear her, but she still feels compelled to speak out against their treatment.
The herb girls of Birkenau walk by on a hill
The victims who were carrying berries in their aprons are still conjured up in the songwriter's memory, haunting her even now.
It's not fair and it seems impossible that it happened at all
The songwriter is grappling with the senselessness of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust, finding it difficult to believe that such horrors could have happened on such a massive scale.
That there were people who saw the herb girls of Birkenau
Despite her disbelief, the songwriter acknowledges that there are many firsthand accounts and pieces of evidence to show that these things did happen, and that other people did indeed witness them.
But what's fair?
The songwriter is questioning the very concept of fairness, especially in the face of such inexplicable evil.
Anything is possible
The songwriter acknowledges that, unfortunately, almost anything is possible in the world, including some of the most horrific acts of violence and inhumanity.
But can you understand that there were people who saw the herb girls?
The songwriter is imploring her listeners to look truthfully and unflinchingly at history, no matter how difficult and painful it may be, and to try to empathize with those who were victimized and killed during the Holocaust.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MELORA "RASPUTINA" CREAGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind