Villagers are an Irish band from Dublin fronted by Conor J. O'Brien.
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.

Hold Me Down
Villagers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I see the door
But there's something in the way and I can't get out
I'm in a room
But I don't know how I got here or what I'm allowed

So come inside
Pick a fight
Ruffle my feathers

I'll be waiting here
Patiently
Wondering whether
Hope is a lie

Hold me down 'til I can't understand who I am
Pull me out of this hole
Hold me down 'til your body spills into my soul

The sun is out
And I need it like I need a hole in my head
My voice is shot
But I can't remember a single word that I said

So count me in
Take me on
Kill all my memory
I can't believe
Can't go on
Never be care-free
If hope is a lie

Hold me down 'til I can't understand who I am
Pull me out of this hole
Hold me down 'til your body spills into my soul

Then leave me be
Alone to dream

Another world
Is calling me

Overall Meaning

In Villagers' song Hold Me Down, the lyrics convey a sense of feeling trapped and lost in a way that is relatable to anyone who has ever found themselves in an emotional rut. The first verse describes the feeling of being unable to escape a certain situation or mindset, despite wanting to. The second verse moves on to depict the desperation of the singer, who feels as though they have lost their identity and are struggling to hold onto hope. The chorus is a plea for someone to "hold them down" until they can find a way to understand themselves and their emotions.

The line "hold me down 'til I can't understand who I am" is particularly powerful, as it captures the desire to be fully immersed in an experience that can feel overwhelming or confusing. The idea of someone "spilling into [their] soul" is also noteworthy, as it implies a deep and meaningful connection that is a common theme in many love songs. However, it is conceivable that this connection could also be figurative, representing the singer's search for a sense of purpose or meaning in their life.

Finally, the closing lines hint at a sense of possibility, as the singer is left alone to dream of a better future that could be waiting for them. Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on the struggles of self-discovery, and the search for meaning and identity in a confusing and uncertain world.

Line by Line Meaning

I see the door
I am aware of an exit

But there's something in the way and I can't get out
I am hindered from leaving

I'm in a room
I find myself confined

But I don't know how I got here or what I'm allowed
I lack knowledge of the reason for my containment

So come inside
Please enter my confinement

Pick a fight
Instigate a disagreement or challenge with me

Ruffle my feathers
Upset me or provoke me

I'll be waiting here
I will remain in this space

Patiently
I will wait without agitation

Wondering whether
I am considering the possibility

Hope is a lie
That optimism is false