Hymn From A Village
James Lyrics


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This song's makeup made second rate
Cosmetic music, powderpuff
Pop tunes, false rhymes, all lightweight bluff
Second-hand ideas, no soul, no hate
Wasn't meant to be built on complacency
The nightmares ride away when you refuse to play

Oh, go and read a book
It's so much more wort while
Being a song-smith crook
Study death in style
You study death in style

This language used is all worn out
A walking corpse that won't play dead
Disease dragged on from bed to bed
Pay for your twist, paid for your shout
Wasn't meant to be built on complacency
Open your eyes and see that lie is not for me

Raise a rope, a knife, cutting out the lie
Don't want to decay, take the short cut way
Oh, go and read a book
It's so much more wort while
Being a song-smith crook
Study death in style
Study death in style

Heard you calling through the drumbeat
Answer with sticks and bones
Scream and shout and dance around the campfire
You can hear the question, can you feel the reply?

Heard you calling through the drumbeat
Heard you calling through the drumbeat
Can you hear the question, feel the reply?
Can you hear the question, feel the reply?
Hymn from a village




The hymn from a village
One, two, three

Overall Meaning

In "Hymn from a Village," James condemns what they consider to be artificial and insincere music. The lyrics portray cosmetic music as being made up and second rate, a mere collection of pop tunes, false rhymes, and second-hand ideas that are built on complacency rather than genuine emotion. The song values literature over superficial and shallow music, encouraging people to read books to find more profound significance. James delivers what sounds like a rallying cry for a generation of disenfranchised youth searching for authenticity and depth in their lives. They urge the audience to embrace genuine emotion and shun the insincerity and phony qualities of the music industry.


In the second half of the song, the lyrics become even more explicit in their message. James reflects on the way society as a whole is plagued by falseness and dishonesty. They encourage listeners to recognize the lies and cut them away as if with a knife. The song urges listeners to seek liberation from the disingenuous culture that surrounds them, to find a way to express themselves genuinely and authentically.


* "Hymn From a Village" appeared on James's album "Village Fire" in 1985.
* Drumming legend Tony Williams produced the album.
* The song became an instant cult classic in the UK music scene after its release. Critics praised it for its brave and sensitive message.
* Although never released as a single, the track went on to become an underground classic, adored by fans of James and other alternative and post-punk rock groups.
* The song inspired countless younger bands in the post-punk era, providing a blueprint for the angrier and more politically motivated acts that followed.
* One of the most noted elements of the song is the idiosyncratic and angular guitar playing of Adrian Ingram.
* The song has a distinctive Latin-American rhythm, which was unusual for UK post-punk rock music.
* The lyrics of "Hymn From a Village" imbue the song with a political and social message that resonates with many people to this day.
* In interviews, James claimed that the song was an indictment of the shallow commercialized music industry that he felt was taking over the UK.

Chords:


The chords below are the ones listed in some guitar tablature websites.


Verse: D
Chorus: F# G F#
Solo: G D#End


Line by Line Meaning

This songs made up, made second rate
The composition of this song is not genuine, it is of low quality.


Cosmetic music, powderpuff
The sound of this song is artificial and light-hearted.


Pop tunes, false rhymes, all lightweight bluffs
The lyrics of this song are shallow and insincere.


Second-hand ideas, no soul, no hate
The concepts presented in this song are not original, and the song lacks strong emotions.


Wasn't meant to be
This song was not supposed to be like this.


Built on complacency
This song was created with a sense of satisfaction and indifference.


The nightmares ride away
The negative thoughts and fears fade away.


When you refuse to play
When you choose not to conform to the superficial expectations of society.


Oh go and read a book
Instead of wasting time on trivial music, take time to read and gain knowledge.


It's so much more worth while
Reading is a more fulfilling and worthwhile activity than listening to meaningless music.


Being a song-smith crook
Composing shallow songs without true meaning makes you a deceitful songwriter.


Study death in style
Reflecting on the inevitability of death in a creative manner can create meaningful art.


This language used is all worn out
The style and structure of this song are overused and unoriginal.


A walking corpse that won't play dead
The repetition of this musical style can seem lifeless and unchanging.


Disease dragged on from bed to bed
This lack of creativity and repetition spreads like a sickness from one artist to another.


Pay for your twist, paid for shout
This type of music is superficial and designed to appeal to a certain audience, making it a commodity to be purchased.


Open your eyes and see
Wake up to the truth and see beyond the shallow and superficial aspects of this music.


That lie is not for we
This fabricated culture and music is not a part of our identity and values.


Raise a rope and a knife
Take drastic measures to break away from the dishonest music industry and culture.


Cut it out - the lie
Eliminate the falsehoods in the music industry and focus on creating genuine and meaningful art.


I don't want to decay
I don't want to lose my identity and become a part of something that lacks meaning and purpose.


Take the short cut away
Avoid the easy way out and instead, take the long and tedious path of creating authentic and profound music.


Heard you calling through the drumbeat
I heard your voice amidst the noise and chaos of modern music.


Answered with sticks and bones
Responded with an ancient and primitive sound, as opposed to the manufactured musical instruments of today.


Scream, shout, and dance about the campfire
Express yourself uninhibitedly around a fire, much like our ancestors did to express their artistic creativity.


You can hear the question, can you feel the reply?
This music is not about providing answers, but rather encouraging introspection and emotional response.


Hymn from a village
This is a song from a community of people that values authenticity and meaningful expression over manufactured and superficial music.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Gavan Michael Whelan, James Patrick Glennie, Lawrence Gott, Timothy Booth

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@FaithInTheFuture_23

This songs made up, made second rate
Cosmetic music, powderpuff
Pop tunes, false rhymes, all lightweight bluffs
Second-hand ideas, no soul, no hate
Wasn't mean to be
Built on complacency
The nightmares ride away
When you refuse to play
Oh go and read a book
It's so much more worth while
Being a song-smith crook
Study death in style
Death in style

This language used is all worn out
A walking corpse that won't play dead
Disease dragged on from bed to bed
Pay for your twist, paid for shout
Wasn't meant to be
Built on complacency
Open your eyes and see
That lie is not for we

Raise a rope and a knife
Cut it out - the lie
I don't want to decay
Take the short cut away
Oh go and read a book
It's so much more worthwhile
Being a song-smith crook
Study death in style
Study death in style

Heard you calling through the drumbeat
Answered with sticks and bones
Scream, shout, and dance about the campfire
You can hear the question, can you feel the reply?

Heard you calling through the drumbeat
Heard you calling through the drumbeat
Can you hear the question, feel the reply?
Can you hear the question, feel the reply?

Hymn from a village
The hymn from a village



All comments from YouTube:

@timevans2905

In the 2nd year at school I bought this and had a James t shirt. I’d get the piss taken by my mates. 5 years later they were all singing sit down at the uni disco. I’d moved on by then 😀

@valley_robot

Same here mate

@mana3735

Best song James ever made.

@kenpratt4272

Only song James ever made :-)

@SiLatics56

@@kenpratt4272 ??

@kenpratt4272

@@SiLatics56 It's called a joke. I think nothing else came close.

@SiLatics56

@@kenpratt4272 if that is a joke, you need to work on your jokes.

@andrewcounts7136

“What’s the World”....Would hold up well second mate....👌

@debzlowen

My most favourite James song ever ❤

@louisefoot6590

Wow - this gives me shivers. Taken straight back to my teens (just in process of selling my James vinyl :( which is what prompted me to listen

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