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.
Occupy Your Mind
Villagers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So let's slip inside
Out of this world
Out of this life
'Cause this place called home
Is no longer mine
So now I need to occupy your mind
('Cause it's the funniest feeling)
I just want to occupy your mind
(So let's slip inside)
I just want to occupy your mind
(Oh, it's the funniest feeling)
I just want to occupy your mind
(To leave it all behind)
Well there's a crack in the ceiling
And there's a hole in the sky
And there's a government warning
They don't like our kind
But now it's three in the morning
And I'm feeling just fine
And I just want to occupy your mind
I just want to occupy your mind
(Oh it's the funniest feeling)
I just want to occupy your mind
(So let's slip inside)
I just want to occupy your mind
(Oh, it's the funniest feeling)
I just want to occupy your mind
(To leave it all behind)
(I just want to occupy your mind...)
Our bodies are dancing
Divisions all die
Eye of the beholder
Beholding the eye
And in this infinite space, dear
I can hardly feel time
And I just want to occupy your mind
The lyrics to Villagers' "Occupy Your Mind" seem to be about escaping reality and finding refuge in someone else's mind. The opening lines of the song, "Cause it's the funniest feeling/So let's slip inside/Out of this world/Out of this life," seem to allude to the desire to escape reality and inhabit another mind. The lyric "This place called home/Is no longer mine" suggests a sense of disconnection from the current reality and a longing for something or somewhere else. The chorus "I just want to occupy your mind" seems to encapsulate the desire to escape reality and find shelter in someone else's world.
The second verse suggests that the world outside is hostile and unwelcoming. The lines "And there's a government warning/They don't like our kind" are particularly telling in this regard. This, coupled with the fact that the song is called "Occupy Your Mind," captures a sense of rebellion and counterculture. The idea of occupying someone else's mind could be seen as a way of subverting the norms and expectations of society. The lines "Our bodies are dancing/Divisions all die/Eye of the beholder/Beholding the eye" suggest a oneness and unity that comes from occupying someone else's mind. In this sense, the song seems to be about the power of connection and shared experiences, particularly as a way of coping with a world that can be difficult and unwelcoming.
Line by Line Meaning
'Cause it's the funniest feeling
The feeling of wanting to escape reality in this moment is strange but amusing.
So let's slip inside
Let us enter an imaginary world where we can forget everything else.
Out of this world
Away from reality and into our own minds.
Out of this life
A temporary escape from the mundane routine of everyday life.
'Cause this place called home
The familiar surroundings of home no longer provide comfort and security.
Is no longer mine
The feeling of being disconnected from the place that should be home.
So now I need to occupy your mind
I need to distract you from the problems in my own mind by filling it with something else.
Well there's a crack in the ceiling
A physical flaw in the surroundings that represents the imperfection of the real world.
And there's a hole in the sky
A metaphor for the lack of hope and the feeling of being trapped in a restrictive environment.
And there's a government warning
The oppressive forces of authority are trying to discourage thoughts that go against the norm.
They don't like our kind
The establishment fears the unconventional and the non-conformist individuals.
But now it's three in the morning
The late hour signifies a time when one's thoughts are more likely to wander and explore imaginative realms.
And I'm feeling just fine
The singer is in a content and relaxed state of mind.
Our bodies are dancing
A physical expression of the desire to break free from the oppressive forces of the real world.
Divisions all die
The unity and connection shared between individuals when they unite with a single purpose.
Eye of the beholder
We can create our own realities based on our perceptions and ideas.
Beholding the eye
Observing and contemplating one's own imagination and creativity.
And in this infinite space, dear
A limitless universe that exists only in one's own imagination.
I can hardly feel time
A sense of timelessness that exists only in one's own mind.
And I just want to occupy your mind
Sharing one's imaginative space with others to escape from the reality of the world.
Contributed by Annabelle V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Fatima Ramirez
'Cause it's the funniest feeling
So let's slip inside
Out of this world
Out of this life
'Cause this place called home
Is no longer mine
So now I need to occupy your mind
I just want to occupy your mind
('Cause it's the funniest feeling)
I just want to occupy your mind
(So let's slip inside)
I just want to occupy your mind
(Oh, it's the funniest feeling)
I just want to occupy your mind
(To leave it all behind)
Well there's a crack in the ceiling
And there's a hole in the sky
And there's a government warning
They don't like our kind
But now it's three in the morning
And I'm feeling just fine
And I just want to occupy your mind
I just want to occupy your mind
(Oh it's the funniest feeling)
I just want to occupy your mind
(So let's slip inside)
I just want to occupy your mind
(Oh, it's the funniest feeling)
I just want to occupy your mind
(To leave it all behind)
(I just want to occupy your mind...)
Our bodies are dancing
Divisions all die
Eye of the beholder
Beholding the eye
And in this infinite space, dear
I can hardly feel time
And I just want to occupy your mind
neptunesdreams
The Occupy movement should focus on demanding an Unconditional Basic Income funded by a Financial Transaction Tax (a tiny percentage taken off every stock market transaction). A UBI is much simpler and more efficient than manipulating banks and corporations to try to create jobs (an economic ideology that has proven itself futile)
An Unconditional Basic Income is an adequate amount of basic income that gets automatically deposited into everyone's bank account every month (roughly the equivalent of a US $10 per hour job). The same amount to everyone, rich or poor, working or not. And with NO MEANS TESTING, so NO new government bureaucracies.
The simplicity of the idea is it's beauty. It's an idea that has been supported by both left and right leaning politicians as a way to eliminate poverty and avert violent revolution.
Switzerland is holding a referendum on this. If it passes, every Swiss citizen will receive an Unconditional Basic Income, rich or poor, working or not.
Wherever a UBI has been tried, people worked more, not less, and started small businesses. That's because the money was adequate enough that they didn't need to go into debt to the banks to ask for a startup loan. Wherever an ADEQUATE UBI was tried, crime decreased and health care costs went down and the overall economy improved.
The reason an Unconditional Basic Income is different than a minimum wage is because employers do not pay for a UBI. It would be funded by a Financial Transaction Tax which is a tiny percentage taken off every stock market transaction. That way employers won't raise prices and decrease jobs. In fact, a UBI would create MORE jobs because there would be more people buying products. Business would increase! Instant stimulation WITHOUT government intervention!
Because there is NO MEANS TESTING, no extra bureaucracy would be needed. It could be run by one computer that deposits money into EVERYONE'S bank account automatically. We have many unpaid workers in our society. Volunteers, artists, musicians, homemakers, grandmothers, etc. It's now time that they were valued monetarily by society.
It's time for REAL change - an Unconditional Basic Income! But politicians won't do anything this radically positive without a grassroots uprising from the people DEMANDING a UBI. So tell your friends and help make the UBI go viral!
hanna
Thank god there's still people on this planet with a good taste of music. So done with pop. Love this
flawer
This song is cool
Shapez64
That was absolute brilliance. The interplay between the visual, lyrical and underlying political elements in this piece are so intricate; I would even say bordering on seamless.
I could have done a full blown analysis on this clip; and for a student fresh out of high school that's one of the highest commendations I can give.
Please, keep this artwork coming.
Letícia Wunderlich
I just LOVE this song, seriously. It should has more viewers! <3
Truth Theorist
What a song - love it. 2019 and playing daily
gordon christie
This song reminds me of Muse but there's an 80s feel to it too can't wait to hear more of their sings
Sinead wilson
Seen this song live and I've been waiting and waiting for them to release it, I'm so happy right now! Love it! But can't wait until they release 'hot scary summer '
<3
Alan Ranta
I find that the best art is that which satisfies on both aesthetic and socio-political levels. Villagers nailed it with this one.
Haatchii
Another nice psychedelic turn for the band. Great stuff!
Georgia Holden
I love this song so much... The video is perfect with it as well, it's scary and psychological and crazy and interesting!