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.

Rhythm Composer
Villagers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's an ancient dog dreaming of another life
But you sometimes wonder whether it should live at all
'Cause when you're making up for what you lack
That old black dog is on your back
And all you're getting is a bottomless pit
But don't mind it
'Cause you're a rhythm composer
Easy for you

Rhythm composer
You're a rhythm composer

You're a little tong driven through an overdrive
And your BPM got an MRI, don't know if I'm coming or going and there's a
Start/stop button on the floor
Start stop start stop button, no
Before a start/stop button
On the floor
But you're a rhythm composer
Easy for you
Rhythm composer
(You're a rhythm composer)
But in actuality
Only the rhythm composes you
Only the rhythm composes you
I said, I love how the rhythm composes you
I love how the rhythm composes you
Start/stop button on the floor
Start stop start stop button, no
The floor, start/stop button
On the floor

'Cause when you're looking for what you lack
That old black dog is on your back
And all you're getting is a bottomless pit
So don't mind it

And when you're looking up for who you lack
That old black dog is on your back
And if you tame it, you can get it to sit
So don't mind it

You're looking up to what you lack
That old black dog is on your back
But all you're getting is a bottomless pit
So don't mind it

And when you're looking up to who you lack
That old black dog is on your back
But if you tame it, you can get it to sit

So don't mind it
No, don't mind it

Overall Meaning

In "Rhythm Composer" by Villagers, the lyrics capture the feeling of a musician or songwriter who is struggling to create and find inspiration while also battling with personal demons. The line "There's an ancient dog dreaming of another life" suggests a sense of longing for a different existence, while "That old black dog is on your back" seems to refer to depression or anxiety that is hindering the creative process. However, the chorus - "You're a rhythm composer, easy for you" - acts as something of a mantra, reminding the artist that they have the ability to create and that their talent lies in their ability to capture and manipulate rhythm.

The second verse further explores the theme of the struggle to find inspiration and highlights the frenzied pace of modern life. "Your BPM got an MRI" suggests a clinical or scientific approach to creativity, while "Start/stop button on the floor" seems to nod to the pressure to constantly be producing work in a world where attention spans are short. Despite this, the chorus repeats, reminding the listener that they have the power to create.

Overall, "Rhythm Composer" is a song about the intersection of art and mental health, capturing the highs and lows of the creative process and the ways in which anxiety and self-doubt can impact an artist's ability to work.

Line by Line Meaning

There's an ancient dog dreaming of another life
An old, seemingly hopeless part of oneself is yearning for a new beginning.

But you sometimes wonder whether it should live at all
You're questioning the existence of this part of yourself and whether or not it's worth keeping.

'Cause when you're making up for what you lack
This old part of yourself resurfaces when you feel like you're compensating for perceived personal shortcomings.

That old black dog is on your back
This part of yourself is holding you back like a burden or a weight on your shoulders.

And all you're getting is a bottomless pit
You feel like the more you try to make up for your shortcomings, the more it drains you and never fills the void.

But don't mind it
Don't let it consume you or dictate your self-worth.

'Cause you're a rhythm composer
Despite this burden, you have the ability to create something beautiful out of it.

You're a little tong driven through an overdrive
You're a small part of a greater machine, driven and ambitious.

And your BPM got an MRI, don't know if I'm coming or going and there's a
You're constantly running at a high tempo, not sure where it's taking you.

Start/stop button on the floor
There's a sense of control over this frenzied energy, like a button that starts and stops it.

But in actuality
However,

Only the rhythm composes you
In reality, you are created and controlled by this frenzied energy, the rhythm.

I said, I love how the rhythm composes you
Despite the difficulties it presents, you admire the creativity and beauty that comes from being composed by the rhythm.

And when you're looking up for who you lack
When you're seeking out someone you feel is missing from your life,

That old black dog is on your back
This burden resurfaces and affects your search for that missing piece.

But if you tame it, you can get it to sit
If you can handle and control this burden, it won't impede your search and may even help you in the process.

No, don't mind it
Don't let this burden control you, but rather use it to your advantage.

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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