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 School
Rasputina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
for every minute of the story
See as their wills are broke and bending
See the good girls in their glory
A primary academy, we're a secondary seminary teaching
finishing rinse, and dancing tips and scorn
Always concerned with plummeting virginity rates
Children! make a chain
Oh, children! make a chain
The staff here is severe, yet so altruistic
It hurts us more than it hurts them
The new girls are tender, the old ones sadistic
The late janitress was a gem
Don't believe what the boys from next door heard
Requirements do include math
(A happy start, a sad, sad ending
for every minute of the story)
We draw straws and put our best foot forward
Down the straight and narrow path
Listen to our pretty song, we are happy as the day is long
Forget the things you thought you knew,
we'll make a very good girl of you
Listen to our pretty song, we are happy as the day is long
Forget the things you thought you knew,
we'll make a very good girl of you
A pupil transferred here from Lavender Lake
She wrote a winning essay on self-denial
Some underage urchins were forced to matriculate,
their records kept here undefiled
A neat retreat slips through their fingers
Which little girl made the plan?
Surely involved were the vespers bell-ringers
Down a ladder, through the gate, then they ran!
Listen to our pretty song, we are happy as the day is long
Forget the things you thought you knew,
we'll make a very good girl of you
Listen to our pretty song, we are happy as the day is long
Forget the things you thought you knew,
we'll make a very good girl of you
And the girls ran out of the schoolyard and up the hill behind.
"I'm scared!" said the littlest one.
"Don't worry." said the leader.
"They could catch us, or they could kill us,
but they can never crush our spirit!"
The lyrics of Rasputina's "Girls' School" tell the story of a school that seems innocent enough on the surface, but upon closer inspection, is revealed to be a place where young girls are stripped of their autonomy and forced to conform to a specific mold. The opening lines juxtapose a happy start with a sad, sad ending, immediately setting the tone for the story that unfolds. The song describes a primary academy turned secondary seminary, where the curriculum includes finishing school-style lessons and lectures on plunging virginity rates. The staff is described as severe yet altruistic, but their actions towards the students suggest otherwise.
The lyrics describe a school environment where the new girls are tender, and the old ones sadistic, and where even the janitress is missed. The school's requirements include math, as the lyrics suggest the boys from next door had heard otherwise. The song also refers to a pupil who had transferred from Lavender Lake and won an essay contest on self-denial, and underage girls who were forced to matriculate and have their records kept undefiled. The lyrics suggest that the school is far from a safe haven for young girls, and that the staff contributes to an oppressive environment where conformity is valued over individuality.
The final lines of the song describe the girls running out of the schoolyard and up the hill behind, with the leader reassuring the littlest one that their spirit cannot be crushed, even if they are caught or killed. This ending emphasizes the song's message that young girls should be able to maintain their autonomy and individuality, rather than being forced to adhere to society's expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
A happy start, a sad, sad ending
The beginning was happy, but everything ended on a sad note
for every minute of the story
Every moment of the story was tinged with sadness
See as their wills are broke and bending
Observe how the girls' spirits are being broken, and they are bending to authority
See the good girls in their glory
See the supposedly well-behaved girls at their supposed best
A primary academy, we're a secondary seminary teaching
We are a school that teaches secondary education after primary education
finishing rinse, and dancing tips and scorn
We teach etiquette and dance, but also have an air of disdain for the girls
Always concerned with plummeting virginity rates
We are obsessed with ensuring the girls remain virgins
We lecture young girls on how babies are born
We teach the biology of childbirth to young girls
Children! make a chain
The staff instructs the girls to form a chain
Oh, children! make a chain
The staff implores the girls to make a chain together
The staff here is severe, yet so altruistic
The staff is strict but supposedly doing good for the girls
It hurts us more than it hurts them
The staff is affected by their disciplinary measures more than the girls
The new girls are tender, the old ones sadistic
New girls are vulnerable, while older girls have become cruel
The late janitress was a gem
A deceased janitor was highly regarded by the staff
Don't believe what the boys from next door heard
Boys from neighboring area spread rumors about the school
Requirements do include math
Math is taught as part of the curriculum
We draw straws and put our best foot forward
We randomly select which girls will participate in certain activities and try to do our best
Down the straight and narrow path
We follow a strict path of discipline and control
Listen to our pretty song, we are happy as the day is long
We try to put on a facade of happiness
Forget the things you thought you knew,
We want the girls to forget their past and what they have learned outside of the school
we'll make a very good girl of you
We will shape the girls into what we consider 'good'
A pupil transferred here from Lavender Lake
A student came from another school called Lavender Lake
She wrote a winning essay on self-denial
She won a competition for writing an essay about sacrificing one's desires
Some underage urchins were forced to matriculate,
Some young children were forced to enroll in the school
their records kept here undefiled
Their records are kept clean, without any negative marks
A neat retreat slips through their fingers
A plan to escape fails
Which little girl made the plan?
The staff tries to uncover who planned the failed escape
Surely involved were the vespers bell-ringers
The girls who rang the evening bells were likely involved
Down a ladder, through the gate, then they ran!
The girls ran out of the school, escaping through a ladder and gate
And the girls ran out of the schoolyard and up the hill behind.
The girls physically fled from the school and ran uphill
"I'm scared!" said the littlest one.
The youngest girl expressed fear during the escape
"Don't worry." said the leader.
The leader of the escape tried to reassure the younger girl
"They could catch us, or they could kill us, but they can never crush our spirit!"
The leader acknowledges the risk of capture or death, but expresses the resilient nature of the girls' spirits
Contributed by Alexander E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.