Devendra Obi Banhart (born May 30, 1981) is a Venezuelan American singer-so… Read Full Bio ↴Devendra Obi Banhart (born May 30, 1981) is a Venezuelan American singer-songwriter and visual artist. Banhart was born in Houston, Texas and was raised by his mother in Venezuela, until he moved to California as a teenager. His first few records were released on the Young God Records label from New York City. His most recent CD was released by Nonesuch. He is one of the most popular artists to come out of the "New Weird America" movement, which includes performers such as Faun Fables, Viking Moses, Jack Rose, Jana Hunter, Arborea, The MV & EE Medicine Show, Currituck Co., Six Organs of Admittance, and The Royal We, among others. He also often joins the band known as Vetiver.

Banhart is considered to have an eclectic style, with many of his songs seemingly following a stream-of-consciousness vein, being hard to decipher and non-literal. His music tends to consist of fairly simple guitar melodies with minimal other instrumentation, and his lyrical themes are often surreal and naturalistic. His involvement in the Los Angeles artist community is reflected in Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon, released in September 2007. He gained some underground notoriety in New York for performing several of his early shows with underwear on his head for the duration of the performance.

Banhart's most recent tour of the United States saw him perform with his full band, which is currently known as Power Mineral. Power Mineral included Andy Cabic (Vetiver), Greg Rogove (Priestbird), Noah Georgeson, Luckey Remington, Pete Newsom, Otto Hauser (Vetiver, Currituck Co., Espers, Nick Castro), Kevin Barker (Currituck Co.), and others. The band claims to rechristen itself when a name comes to them, and has previously been known as Fried Hummingbird, Vagina Burglars, Hairy Fairy Band, Las Putas Locas, Stoner Boner, Spiritual Boner, Bummer Hummer, Brain Taint, Love Fart, Bathhouse Of The Winds, and First Woman Millionaire among other names.

Banhart was discovered by Michael Gira of Swans, who released his Oh Me Oh My... The Way the Day Goes by the Sun Is Setting Dogs Are Dreaming… album on his own Young God Records label in 2002. In 2005, Banhart (along with Andy Cabic and Revolver USA) created the Gnomonsong record label. In 2006 he helped to curate an edition of the British All Tomorrow's Parties festival.

Banhart also was one of the younger musicians responsible for "rediscovering" the music of folksinger Vashti Bunyan. Bunyan is a guest vocalist on his album Rejoicing in the Hands.

Animals...
Devendra Banhart Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Gonna go out in the woods
Gonna find some animals
Gonna put them in my plate
All in one day
All in one day

Gonna walk to Izabel
Gonna have her company

Izabel spelled with a z

My sister and me
My sister and me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song Animals by Devendra Banhart tackles the issue of man's dominance over nature. The first verse suggests that the singer (presumably, the singer) will head into the woods to hunt for animals, which he intends to put on his plate. This implies the idea of human exploitation towards the natural resources of the earth, without regard for the welfare of the animals. The second verse mentions Izabel, who is spelled with a "z", making it unique, and introduces the idea of a sister accompanying him on the trip. Izabel's inclusion in the song may represent a reference to the Virgin Mary, which may imply that the singer and his sister are looking for a form of spiritual guidance amidst their immoral actions.

The chorus of the song emphasizes the immediacy of the singer's actions with regards to his exploitation of animals. The repetition of the phrase "All in one day" further amplifies the idea that the singer is impatient with his hunt and will attempt to capture many animals in a short amount of time. The overall message of the song is a commentary on the wasteful and destructive nature of man's exploitative behavior concerning nature.

Line by Line Meaning

Gonna go out in the woods
I'm going to venture into the forest

Gonna find some animals
I'll search for creatures living in the wild

Gonna put them in my plate
I plan to catch and prepare them for my meal

All in one day
This will all happen within a single day

Gonna walk to Izabel
I'll travel on foot to reach Izabel

Gonna have her company
I'll enjoy her presence and companionship

Izabel spelled with a z
It's spelled Izabel, not Isabel or Isabelle

My sister and me
My sibling and I will go together

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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