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.
Set the Tigers Free
Villagers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've been so good to me
Now the carnival has ended
Let's set the tigers free
The spring was always early
And the winter never came
But since I got this hunger
I'm leaving for the great wide open plains
Leaving while this holy spark remains
I see you've written promises to make me stay
But it really doesn't matter now anyway
I'm leaving
True love feeds on absences like pleasure feeds on pain
So no matter where I'm standing I still love you all the same
And I hope you feel the same way when its your turn to disappear
I'll be cheering from the sidelines with a sandwich and a beer
I'm leaving for the great wide open plains
Leaving while this holy spark remains
I see you've written promises to make me stay
But it really doesn't matter now anyway
I'm leaving
And all at once I step outside into the wind and rain
I let it wash my weary eyes and see you do the same
(And all at once I step outside into the wind and rain
I let it wash my weary eyes and see you do the same)
I'm leaving for the great wide open plains
Leaving while this holy spark remains
I see you've written promises to make me stay
But it really doesn't matter now anyway
I'm leaving
The song "Set the Tigers Free" by Villagers is a melancholic yet hopeful track that deals with the complexity of relationships and the urge to move forward even if it means leaving behind loved ones. The opening lines of the song, "Farewell to my only friend, you've been so good to me. Now the carnival has ended, let's set the tigers free," suggests that the singer is bidding adieu to someone who is very dear to him, possibly a romantic partner. The metaphor "set the tigers free" indicates that it is time to release themselves from the tie that bound them.
The song also touches upon the emotions of the singer and the changes that he's going through. The lines "The spring was always early, and the winter never came. But since I got this hunger, it just hasn't been the same" suggests that the singer might have changed, and his feelings have become overpowering. He is no longer satisfied with the way things used to be, and his hunger for something more is compelling him to move on.
The chorus, "I'm leaving for the great wide open plains, leaving while this holy spark remains. I see you've written promises to make me stay, but it really doesn't matter now anyway, I'm leaving," emphasizes that the singer has decided to leave even though he can see the promises made by his loved ones to make him stay. He acknowledges that the love he shares with them will always be present, but he believes it is time to move ahead, with a hope that they will understand his decision.
Overall, "Set the Tigers Free" is a beautifully written song that captures the emotions of those in the process of letting go. It accurately depicts the complexities of the human heart and how it can have conflicting feelings of love and wanderlust.
Line by Line Meaning
Farewell to my only friend
Saying goodbye to someone special who has been good to me
You've been so good to me
Appreciating the support and care received from the friend who is being left behind
Now the carnival has ended
Accepting the end of a fun and exciting phase of life
Let's set the tigers free
Moving on and embracing new challenges and adventures
The spring was always early
The past held bright and hopeful times
And the winter never came
The past had no dark or difficult experiences
But since I got this hunger
Something has changed, and there is a desire to explore and take risks
It just hasn't been the same
The desire for new experiences has changed the way life is seen
I'm leaving for the great wide open plains
Going on a journey to explore outside the comfort zone
Leaving while this holy spark remains
Making the move while the excitement and inspiration are still there
I see you've written promises to make me stay
Acknowledging that others care and want me to stay
But it really doesn't matter now anyway
The decision has already been made to move forward
True love feeds on absences like pleasure feeds on pain
Realizing that distance and change can strengthen love and relationships
So no matter where I'm standing I still love you all the same
Assuring the friend being left behind that love will not disappear, despite the distance
And I hope you feel the same way when its your turn to disappear
Expressing a desire for mutual understanding and support, even when roles are reversed
I'll be cheering from the sidelines with a sandwich and a beer
Offering humorous support in the future, even from a distance
And all at once I step outside into the wind and rain
Taking the leap into the unknown with courage and determination
I let it wash my weary eyes and see you do the same
Finding comfort in mutual experiences, even when physically apart
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MexiDan
Farewell to my only friend
You've been so good to me
Now the carnival has ended
Let's set the tigers free
The spring was always early
And the winter never came
But since I got this hunger
It just hasn't been the same
I'm leaving for the great wide open plains
Leaving while this holy spark remains
I see you've written promises to make me stay
But it really doesn't matter now anyway
I'm leaving
True love feeds on absences like pleasure feeds on pain
So no matter where I'm standing I still love you all the same
And I hope you feel the same way when its your turn to disappear
I'll be cheering from the sidelines with a sandwich and a beer
I'm leaving for the great wide open plains
Leaving while this holy spark remains
I see you've written promises to make me stay
But it really doesn't matter now anyway
I'm leaving
And all at once I step outside into the wind and rain
I let it wash my weary eyes and see you do the same
(And all at once I step outside into the wind and rain
I let it wash my weary eyes and see you do the same)
I'm leaving for the great wide open plains
Leaving while this holy spark remains
I see you've written promises to make me stay
But it really doesn't matter now anyway
I'm leaving
Darren Slawson
Cannot believe how brilliant this song is. I only heard it a couple of months ago . Great funeral song
Jaggy
Just breathtaking... So lucky I found this band, took an Irish friend to show me them
MexiDan
Farewell to my only friend
You've been so good to me
Now the carnival has ended
Let's set the tigers free
The spring was always early
And the winter never came
But since I got this hunger
It just hasn't been the same
I'm leaving for the great wide open plains
Leaving while this holy spark remains
I see you've written promises to make me stay
But it really doesn't matter now anyway
I'm leaving
True love feeds on absences like pleasure feeds on pain
So no matter where I'm standing I still love you all the same
And I hope you feel the same way when its your turn to disappear
I'll be cheering from the sidelines with a sandwich and a beer
I'm leaving for the great wide open plains
Leaving while this holy spark remains
I see you've written promises to make me stay
But it really doesn't matter now anyway
I'm leaving
And all at once I step outside into the wind and rain
I let it wash my weary eyes and see you do the same
(And all at once I step outside into the wind and rain
I let it wash my weary eyes and see you do the same)
I'm leaving for the great wide open plains
Leaving while this holy spark remains
I see you've written promises to make me stay
But it really doesn't matter now anyway
I'm leaving
Don9aldo
He drew that!? Wow, talk about a man of many talents. I can imagine just lying down in the middle of a field on a sunny day, listening to this sing while staring up at the sky...
DindleSprig
I'd really love to make an animation with this song so if anyone knew whether it's under creative commons or how I could find out I'd appreciate it so much
Persefona
Art work and the song are wonderfull :)
Michael Burke
maybe add it to the songs I'd like to have played at my funeral
ijokesolo
+Michael Burke Bruh...
Oleg Kropachev
Great song!!!
John Mendoza
This is the Starbucks Phone waiting song. It sounds so depressing!