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)
Utopian Society
Rasputina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pavonia, land of the peacocks
And Swaanendael, valley of the swans
Both have trade
Miserably
There, behind every chair,
A negro slave
A tired and white
Standing ready to attend to each guest
Such as the corrupt and exotic Governor
Lord Cornbury, whose custom it was
To take a daily stroll dressed
In silk gowns like a fashionable lady
In this he failed
Miserably
Lord Cornbury did this, his friends said,
To demonstrate his resemblance
To his cousin, Queen Anne
His impetuosity, however,
Did not extend to marrying a manor milkmaid
"Chee!", he left
Square in shape
With a hip roof and a belfry in the center
The song "Utopian Society" by Rasputina tells the story of two supposedly perfect societies, Pavonia and Swaanendael, which existed in the past. Both societies had flourishing trade but ultimately failed due to severe oppression and slavery. Behind every chair in both societies was a Negro slave, and they were the blackest of the black. These utopian societies had exotic and corrupt governors such as Lord Cornbury, who dressed like a lady in silk gowns and failed miserably in his attempt to look like his cousin Queen Anne. He was impetuous but did not extend this impetuosity to marrying a manor milkmaid.
The song highlights the irony of these so-called utopian societies, which were perfect in every superficial sense, but their inherent and blatant cruelty eventually ruined them. The artist points out that it is impossible for true utopias to exist if they are built on the enslavement and oppression of others. The song might also be interpreted as a commentary on current societies that claim perfection without understanding the true nature of utopia.
Line by Line Meaning
There once were two utopian societies
There were two communities, Pavonia and Swaanendael, that aimed to be perfect societies.
Pavonia, land of the peacocks
Pavonia was known for its beauty and elegance as symbolized by peacocks.
And Swaanendael, valley of the swans
Swaanendael was known for its calmness and grace represented by swans.
Both have trade
Despite their utopian goals, both Pavonia and Swaanendael still had commerce and exchange.
Miserably
Their attempts at creating utopian societies failed and resulted in misery.
There, behind every chair,
A negro slave
The blackest of the black!
In these communities, there were black slaves who served as attendants in public gatherings and events.
A tired and white
Standing ready to attend to each guest
Such as the corrupt and exotic Governor
In contrast, white servants were also present, and they catered to the corrupt and eccentric Governor.
Lord Cornbury, whose custom it was
To take a daily stroll dressed
In silk gowns like a fashionable lady
In this he failed
Miserably
Lord Cornbury aimed to resemble his cousin Queen Anne by wearing dresses but failed miserably in doing so.
Lord Cornbury did this, his friends said,
To demonstrate his resemblance
To his cousin, Queen Anne
Lord Cornbury's friends speculated that he dressed up like Queen Anne to show his resemblance to her.
His impetuosity, however,
Did not extend to marrying a manor milkmaid
"Chee!", he left
Despite his boldness, Lord Cornbury did not go as far as marrying a commoner dairy maid and declined her proposal.
Square in shape
With a hip roof and a belfry in the center
The description of the architecture suggests that the buildings had a functional and simple design.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind