The Meaning Behind “Feathered Indians” by Tyler Childers

Tyler Childers’ breakout track “Feathered Indians” has the makings of a country classic. From the unshakeable melody to the punchy lyrics, Childers reminds us of his predecessors in the genre with this track—bringing a classic country spirit to the modern scene.

But what exactly is Childers trying to convey with this song? Find out, below.

[RELATED: Tyler Childers Redefines Classic Country]

Behind the Meaning

Well my buckle makes impressions
On the inside of her thigh
There are little feathered Indians
Where we tussled through the night

Few opening lines in a country song in recent memory are as memorable as the one in “Feathered Indians.” Childers keys us in to just how visual he is as a songwriter with the lines above. The singer routinely wears a belt buckle which features the image of a Native American chief on it.

Impressions of the embossed figure are printed on the girl he is with, from where the buckle pressed into the inside of her thigh. When you’re a songwriter, almost anything becomes fodder for your lyrics. We can clearly see the scene that inspired Childers to pen this tune.

If I’d known she was religious
Then I wouldn’t have came stoned
To the house of such an angel
Too fucked up to get back home

In the next breath, we find out his romantic interest is religious, which explains why his clothes stayed on while spending the night with her. But the mention of her faith does more than just set the scene. It creates a distinction between the angel-like quality Childers describes her as having and his dark, less pious demeanor. In one simple line, he gives us a wealth of knowledge about what their dynamic is like.

Hold me close my dear
Sing your whisperin’ song
Softly in my ear
And I will sing along
Honey tell me how your love runs true
And how I can always count on you
To be there when the bullets fly
I’d run across the river just to hold you tonight

Childers explains the breadth of his devotion to this relationship in the chorus. He’d die for her (be there when the bullets fly). He’d even perform miracles for her (I’d run across the river just to hold you tonight). Childers’ emotion runs rampant throughout this song, but the chorus is where he really lets it run wild.

(Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)