Rasputina: eating rats and the pope

[jefflovestone]

I know there's a few Rasputina fans on here so this may appeal from the start, but the 'Fortean' nature of these particular lyrics, as well as others*, may intrigue others too.

Rasputina did a song called Ratson their Cabin Fever album. Now for some reason, this is niggling some nerve in my brain; whilst I can't find anything at all to support this feeling, I have this weird inkling that there's either a germ of exaggerated truth behind this or there's some kind of completely fabricated urban legend attached. As a story, it just seems oddly familiar to me.

Not specifically about Bolivians (or Polypheans?) - the lyrics seem weird and yet plausible at the same time. Anyone agree? Or has listening to cellos all day driven me nuts?


Rasputina - Rats

Very many years ago, the Bolivians were starving so.
They had rats as big as ponies there.
They asked the Pope to declare them fish.

"We thank the Pope for granting us this wish.
When Friday comes, we'll all call rats fish.
We catch them with a net, kill with the gun.
We'll call it all forgotten when we're done."

They didn't look like rats at all, but like some horrendous horse doll.
Still they had to eat this thing -
in gratitude, the Pope-they kissed his ring.

"We thank the Pope for granting us this wish.
When Friday comes, we'll all call rats fish.
We catch them with a net, kill with the gun.
We'll call it all forgotten when we're done."

Their lyrics cover a large amount of 'Fortean' fodder: folklore, witchcraft, possession, astrology, Howard Hughes, the 'Year Without a Summer', vampires, Ophelia, blood-letting, murder, concentration camp ghosts, suicide letters, Nostradamus and prophecy &c.

 

[Timble2]

IIRC capybara, which are just gigantic rodents, were supposed to have been declared fish (on the basis of their semi-aquatic lifestyle) by the Catholic church sometime in the 16th centrury so that you could eat them on days of abstinence, when you weren't supposed to eat meat (particularly during lent). Having said that, I've heard the same story about beavers.

 

[jefflovestone]

Thanks for that, Timble. I'd wanted to ask this question for a couple of years as I felt that there was some plausibility in the story, despite it oddness.

Like an idiot, I always took 'rats' part literally and never thought of looking at other rodents.

 

[Mythopoeika]

Hey - thanks for putting me onto them (never heard of them before).
I love their freaky style and the punk cello playing - excellent! 8)

 

[jefflovestone]

Hey - thanks for putting me onto them (never heard of them before).
I love their freaky style and the punk cello playing - excellent! 8)

No problem; glad you like them!

When I first heard them years ago I was drawn to the 'cello through a distortion pedal' aspect too and wasn't as keen on the more down-beat and 'traditional' sounding cello songs. If anything though, over the last year, that's probably turned around and I think some of the slower, less noisier songs are their strongest. That said, it's still great to hear Melora and second/third chairs to rip it up on a lot of songs.

If you've haven't heard much Rasputina, an easy way 'in' is to hear some of their cover versions. They do amazing versions of Led Zeppelin's Rock'n'Roll, Melanie's Brand New Key, Heart's Barracuda and a truly upsetting version of Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here as well as some less well-known ones.