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.
Be Kind
Devendra Banhart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Be kind, baby be kind
The light of this might
Align your legs to time
They give me up as I got mine
Oh and that's too many times
Baby be kind
Don't let your eyes pop out boy
You may drop your black candy apple
From the fright of having your eyes pop out
And someone else buys seeing double
So be kind baby be kind
Won't cha be kind baby be kind
And the way he drops the ants will cover him up
I said you'd get 'em back dear
Don't cha try to puff them all up
Baby dear don't cha try
To be kind baby be kind
You know the light of this whole world and mine
Aligns your legs to time
The lake it ain't your fire
And that is all I've had
Too many had done
These eyelids mine
Don't let your eyes pop out
You might drop them on your stove
And they'll wiggle on home
The song "Be Kind" by Devendra Banhart is a plea for compassion and empathy from one person to another. The repeated chorus of "Be kind, baby be kind" emphasizes the importance of treating others with kindness and understanding, even when it may be difficult. The opening lines "The light of this might / Align your legs to time" suggest that by being kind, one can be in sync with the world around them and find balance.
The following verse tells a cautionary tale about not letting one's emotions get the best of them. The image of one's eyes popping out from shock or excitement is used to illustrate the point that sometimes we can be overcome by our own feelings to the point of losing control. The line "And someone else buys seeing double" suggests that our actions and reactions can have consequences beyond ourselves.
The final verse ties the theme of kindness back to personal experience, with the lines "The lake it ain't your fire / And that is all I've had / Too many had done" implying that the singer has been hurt in the past by others who were unkind. The song ends on a similarly cautionary note as the second verse, warning against letting our emotions get the best of us.
Overall, "Be Kind" is a simple but effective call to action for empathy and understanding towards others.
Line by Line Meaning
Be kind, baby be kind
Encouragement to show compassion and understanding
Be kind, baby be kind
Repeat of previous line
The light of this might
The enlightenment of this opportunity
Align your legs to time
Get on track and align with the flow of time
They give me up as I got mine
Others have abandoned me despite me giving them what I have
Oh and that's too many times
It happened frequently enough to be concerning
Baby be kind
Encouragement to show compassion and understanding
And my eyelids are fine
My physical state is okay
Don't let your eyes pop out boy
Don't be overwhelmed or surprised
You may drop your black candy apple
You might lose or miss out on something valuable
From the fright of having your eyes pop out
Due to the shock or fear of something sudden
And someone else buys seeing double
Someone else takes advantage of your misstep
Won't cha be kind baby be kind
Repeat of previous plea
And the way he drops the ants will cover him up
The negative actions someone takes will eventually catch up with them
I said you'd get 'em back dear
Assurance of eventually receiving justice or revenge
Don't cha try to puff them all up
Don't try to be overly confident or boastful
Baby dear don't cha try
Persuasive plea not to do so
To be kind baby be kind
Encouragement to show compassion and understanding
You know the light of this whole world and mine
You understand the significance and impact of your actions
Aligns your legs to time
Get on track and align with the flow of time
The lake it ain't your fire
Not everything that catches your attention is meant for you
And that is all I've had
The extent of what I've been given or achieved
Too many had done
Too many people have taken advantage of me or abandoned me
These eyelids mine
My physical state is okay
Don't let your eyes pop out
Don't be overwhelmed or surprised
You might drop them on your stove
Your misfortune may lead to further problems or mishaps
And they'll wiggle on home
Your eyes or your problems will eventually work themselves out
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DEVENDRA BANHART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Thais Nicols
on Mi Negrita
<3