The… Read Full Bio ↴Villagers are an Irish band from Dublin fronted by Conor J. O'Brien.
They have performed at several music festivals and toured with Tracy Chapman, Bell X1 and Tindersticks. They have one EP, titled Hollow Kind (2009). Their debut album Becoming a Jackal was released in 2010 and was shortlisted for that year's Mercury Prize and their second album {Awayland} was released in 2013.
Conor O'Brien formed Villagers after the break-up of his previous band The Immediate. The very next day, O'Brien wrote the first song after waking up with a hangover. O'Brien's time as a guitarist in Cathy Davey's band was also critical to the development of his style as he had never before performed alongside anyone outside of The Immediate. Villagers gave their first live performance as a support act with The Chapters at a show in Whelan's in November 2008. At that point the band had previously only rehearsed together on two occasions. They had only seven songs, written by O'Brien and passed on to the rest of the band to learn.
Villagers performed on the seventh series of RTÉ Two's Other Voices television programme in 2009. The band's debut EP, titled Hollow Kind, was released in February 2009. It contained four tracks, all of which were written by O'Brien and performed by him too. The EP brought comparisons with Bright Eyes and Sparklehorse. Villagers then went on tour. They were a support act for Neil Young and toured across Europe with Tracy Chapman.
Villagers appeared at several festivals in 2009. They supported Bell X1 when they performed at Live at the Marquee in Cork on June 26, 2009. They performed at several music festivals in Ireland, including on the Sunday of Oxegen 2009, at Indie-pendence on August 2 and at Electric Picnic 2009, as well as at Latitude Festival in the UK. The Irish Times's Jim Carroll recommended their performance in the Body Soul Arena at Electric Picnic 2009 as "A must-see for those who dig ragged pop, eerie folk and heartfelt, emotional songs and sounds". They headlined Hard Working Class Heroes in 2009, with O'Brien attracting the ire of the audience when he requested some quiet during the performance. They gave a live performance at The Music Show in Dublin's RDS in October 2009.
The debut single of Villagers was "On a Sunlit Stage" and was released in October 2009.
On January 15, 2010, Villagers represented Ireland at the Eurosonic Festival in Groningen, the Netherlands. They were involved in efforts to raise funds in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. They embarked on a tour with Tindersticks in March 2010 and released the single "Becoming a Jackal" on April 17, 2010. A debut album Becoming a Jackal was released in Ireland on 14 May 2010, with a UK release in May and a US release due on 8 June 2010. The album immediately went to number one on both the Irish Albums Chart and the Irish Indie Albums Chart. It proceeded to continuously top the indie chart.
Said by Conor J. O’Brien himself:
- “Ultimately, I’ve learned that a song is not an isolated thing. You have to wash the dishes before you write a song. It should never be taken too seriously. It must be treated with joy and humour, regardless of the subject matter,” muses Conor, as he strokes his hairless chin.
- “The aim is to feel the songs out. If I don’t surprise myself, then it is a worthless endeavour. Indeed, I would apply this attitude to all aspects of this project. The songs are quite decisive, but I have no idea what I am doing, or where I am going.” Again, he strokes his chin, this time with a look of resigned confusion. “Once the songs took shape, I asked some friends of mine to help me play them to people. When they kindly agreed, I decided that we would present ourselves as ‘Villagers’ – I don’t really know why. I think I like the name because it doesn’t offend the songs.” With this, he puts his clothes back on and bids me farewell. On returning to my office, I slip on a banana peel and subsequently die.
A Trick of the Light
Villagers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crashing on the ground
I can't see what's around me
But soon I'll come round
My faith is in the balance
Of a million tiny words
So I return to silence
And if I see a sign in the sky tonight
No one's gonna tell me it's a trick of the light
May never come but I'm willing to wait
What can I say? I'm a man of the faith
And there's an ocean in my body
And there's a river in my soul
And I'm crying
It's time that I let go
Of things I can't control
This path that I've taken
Is the only one I know
Well I've come so far to get here
And I've got so far to go
So I'll take what I can get
In matters of the soul
And if I see a sign in the sky tonight
No one's gonna tell me it's a trick of the light
May never come but I'm willing to wait
What can I say? I'm a man of the faith
And there's an ocean in my body
And there's a river in my soul
And I'm crying
And we are the dawn
And we carry the sun
And we are the dawn
And we carry the sun
And if I see a sign in the sky tonight
No one's gonna tell me it's a trick of the light
May never come but I'm willing to wait
What can I say? I'm a man of the faith
And there's an ocean in my body
And there's a river in my soul
And I'm crying
And if I see a sign in the sky tonight (See it coming)
No one's gonna tell me it's a trick of the light (Feel it coming)
May never come but I'm willing to wait
What can I say? I'm a man of the faith
And there's an ocean in my body
And there's a river in my soul
And I'm crying
The lyrics to Villagers' song "A Trick of the Light" can be interpreted as an expression of the struggle between faith and doubt. The singer is torn between their belief in something greater than themselves and their uncertainty about what lies ahead. When the singer says, "My heart is spilling over, crashing on the ground," they are referring to the emotional turmoil that comes with questioning one's beliefs.
The singer is seeking a sign in the sky, hoping for confirmation that their faith is not misplaced. They are convinced that if they see this "sign," no one can convince them that it's just a trick of the light. The repetition of this phrase indicates the singer's desperation to find that sign and hold onto their faith.
Throughout the song, the singer acknowledges their own limitations and the uncertainty that comes with faith. They understand that they can't control everything and must let go of what they can't control. The reference to the ocean and river in their body and soul suggests that they are a part of something greater than themselves, though they are struggling to fully understand it.
Overall, "A Trick of the Light" is a poignant exploration of faith and doubt that offers no easy answers but encourages listeners to continue seeking answers nonetheless.
Line by Line Meaning
My heart is spilling over
I am feeling extremely overwhelmed with emotions
Crashing on the ground
My emotions are causing me to feel physically unsteady and unstable
I can't see what's around me
My emotions are clouding my perception and judgment
But soon I'll come round
I trust that I will eventually regain my emotional balance
My faith is in the balance
The state of my faith and beliefs is uncertain
Of a million tiny words
My faith is influenced by numerous small experiences and interactions
So I return to silence
I choose to be quiet and introspective in order to clarify my beliefs
And if I see a sign in the sky tonight
I am hopeful and open to receiving a message from the universe
No one's gonna tell me it's a trick of the light
I refuse to let anyone dismiss my spiritual experiences as mere illusions
May never come but I'm willing to wait
I understand that the message I seek may not arrive, but I am prepared to be patient
What can I say? I'm a man of the faith
My steadfast belief in something greater than myself defines who I am
And there's an ocean in my body
My emotions run very deep and profound
And there's a river in my soul
My spiritual beliefs and values are constantly moving and evolving
And I'm crying
My emotional state is currently overwhelming and causing tears
It's time that I let go
I need to release my grip on aspects of my life that I cannot control
Of things I can't control
I need to relinquish my need to micromanage and interfere in situations beyond my reach
This path that I've taken
The course of my life, in terms of spiritual and personal development
Is the only one I know
I am staying true to my values and vision, regardless of how unknown or uncertain it may be
Well I've come so far to get here
My journey of self-discovery and faith has been a long one with significant progress made
And I've got so far to go
I realize that there is still a great deal more that I need to learn and experience
So I'll take what I can get
I am grateful for any growth or knowledge that comes my way
In matters of the soul
In terms of my spiritual life and growth
And we are the dawn
Together, humanity is a new beginning, an opportunity for light
And we carry the sun
We all have within us the potential to bring warmth and illumination to the world
See it coming
I sense that something significant is about to happen
Feel it coming
I am certain that something significant is about to happen
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Conor O'Brien
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@waohope
Since they don't turn on the subtitle service, so I put my Mandarin translate here.
love this song so much #中文翻譯
[Verse 1]
My heart is spilling over
Crashing on the ground
I can’t see what’s around me
But soon I’ll come round
我的心意滿溢而出
撞到地面
我不知道是什麼籠罩了我
但很快我將會明白
My faith is in the balance
Of a million tiny words
So I return to silence
我的信心懸盪不安
億萬詞語充斥
所以我轉而沉默
[Chorus]
And if I see a sign in the sky tonight
No one’s gonna tell me it’s a trick of the light
May never come but I’m willing to wait
What can I say? I’m a man of the faith
And there’s an ocean in my body
And there’s a river in my soul
And I’m crying
如果我今晚看到一個暗示出現在夜空
不會有人告訴我那只是一個錯覺
也許這永遠不會發生但我很樂意等待
我能說什麼？我是一個有信心的男人
而我身體裡有片海洋
而我的靈魂裡有條河
而我在哭泣
[Verse 2]
It’s time that I let go
Of things I can’t control
This path that I’ve taken
Is the only one I know
Well I’ve come so far to get here
And I’ve got so far to go
So I’ll take what I can get
In matters of the soul
是時候該放手
放手那些所有我不能掌控的
我曾擁有這條小徑
這是唯一我知道的
我走了這麼遠來到這裡
所以我要拿走任何我能拿到的
關於這靈魂的路徒
[Chorus]
And if I see a sign in the sky tonight
No one’s gonna tell me it’s a trick of the light
May never come but I’m willing to wait
What can I say? I’m a man of the faith
And there’s an ocean in my body
And there’s a river in my soul
And I’m crying
如果我今晚看到一個暗示出現在夜空
不會有人告訴我那只是一個錯覺
也許這永遠不會發生但我很樂意等待
我能說什麼？我是一個有信心的男人
而我身體裡有片海洋
而我的靈魂裡有條河
而我在哭泣
[Bridge]
And we are the dawn
And we carry the sun
And we are the dawn
And we carry the sun
而我們就是黎明
並且帶上了太陽
而我們就是黎明
並且帶上了太陽
[Chorus]
And if I see a sign in the sky tonight
No one’s gonna tell me it’s a trick of the light
May never come but I’m willing to wait
What can I say? I’m a man of the faith
And there’s an ocean in my body
And there’s a river in my soul
And I’m crying
And if I see a sign in the sky tonight (See it coming)
No one’s gonna tell me it’s a trick of the light (Feel it coming)
May never come but I’m willing to wait
What can I say? I’m a man of the faith
And there’s an ocean in my body
And there’s a river in my soul
And I’m crying
如果我今晚看到一個暗示出現在夜空
不會有人告訴我那只是一個錯覺
也許這永遠不會發生但我很樂意等待
我能說什麼？我是一個有信心的男人
而我身體裡有片海洋
而我的靈魂裡有條河
而我在哭泣
如果我今晚看到一個暗示出現在夜空（看吶它正來了）
不會有人告訴我那只是一個錯覺（感覺它來了）
也許這永遠不會發生但我很樂意等待
我能說什麼？我是一個有信心的男人
而我身體裡有片海洋
而我的靈魂裡有條河
而我在哭泣
@hannahe7556
This deserves way more views, this song is so underrated. Loved it since it came out, it doesn't get old! Im sure more people will catch on eventually.
@susiemoore-ratliff5
Have listened to this piece continuously since watching, SMOTHER, a tv series. It is an addictive composition. LOVE LOVE LOVE...
@TLXA123
my spotify randomly played this song when I was driving.. this song goes straight to my heart. my best achievement for this year haha
@likoss5586
Same, while I was working, what a gem😇
@bobmkhwanazi6649
Same. Another listen?...
@nelltalbot3045
this is one of my favourite songs ever. just has so much in it.
@davidtinoco2484
Don’t be too sure. It’s just a trick of the light...
@M-O-Z
Its a beautiful song for sure
@anne-charlottedenantes7399
@@davidtinoco2484 a
@anne-charlottedenantes7399
@@M-O-Z aq