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.
Earthly Pleasure
Villagers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When he suddenly acquired an overwhelming sense of doubt
Every single piece of baggage he'd been holding on his back
Was beginning to d-d-dig in and then his back began (began) to crack
And when he finally broke up, he found that he'd been breaking down
Little body, little soul, little shrapnel on the ground
And so he started to examine from the clumsy to the cute
From the chat fat cat to the mute
Oh, earthly pleasure ring out
From the rigours of this road
Earthly pleasure ring out
From the caverns of my soul
Then suddenly he found himself in 1822
And he was in another body in a heavy sort of suit
He was surrounded but he'd started making plans to make a run
When they called to him, "Son, cock your gun..."
And so he did as all the others had already done
He put his finger on the trigger and he got 'em some
But though we don't like to admit it, it was sensual and pure
And he changed that day, though he can't be sure
If it's the sickness or the cure
Earthly pleasure ring out
From the rigours of this road
Earthly pleasure ring out
From the caverns of my soul
So there he was in front of her divine simplicity
And she was speaking Esperanto and drinking ginger tea
As she inquired about the reason for his visit here today
Well he just said, "No reason, and I really shouldn't stay"
And so he thought she would think that he was some kind of freak
And that he'd go back to the grind, and that he wouldn't last a week
But she didn't, she just sighed and added softly with a smile "Sit down, dear child, what's on your mind?"
And so he frantically described to her the kingdom at her feet
As she continued with her manicure and poured another tea
As he was recounted tales of misery and suffering and pain
She was yawning at the ceiling, so he had to up his game
The only thing that children cherish is to move up the ranks
Lucifer is in our court, Beelzebub is in our banks
And if you don't cooperate with us, we'll hound you till you're dead
So she granted him a wish and let him write it on her head
And when he read it back to her, this is all it said:
Earthly pleasure ring out
From the rigours of this road
Earthly pleasure ring out
From the caverns of my soul
Now I truly understand That I don't understand a thing
So let this earthly pleasure sing
Earthly pleasure
Pleasure
The lyrics of Villagers' song Earthly Pleasure describe a man's existential crisis and his search for meaning in the midst of the overwhelming pressures of daily life. The song begins with the man, naked on the toilet and brushing his teeth, suddenly feeling a deep sense of doubt and anxiety. He realizes that the baggage he's been carrying has begun to weigh him down, causing him physical pain and causing him to break apart emotionally. In this moment, he starts to examine all aspects of his life, from the clumsy to the cute, from the fat cat to the destitute, seeking some sort of clarity and purpose.
The second verse of the song finds the man transported back to the year 1822, in another person's body, wearing a heavy suit. He is surrounded by others who are armed, and he is urged to cock his gun and fight alongside them. He does so, and the violence of the moment marks a turning point in his life, though he is not certain whether this is a positive or negative change. The final verse of the song finds him attempting to find solace in the presence of a woman, who seems to embody purity and serenity. Despite his anxieties and fears, she welcomes him and listens patiently as he pours out his heart to her, offering him a glimpse of hope and renewal.
Line by Line Meaning
Naked on the toilet with a toothbrush in his mouth
He was undressed, brushing his teeth on the toilet
When he suddenly acquired an overwhelming sense of doubt
He felt uncertain about something all of a sudden
Every single piece of baggage he'd been holding on his back
All the emotional weights he had been carrying on his back
Was beginning to d-d-dig in and then his back began (began) to crack
The baggage was becoming too much for him and causing him physical pain
And when he finally broke up, he found that he'd been breaking down
When he finally had a breakdown, he realized he had been falling apart inside
Little body, little soul, little shrapnel on the ground
He was left feeling small and shattered
And so he started to examine from the clumsy to the cute
He began analyzing everything from awkward to attractive
From the fat, fat cat to the destitute
From the wealthy to the poor
From the chat fat cat to the mute
From the talkative to the silent
Oh, earthly pleasure ring out
Let there be joy in the world
From the rigours of this road
From the hardships of life
From the caverns of my soul
From the depths of my being
Then suddenly he found himself in 1822
He had a sudden time travel experience to the year 1822
And he was in another body in a heavy sort of suit
In that year, he found himself in a different body and wearing a heavy suit
He was surrounded but he'd started making plans to make a run
Despite being surrounded, he was plotting his escape
When they called to him, "Son, cock your gun..."
He was ordered to ready his firearm
And so he did as all the others had already done
He followed the actions of those around him
He put his finger on the trigger and he got 'em some
He fired his gun like everyone else
But though we don't like to admit it, it was sensual and pure
The act of violence was both carnal and innocent
And he changed that day, though he can't be sure
That day, he underwent a transformation, though he's unsure how it happened
If it's the sickness or the cure
Whether the change is good or bad
So there he was in front of her divine simplicity
He found himself in the presence of someone pure and simple
And she was speaking Esperanto and drinking ginger tea
She spoke Esperanto and sipped on ginger tea
As she inquired about the reason for his visit here today
She asked him why he came to see her
Well he just said, "No reason, and I really shouldn't stay"
He claimed there was no reason and that he shouldn't stay
And so he thought she would think that he was some kind of freak
He was worried she would consider him weird
And that he'd go back to the grind, and that he wouldn't last a week
He thought he'd return to his usual routine and not survive a week
But she didn't, she just sighed and added softly with a smile "Sit down, dear child, what's on your mind?"
However, she didn't judge him and instead invited him to sit down and express himself
And so he frantically described to her the kingdom at her feet
He quickly and anxiously shared with her the world beneath her
As she continued with her manicure and poured another tea
As she carried on with her beauty routine and poured another cup of tea
As he was recounted tales of misery and suffering and pain
As he shared stories of agony and distress
She was yawning at the ceiling, so he had to up his game
She was getting bored, so he had to captivate her attention
The only thing that children cherish is to move up the ranks
The sole thing kids value is advancing in hierarchy
Lucifer is in our court, Beelzebub is in our banks
The devil is among us, and even financial institutions are corrupt
And if you don't cooperate with us, we'll hound you till you're dead
And if you don't comply, we'll relentlessly pursue you until your death
So she granted him a wish and let him write it on her head
She offered him a wish and let him write it on her head
And when he read it back to her, this is all it said:
When he read it aloud, it only contained these words:
Now I truly understand That I don't understand a thing
He finally grasped that he knows nothing
So let this earthly pleasure sing
So let joy be celebrated
Earthly pleasure
Joy
Contributed by Katherine D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@OddOccultist
Naked on the toilet with a toothbrush in his mouth
When he suddenly acquired an overwhelming sense of doubt
Every single piece of baggage he'd been holding on his back
Was beginning to d-d-dig in and then his back began (began) to crack
And when he finally broke up, he found that he'd been breaking down
Little body, little soul, little shrapnel on the ground
And so he started to examine from the clumsy to the cute
From the fat, fat cat to the destitute
From the chat fat cat to the mute
Oh, earthly pleasure ring out
From the rigours of this road
Earthly pleasure ring out
From the caverns of my soul
Then suddenly he found himself in 1822
And he was in another body in a heavy sort of suit
He was surrounded but he'd started making plans to make a run
When they called to him, "Son, cock your gun..."
And so he did as all the others had already done
He put his finger on the trigger and he got 'em some
But though we don't like to admit it, it was sensual and pure
And he changed that day, though he can't be sure
If it's the sickness or the cure
Earthly pleasure ring out
From the rigours of this road
Earthly pleasure ring out
From the caverns of my soul
So there he was in front of her divine simplicity
And she was speaking Esperanto and drinking ginger tea
As she inquired about the reason for his visit here today
Well he just said, "No reason, and I really shouldn't stay"
And so he thought she would think that he was some kind of freak
And that he'd go back to the grind, and that he wouldn't last a week
But she didn't, she just sighed and added softly with a smile "Sit down, dear child, what's on your mind?"
And so he frantically described to her the kingdom at her feet
As she continued with her manicure and poured another tea
As he was recounted tales of misery and suffering and pain
She was yawning at the ceiling, so he had to up his game
The only thing that children cherish is to move up the ranks
Lucifer is in our court, Beelzebub is in our banks
And if you don't cooperate with us, we'll hound you till you're dead
So she granted him a wish and let him write it on her head
And when he read it back to her, this is all it said:
Earthly pleasure ring out
From the rigours of this road
Earthly pleasure ring out
From the caverns of my soul
Now I truly understand That I don't understand a thing
So let this earthly pleasure sing
Earthly pleasure
Pleasure
@johnshanley83
Awayland is a masterpiece. An utter masterpiece. Sending you the best wishes, Conor!
@owlis2328
This track is so well produced. Love a) the song itself. b) the way it's been put together on record. Brilliant.
@yootoob5811
Terrific. I've listened to this song about a thousand times and have, as any other thinking person would do, created my own visual images of what I hear. It's not the same as this video, naturally but I imagine the composer would encourage anyone who listens to use their own senses and make what they want of it. Such is the nature great art. Which is what this album and video are. Producers, Cast and Crew, Great Job ,Well done indeed.
@BMunro
I always come back to this song. It’s so beautiful so smart so different ❤️
@carolpiaggi
Que doideira cara, mas é surpreendentemente...bom! Fiquei vidrada no vídeo e pirando junto.
@GorgonDrageil
Villagers never fail to peak my interest.
@muzzmurgatroyd
My all-time favourite music video
@mikebee02
Dude's songwritting style is super consistent - almost to the point that you could probably swap lyrics for a lot of the their songs. Think I might try that and see if it works.
@geosleeds
I've played this song like 10 times in 2 days
@ALolaCaracola
how can they be so brilliant.