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.
Mother's Sick
Horse Feathers Lyrics
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A daughter's tricked, she's been had.
Life just don't always fold up neat.
Sadness will come in different sheets.
As blue eyes state, on your father's face,
Hides some grace.
All those years your youth has stole.
Has taken toll, toll, toll.
Grab your mother, bring her ears.
Tell her things she'll never hear.
Like how her bark, it has calmed
Before her bite, bite, bite.
Mother's sick. She's gone mad.
A daughter's tricked, she's been had.
Life just don't always fold up neat.
Sadness will come in different sheets.
As blue eyes state, on your father's face,
Hides some grace.
All those years your youth has stole.
How your wife and your body
Has taken toll, toll, toll.
Grab your mother, bring her ears.
Tell her things she'll never hear.
Like how her bark, it has calmed
Before her bite, bite, bite.
We're beat, beat, beat asleep on feet.
Goodnight, night, night let's calm this fight.
The song "Mother's Sick" by Horse Feathers is a haunting and introspective portrayal of the challenges of life and relationships. The opening lines of the song set the tone for the melancholic mood of the piece, as the singer describes the despair that comes with watching a loved one lose their grip on reality. The daughter in the song has been deceived, and the mother's illness only adds to her pain and confusion. The lyrics suggest that life is not always easy, and that sadness can come in many different forms.
The second verse is a reflection on the passing of time and the toll it can take on the human body and psyche. The singer observes that the father's face holds a certain grace, but that the trials of life have stolen the youth of both the father and the daughter. The toll of being a wife and mother is also evident, as the singer describes how it has taken a toll on the body. These observations are presented with a sense of resignation, as though the singer recognizes that this is simply how life goes.
Line by Line Meaning
Mother's sick. She's gone mad.
The mother is unwell and has lost her mind.
A daughter's tricked, she's been had.
The daughter has been deceived and taken advantage of.
Life just don't always fold up neat.
Life is unpredictable and doesn't always go as planned.
Sadness will come in different sheets.
Sadness can take many different forms and affect people in different ways.
As blue eyes state, on your father's face,
The father's eyes reveal something about him.
Hides some grace.
The father possesses admirable qualities that are not immediately apparent.
All those years your youth has stole.
The passage of time has taken away the vitality of youth.
How your wife and your body Has taken toll, toll, toll.
The man's wife and his physical state have had a negative impact on him.
Grab your mother, bring her ears.
The artist urges someone to pay attention to and listen to their sick mother.
Tell her things she'll never hear.
Say things to the mother that she hasn't heard before.
Like how her bark, it has calmed Before her bite, bite, bite.
Despite the mother's harsh exterior, she can also be soothing and calm.
We're beat, beat, beat asleep on feet.
The artist is exhausted and worn out.
Goodnight, night, night let's calm this fight.
The singer wishes for peace and rest to end any conflict.
Contributed by Tyler M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.