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)
My Little Shirtwaist Fire
Rasputina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The frail and fainthearted
Just withered to the floor
Oh, so sadly
We examined hands burned badly
By that which no man fears more.
The terrible flames of
My Little Shirtwaist Fire
My best friend
Was alone in the alcove,
Does anyone see her there?
Such a sweet face
Trapped in a staircase
By the smell of her own burning hair and the
Terrible flames of
All that remain of
My Little Shirtwaist Fire
Glow baby glow as the embers they died there,
Nobody knows what we saw inside there.
Twisting and burning, the girls' fine young bodies
Yes, we're burning can you help us please?
Yes, we're begging, we're on bended knees
Oh, My Little Shirtwaist Fire.
Girls work hard for
Small rewards or
Invatations to dine.
Or one kind word from
One who loves them but
What I have earned is mine-
The terrible flames of
All that remain of
My Little Shirtwaist Fire
The song "My Little Shirtwaist Fire" by Rasputina tells the story of the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire that took place in New York City in 1911. The first verse describes how quickly the fire spread, leaving even the strongest workers helpless against the flames. The second verse focuses on the singer's best friend who is trapped and burned alive in the alcove. Through the heart-wrenching lyrics, the artist narrates the horror and trauma of the victims who are seeking help and can't do anything but pray as the deadly flames engulf them.
The chorus repeats the line "My Little Shirtwaist Fire," emphasizing the title of the song, which refers to the cheap and popular shirtwaist blouse that the young immigrant women who worked in the factory were producing. The fire had started on the eighth floor of the Asch Building, where the factory was located, and quickly spread to the ninth and tenth floors. The workers, mostly young women, had very little chance of escaping the building, as the doors were locked and there was no adequate fire exit.
The final verse describes the difficult and often miserable working conditions that the women had to endure to earn a meager living, emphasizing the fact that they were taken advantage of by their employers. These lyrics remind us that the tragedy could have been avoided if the factory owners had provided proper safety measures and decent wages. Rasputina's haunting melody and emotional lyrics make this song a moving tribute to the victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and a powerful statement that echoes through the years.
Line by Line Meaning
Once it started
As the fire began to spread
The frail and fainthearted
People who were weak and easily overwhelmed
Just withered to the floor
Collapsed and lost their strength to stand
Oh, so sadly
Expressing profound sorrow and grief
We examined hands burned badly
We looked at hands that were badly injured and damaged by the fire
By that which no man fears more.
Referring to the destructive power of fire, which is feared by all people
My best friend
Referring to a close female friend of the singer
Was alone in the alcove,
She was in a small recess or compartment in the wall by herself
Does anyone see her there?
Asking if anyone is aware of her friend's situation
Such a sweet face
Describing her friend's pleasant and attractive appearance
Trapped in a staircase
Stuck in a narrow passage connecting different levels of a building
By the smell of her own burning hair and the
The odor of her hair burning in the fire was in the air
Terrible flames of
The fiercely burning and destructive flames of a fire
All that remain of
The only thing left after everything else has been destroyed or lost in the fire
My Little Shirtwaist Fire
The title of the song, referring to the tragic fire that occurred in a shirtwaist factory in 1911
Glow baby glow as the embers they died there,
Referring to the glowing of the embers of the fire as it gradually died out
Nobody knows what we saw inside there.
The intense and terrifying experience of being inside the building during the deadly fire is beyond anyone's understanding
Twisting and burning, the girls' fine young bodies
Describing how the bodies of the young female victims of the fire were twisted and burned
Yes, we're burning can you help us please?
Desperate plea for help from the victims who were trapped in the burning building
Yes, we're begging, we're on bended knees
A desperate appeal to anyone who can hear them to come and rescue them from the fire
Oh, My Little Shirtwaist Fire.
The tragedy that resulted in the deaths of so many young women in the factory was a devastating event that should never be forgotten
Girls work hard for
Young women had to work hard for
Small rewards or
They received only small rewards or benefits for their hard work
Invatations to dine.
They only received invitations to dinner
Or one kind word from
Or just one word of kindness from
One who loves them but
Someone who cares for them deeply, but
What I have earned is mine-
The little they earned from their hard work was all they had to call their own
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MELORA "RASPUTINA" CREAGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
teresa sparks
such a underrated group. been an OBSESSIVE fan for 20 + years, and seen them through a few line ups. Almost all of their music has been related to Victorian era stories and histories. I get a kick that this came up in the search for the fire, didn't really expect it.
raspycellist
teresa sparks I have too. I've seen them live 24 times. Fell in love with them from the first time I heard Ether. They inspired me to become a cellist also.
Sophia Hopkins
I came across this while doing a project on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, and it really helped humanize the victims of the fire. It makes you imagine how excruciatingly terrifying the fire must have been for the workers... Fire everywhere, the doors locked down below, elevators filling up, and the roof the only means of escape... God what a tragedy
Shice Squad
Last night I had a dream that Rasputina held a haunting multimedia extravaganza in which their entire repertoire was performed with deliciously creepy visuals to accompany it. So needless to say, I am listening to their entire catalogue today. IT WAS A DREAMQUEST!
Dolly’s Llama
Shice Squad you’ve obviously never seen them live. It’s kinda lackluster, but I still love them
Ella Well
Oh man. When I was a high school freshman around 2004, a friend of a friend gave me a burned CD of Thanks for the Ether, and I used to listen to it constantly, but then forgot about it for like a decade. Prime nostalgia fuel.
SHPrevodenje
Awesome indeed - this is the one that started it all. First album, first song - everlasting classic!
Todd S. Gallows
This was one of the first songs I heard of theirs. It intoxicated my ears.
I remember Melora said in an interview that she always thought the song would go well over the tornado scene in The Wizard of Oz.
Chavisa Horemans
I love these guys from 25 years ago - so great to find this here now
unwavering
I think this is THE only song for the this tragedy. Fact: the triangle shirtwaist fire kicked off the largest labor protest in the united states at the time.