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 in My Play
Devendra Banhart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna put them in my play, all in one day, all in one day
Gonna walk to Izabelle, gonna have her comfort me
Izabelle spelled with a z
The lyrics of Devendra Banhart's song Animals in My Play depict the inner world of a child's imagination. The singer sings about his desire to venture into the woods to find some animals, presumably to be put on display in his play. The song seems to suggest that the singer is living in a world where anything is possible, and he is capable of anything he imagines. The line "all in one day" is particularly telling, suggesting that the singer is full of energy and unlimited in his creative abilities.
The line "gonna walk to Izabelle, gonna have her comfort me" further amplifies the idea of the song being about a child's imagination. The name "Izabelle" is spelled with a 'z', which could be the singer's attempt at spelling despite its incorrect spelling. The fact that the singer seeks comfort from someone named Izabelle highlights his need for a nurturing and compassionate figure in his life. It could be possible that Izabelle is an imaginary friend who serves as a supportive presence in the singer's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Gonna go out in the woods, gonna find some animals
I plan to venture into the wilderness and discover various creatures that live there.
Gonna put them in my play, all in one day, all in one day
I will feature all the animals I find in my fictional production, completing it within the same day.
Gonna walk to Izabelle, gonna have her comfort me
I intend to visit a person named Izabelle, who will listen to me and provide solace during a trying period.
Izabelle spelled with a z
I make a note to spell Izabelle's name with the letter 'z', a likely quirk or peculiarity that I recognize in her.
Contributed by Natalie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Connor Schneider
I love devendra banhart