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Feather and Bone

by Rachael Jean Harris

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about

The inspiration for this song came from watching Fulmars- a relative of the Albatross- wheeling around the clifftops in Durness at the very top of Scotland. Deft, playful, doing little fly byes to check us out with their gorgeous deep dark eyes. I read more about them in a book called The Seabird's Cry by Adam Nicholson; their highly tuned ability in flight, the way they read the fluctuations of the winds, harnessing the power of the strongest gales with tiny adjustments of the body... Despite this mastery, Nicholson talks of a phenomenon known as the 'fulmar fluster', where a fulmar appears to momentarily lose confidence on the wing and stutters in mid-air for a second as though seized by an instant of self doubt. I thought this was fascinating- and it got me thinking about the fine line between mastery and fragility and how vulnerable our own sense of self belief can be.

So I want to say something about that web of ease, play, euphoria, turbulence, fear and confusion, and, as is common of late, I'm drawing parallels between species, and marvelling at how much is mirrored and felt when we look at another life for long enough.

lyrics

Lyrics

do you ever forget who you are
meet me, little albatross
you’re the best that I’ve seen on the wing
supernatural conversations with the wind
just feather and bone but most at home
looping in the billows, chasing the storm

far beyond the blue
far beyond the blue

do you ever forget who you are?
fulmaris glacialis.
you’re the poster girl for the aviator
they puzzle over you and your minute, perfect alterations

something like worship
high in the windy light
an opiate riven sweet life
I want to run on and on until there’s nothing left in my lungs
till I’m flat out at the edge

and I lay my head down
lay my head down

but do you ever forget?

do you ever, shudder to the bone, reel in terror, hit the wall, hit the wall
and do you ever forget your name?
midflight, stage fright, disassemble?

credits

released February 1, 2023
Guitars, production: Thomas Fripp
Drums, percussion: Craig Hanson
Keys: Jamada Roberts
Bass: Jamie Brewster
Songwriting, vocals: RJH

Studio engineer and mix engineer: Steve Poppleton
Mastering: George Atkins (80Hertz)
Original artwork by Jon Barraclough

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about

Rachael Jean Harris image

Rachael Jean Harris Liverpool, UK

Indie/folk/jazz splat

Liverpool-born Rachael Jean Harris carves a unique sound, inspired by bold, thoughtful songwriters (PJ Harvey, Suzanne Vega, Esperanza Spalding) and a love of literature.

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