Horse Feathers is an American indie folk band from Portland, Oregon.
Read Full Bio ↴Horse Feathers is an American indie folk band from Portland, Oregon.

After fronting several rock bands in his native Idaho, singer/songwriter Justin Ringle moved to Portland, OR in 2004 and began focusing on acoustic music, playing open mics regularly under the moniker Horse Feathers. In 2005, multi-instrumentalist Peter Broderick heard a couple of Justin's demos and offered to help flesh them out. In February 2006 the duo went into Skyler Norwood's Miracle Lake studios and recorded their debut album, Words are Dead, which was released that September on Portland label, Lucky Madison. Later that year, Peter's sister Heather Broderick joined the group on cello and by 2007, Horse Feathers began featuring a rotating cast of instrumentalists backing Justin's guitar and vocals.

Justin and the Brodericks returned to Miracle Lake studios in the fall and winter of 2007 and recorded House With No Home, which was released on Kill Rock Stars in the spring of 2008. Around that time, Peter left the country to pursue music in Europe, and Nathan Crockett was enlisted to cover violin duties. Several months later, Heather also left the group to pursue other musical projects and cellist Catherine Odell came on board. The current lineup was rounded out at the beginning of 2009 when Sam Cooper joined as a multi-instrumentalist. As a four piece, the group has been touring extensively and released a new album entitled Thistled Spring on Kill Rock Stars, April 20th, 2010.

Albina
Horse Feathers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Now we've got concrete.
A place those blacks won't be.
If we come they'll know.
They should flee,
They should go.
Here comes a white shadow.

Blues aren't made from greed,

this feast on famine pleads.
To take their space,
if we can, if we may,
make a darker day.
Please, shame on me.

These things, they come in threes.
This feast on famine pleads.
To take their space,
if we can, if we may,
make a darker day
Please, shame on me.

This street ain't made for me

Overall Meaning

to run,
I'm not the right man,
or the wrong one.
All these buildings have
weathered time,
they're not the real crime.
Please, shame on me.

The lyrics of Horse Feathers' song Albina highlight the issues of gentrification, racism, and the displacement of black communities. The opening line "Now we've got concrete" refers to the development of the urban landscape, with concrete buildings replacing natural landscapes. The following lines, "A place those blacks won't be. If we come they'll know. They should flee, They should go. Here comes a white shadow", highlight the fear that black communities feel when white people move into their neighborhoods. The line "Here comes a white shadow" creates a sense of eerie foreboding, suggesting that the situation is ominous and threatening.

The lyrics go on to say "Blues aren't made from greed, this feast on famine pleads", suggesting that gentrification is motivated by greed and a desire for profit at the expense of vulnerable communities. The line "To take their space, if we can, if we may, make a darker day. Please, shame on me" suggests that those who profit from gentrification are complicit in creating a worse world for both themselves and those they displace. The repeated refrain "Please, shame on me" highlights the guilt and shame that accompany this understanding.

The final verse, "This street ain't made for me to run, I'm not the right man, or the wrong one. All these buildings have weathered time, they're not the real crime. Please, shame on me", suggests a sense of guilt and powerlessness in the face of gentrification. The singer acknowledges that they are not the "right man" to run in this community, but neither are they the "wrong one". They are simply a part of the larger forces of gentrification that are changing these communities.

Line by Line Meaning

Now we've got concrete.
We have built something solid, permanent.

A place those blacks won't be.
A space that is not welcoming to black people.

If we come they'll know.
Black people will feel unwelcome in this space.

They should flee, They should go.
Black people should leave this area and not return.

Here comes a white shadow.
The artist is representing a white oppressor hovering above the black population.

Blues aren't made from greed,
The blues genre of music is not composed solely for the purpose of monetary gain.

this feast on famine pleads.
This music is born out of hardship and economic struggle.

To take their space, if we can, if we may, make a darker day.
White people aim to occupy and control the living spaces of black people, and in doing so, they make their lives more difficult.

Please, shame on me.
The artist recognizes that their actions towards black people are shameful.

These things, they come in threes.
This oppressive behavior towards black people is part of a recurring pattern.

This street ain't made for me
The singer is expressing discomfort and a feeling of not belonging in this space.

Contributed by Jake Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS