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.
Courage
Villagers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It took a little time to get free
It took a little time to be honest
It took a little time to be me
I took a little lover but then we parted
I took a little time to get over this
From time to time, I get heavyhearted
Thinking of how you used to kiss
It's a feeling like no other
Let me tell you, yeah
Courage
In harmony with something other than your ego
Courage
The sweet belief of knowing nothing comes for free
Do you really wanna know,
About these lines on my face?
Well, each and every one is testament to
All the mistakes I've had to mak
To find courage
It's a feeling like no other
Let me tell you, yeah
Courage
In harmony with something other than your ego
Courage
The sweet belief of knowing nothing comes for free
For free...
Courage
It's a feeling like no other
Let me tell you, yeah
Courage
And harmony with something other than your ego
Courage
The sweet belief of knowing nothing comes for free
The song "Courage" by Villagers is about the experience of finding oneself and the courage to be true to oneself. The lyrics describe the journey of getting to a place where the singer can accept who they are and be true to that, even if it means saying goodbye to someone they loved or dealing with heavyheartedness. The lines, "It took a little time to get where I wanted / It took a little time to get free / It took a little time to be honest / It took a little time to be me," describe the process of personal growth and self-realization.
The chorus emphasizes the importance of having courage, not just in the sense of bravery, but in the sense of being in harmony with something other than your ego. This could be something like your beliefs, your values or your inner voice, something that guides you and helps you stay true to yourself. The line "the sweet belief of knowing nothing comes for free" also suggests that the journey to self-discovery and personal growth is not easy, but it's worth it.
Overall, "Courage" is a powerful and introspective song that encourages listeners to embrace who they are and have the courage to live authentically.
Line by Line Meaning
Took a little time to get where I wanted
It took some time to reach my desired destination
It took a little time to get free
I needed some time to break free from the restraints
It took a little time to be honest
Being truthful with myself was a process that took time
It took a little time to be me
Discovering who I am required patience and time
I took a little lover but then we parted
I had a brief love affair that didn't last
I took a little time to get over this
It took some time to move on and get over the heartbreak
From time to time, I get heavyhearted
Sometimes I feel weighed down with sorrow
Thinking of how you used to kiss
Memories of our past romantic moments keep coming back to me
Courage
Bravery and strength to face challenges
It's a feeling like no other
It's an indescribable feeling
Let me tell you, yeah
I want to emphasize the importance of courage
In harmony with something other than your ego
Being brave means aligning with something other than just one's own selfish desires
The sweet belief of knowing nothing comes for free
The comforting thought that every struggle and challenge is an opportunity for growth and development
Do you really wanna know,
Are you truly curious about my life and experiences?
About these lines on my face?
Do you want to know the stories behind the wrinkles and scars on my face?
Well, each and every one is testament to
Every mark and scar represents
All the mistakes I've had to make
All the errors I've committed on my life's journey
To find courage
To discover the strength and bravery to keep going
For free...
Without cost or charge
Contributed by Mason F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@depereira9080
Took a little time to get where I wanted
It took a little time to get free
It took a little time to be honest
It took a little time to be me
I took a little lover but then we parted
I took a little time to get over this
From time to time, I get heavyhearted
Thinking of how you used to kiss
Courage
It's a feeling like no other
Let me tell you, yeah
Courage
In harmony with something other than your ego
Courage
The sweet belief of knowing nothing comes for free
Do you really wanna know,
About these lines on my face?
Well, each and every one is testament to
All the mistakes I've had to mak
To find courage
It's a feeling like no other
Let me tell you, yeah
Courage
In harmony with something other than your ego
Courage
The sweet belief of knowing nothing comes for free
For free...
Courage
It's a feeling like no other
Let me tell you, yeah
Courage
And harmony with something other than your ego
Courage
The sweet belief of knowing nothing comes for free
@helenethain516
It took me 34 years to come out of a toxic relationship. A bit of courage was all I needed. Thank you so much
@aline5876
I'm very happy for you 🥰
@jacintadoherty3819
It’s never to late to be happy, I wish you everything and a whole lot me 😊🎉
@baronmorris
That's me now. We were together for 7 years, engaged for 3, and married for 2. This song really resonates. ✨🙌🎶
@yeetusmaximus2892
I was a toxic man once... I cry because I did not know what I know now.....I'm sorry.
@user-iq5co3pi2d
I am derealized by this woman and she plays a plan to isolate me socially so good. But I still love her. She opened my anorectic body with BDSM and I can remember my bisexuality through her. So intense, but it hurts so.
@terryperring104
This guy is a bit of a genius. The twists and turns in the chord structures he invents really work. Great voice too.
@perspellman3022
This is the nicest song I've heard for a long time.
@andreatodd951
I agree!
@dombri
It's insanely beautiful isn't it