Unreal Unearth is Hozier’s third studio album. Hozier said “The album represents a reflection on the journey through the last few years and all that was reckoned with in that time,” 2023 (Courtesy of Andrew Hozier-Byrne)

Welcome to the first edition of the Wichitan’s Song of the Week for the fall semester of 2023! In celebration of the start of the school year, this week’s pick is “Damage Gets Done” by Irish-born singer-songwriter Hozier featuring American singer-songwriter, Brandi Carlile. Released Aug. 18, 2023, as the seventh track of his third studio album “Unreal Unearth,” “Damage Gets Done” is a song about blaming teenagers and young adults for society’s problems when all they want to do is have fun and be “silly”. In the song, Hozier sings about the joys of being a youth. The doe-eyed feeling of self and sense and the thrill of seeking fun and happiness. He also sings about how society always blames its woes and problems on teenagers and young adults’ readiness to be “reckless.” In the album, “Unreal Unearth,” Hozier drew inspiration from Dante Alighieri’s 14th century novel, “Dante’s Inferno” and “Damage Gets Done” is a reflection of the Circle of Greed in Dante’s Nine Circles of Hell.

Born in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland, Andrew John Hozier-Byrne – most commonly known as Hozier – is a widely popular musician and singer-songwriter best known for either his viral debut single, “Take Me to Church” which is certified diamond in the United States and multi-platinum in several countries or his sophomore album, “Wasteland, Baby!” which is certified gold in the United States. Growing up in the county of Wicklow in Ireland under the parentage of a musician and a blues drummer, Hozier showed a strong interest and talent for music and songwriting. At the age of 15, Hozier taught himself how to play the guitar and started writing songs. During this time, he was also a member of his school’s choir. In 2008, Hozier went to Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland to study music education. At Trinity, Hozier joined the college orchestra and the choral ensemble, ANÚNA. After touring with ANÚNA, opening for Alex Winston and being a backup singer for Billy Ocean, Hozier released “Take Me to Church” in 2013 as the first single of his musical career. The debut single was a huge success and gained him a record deal with Rubyworks Records. Hozier’s entire discography has always been heavily influenced by his passion for religious, literary and societal themes and “Damage Gets Done” is a prime example of his discographic style.

Hozier called Brandi Carlile a “good friend and incredible artist” when posting a picture of the two of them when announcing “Damage Gets Done” as his next single, 2023. (Courtesy of Andrew Hozier-Byrne)

“Damage Gets Done” is my favorite song from the album and my second favorite (after “Nina Cried Power”) from Hozier’s entire discography. In “Damage Gets Done” Hozier and Brandi Carlile sing about the joy of being young and reminisce about their youth but also the perils that came with it. They narrate in detail all of the memories from their own teenage and young adult years that they miss like going out to clubs, sleeping on their friends’ floor, the feeling of getting your first car and so on. They also talk about how although they had very little, and were happy. They sing about an experience that is very common to all teenagers and young adults which is happiness in simplicity. The duo also sings about the blames and perils that comes with being a youth. They note that society blames and will always blame its problems on the younger generation when all that younger generation wants to do is exist. “Damage Gets Done” is a song about acknowledging that being “reckless and young is not how the damage gets done.”.

As stated in previous editions of the Song of the Week, lyricism is an important aspect of any song and Hozier understood that when writing “Damage Gets Done.” In “Damage Gets Done,” Hozier utilizes storytelling, anecdote, personal memories, metaphor and pathos to narrate a joyous and fun-filled time in his and Carlile’s life. My favorite lyric in the entire song is:

“Wish I’d known it was just our turn (we just got by) 

Being blamed for a world we had no power in (but we tried) 

You and I had nothing to show (we didn’t know anything) 

But the best of the world in the palm of our hands, and darling 

I haven’t felt it since then 

I don’t know how the feelin’ ended. 

But I know being reckless and young 

Is not how the damage gets done.”

Addressing societal issues is a recurring theme in Hozier’s discography. In “Damage Gets Done,” Hozier with support from Brandi Carlile shed light on a topic that does not get talked about a lot and that is the vilification of teenagers and youths. They created a song about joy and the elegance of simplicity. The song is a great listen with a powerful message.