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.
Sweet Saviour
Villagers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I saw your picture on the screen
It took me to another place in time
Below the woven tapestry
Of transcendental memory
The fountain of potential in its prime
Nd never did a soul touch your body so divine
And on it flowed into the night
With seemingly no end in sight
I drank it all, I could not stand
And from the floor I played my hand
And I swear I saw eternity
And his sister saying
Softly somewhere, oh sweet saviour
Save me, oh sweet saviour, save me
And never did a soul touch your body so divine
And never did a heartbeat so fast eclipse mine
I've been praising you now
For what feels like eternity
Sweet saviour, don't do this to me
Sweet saviour
And never did a soul touch your body so divine
And never did a heartbeat so fast eclipse mine
I've been praising you now
For what feels like eternity
Sweet saviour, don't do this to me
Sweet saviour
I've been loving you now
For what feels like eternity
Sweet saviour, don't do this to me
The song “Sweet Saviour” by Villagers is a poignant and emotional tribute to a lost love. The lyrics describe the awakening from a dream where the singer sees a picture of the lost love and is transported to memories of their time together. The dream takes them back to a time when they were together, and the memories are so vivid that they feel like they are in their prime. We also learn through the lyrics that the singer had never experienced such a profound connection with anyone before or since.
The lyrics paint a picture of the profound love that the singer had for this special someone. They describe how they drank in every moment together, cherishing every second. Yet, now they find themselves alone, trying to come to terms with the fact that they may never experience a connection like that again. They plead with their lost love, calling them their “sweet savior,” begging them not to leave them. Throughout the song, we see the singer grappling with their profound sadness and trying to come to terms with the fact that their love is gone.
Overall, “Sweet Saviour” is a beautiful, melancholic ballad about the fragility of human relationships and the pain of losing someone you love deeply.
Line by Line Meaning
Awaking from another dream
I woke up from sleep and started thinking about you again.
I saw your picture on the screen
I saw your photo or image on some screen - phone, computer, etc.
It took me to another place in time
Seeing your picture made me remember a special moment we shared in the past.
Below the woven tapestry
Underneath this complex and intricate fabric of memories and emotions we share.
Of transcendental memory
Made up of experiences that are so meaningful and profound that they feel almost spiritual.
The fountain of potential in its prime
This memory or experience is like a wellspring of potential for our future together, full of possibilities.
And never did a soul touch your body so divine
I have never experienced anyone else being as beautiful or heavenly as you are.
And never did a heartbeat so fast eclipse mine
My heart beats faster than anyone else's when I am near you, no one else compares.
And on it flowed into the night
This feeling or memory continued into the night, without any interruption or end in sight.
With seemingly no end in sight
It felt like this experience or feeling would go on forever, and I didn't want it to stop.
I drank it all, I could not stand
I fully immersed myself in this memory or feeling, but it was almost too much for me to handle emotionally.
And from the floor I played my hand
I was so overwhelmed that I had to physically sit or kneel on the ground, but I still wanted to take action or move forward with our relationship.
And I swear I saw eternity
I felt like I saw or experienced something that transcends time and space, something that will last forever.
And his sister saying
Someone close to me - perhaps a sibling or friend - was also involved in this experience or feeling.
Softly somewhere, oh sweet saviour
They were asking for help or salvation, and addressing you as their savior.
Save me, oh sweet saviour, save me
They were pleading with you to save them from something difficult or painful.
I've been praising you now
I have been admiring or worshiping you for a long time.
For what feels like eternity
It feels like I have been doing this forever, or for a very long time.
Sweet saviour, don't do this to me
I am begging or imploring you not to hurt me, or to do something that will damage our relationship.
I've been loving you now
I have been in love with you for a long time.
For what feels like eternity
It feels like I have loved you forever, or for a very long time.
Sweet saviour, don't do this to me
I am begging or imploring you not to hurt me, or to do something that will damage our relationship.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Conor Joseph O'Brien
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rita Maria
This song is really something else .... repeat mode ... cant get out of it ...<3
Valeska Weich
same here! :O
금동불교.청동불상조성소
Very classic and mysterious song! I love it
chillman
my favourite song from the new album 👌❤️
Epistolarydreams
Listening to this while hiking, catching the sunset with snippets of poems popping into my mind.
Carl Tiivas
For me, this is nearly the perfect pop song. Just beautifully done.
Gonzalo Villalba del Canto
Beautiful song!!!
Amelia Rose
That intro just hypnotizes me 😍❤
Barry Edmond
Magnificent track. Sublime.
Mareanna Barrientos
This track makes me cry but comforts me at the same time.
Hope to see you guys live soon.