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.
Chinese Children
Devendra Banhart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd have some Chinese children
If I lived in China,
I'd have some Chinese children
Well out of my toes,
My little black baby grows
And that's my fact
Well if I lived in China,
I'd have some Chinese children
Yeah, if I lived in China,
I'd have some Chinese children
Well if I lived in China,
If I lived in China
Well out of my ears,
My little black baby hears
And that's my fact
Now if I lived in Russia,
I'd have some Chinese children
Yeah, if I lived in Prussia,
I'd have some Chinese children
Well if I lived in India,
They'd still be Chinese children
And out of my toes,
My little blue baby grows
And that's another fact
Now if I lived in Ireland,
I'd have some Chinese children
Yeah, if I lived in Ireland,
I'd have some Chinese children
Well if I lived in Spain-land,
They'd still be Chinese children
And if I lived in Greece-land,
They'd still be Chinese children
But out of my thumbs,
My little red baby runs
And that's another fact
An unchanging fact
Now if I lived in my land, which I do,
I'd still have Chinese children
And if I lived in Iceland,
I'd still have Chinese children
Well if I lived in Greenland,
I'd still have Chinese children
But out of my ears,
My little gray baby hears
And that's my fact
Well if I lived in Thailand,
I'd have some Chinese children
And if I lived in Japan
I'd still have Chinese children
Well if I lived in this land,
Or if I lived in that land
And up from my lungs
And standing on my tongue
My little baby sung
Yeah, if I lived in Brooklyn,
I'd still have Chinese children
And if I lived in Oakland,
I'd still have Chinese children
If I was an Indian
Yeah, if I was an Indian
Whatever I do,
They're Chinese through and through
Well I like Chinese children
I got Chinese children
The song "Chinese Children" by Devendra Banhart is a playful exploration of cultural identity and the universality of parenthood. The refrain "If I lived in China, I'd have some Chinese children" is repeated throughout the song as a tongue-in-cheek nod to the idea that our ancestry and cultural heritage do not define us as individuals. Banhart explores this concept further by referencing different countries and ethnicities, with the underlying message being that no matter where we come from, we all share the experience of raising children.
The lyrics also contain a series of whimsical descriptions of Banhart's hypothetical children, such as "my little black baby grows" and "my little blue baby grows." These descriptions highlight the universality of parenthood and the fact that, regardless of cultural differences or ethnicity, all parents experience the same joys and challenges of raising children.
Overall, "Chinese Children" is a lighthearted and fun song that celebrates the beauty of diversity while reminding us of our shared experiences as human beings.
Line by Line Meaning
If I lived in China,
If I resided in China,
I'd have some Chinese children
I would have children who are Chinese
Well out of my toes,
Even from my toes,
My little black baby grows
My child, who is black, grows
And that's my fact
That is a truth about myself
Now if I lived in Russia,
Considering I live in Russia,
I'd have some Chinese children
My kids would still be Chinese
And out of my ears,
Even from my ears,
My little black baby hears
My child, who is black, hears
And that's my fact
That is a truth about myself
Yeah, if I lived in Prussia,
Yes, even in Prussia,
Well if I lived in India,
If I resided in India,
They'd still be Chinese children
My children would remain Chinese
And out of my toes,
Even from my toes,
My little blue baby grows
My child, who is blue, grows
And that's another fact
That is another truth about myself
Now if I lived in Ireland,
Considering I live in Ireland,
Well if I lived in Spain-land,
If I resided in Spain,
And if I lived in Greece-land,
Or even in Greece,
But out of my thumbs,
Even from my thumbs,
My little red baby runs
My child, who is red, runs
And that's another fact
That is another truth about myself
An unchanging fact
A fact that remains unchanged
Now if I lived in my land, which I do,
Considering I live in my own land,
I'd still have Chinese children
My children would still be Chinese
And if I lived in Iceland,
If I resided in Iceland,
Well if I lived in Greenland,
Or even in Greenland,
But out of my ears,
Even from my ears,
My little gray baby hears
My child, who is gray, hears
And that's my fact
That is a truth about myself
Well if I lived in Thailand,
If I lived in Thailand,
And if I lived in Japan
Or Japan,
Or if I lived in that land
Or any other land
And up from my lungs
Even from my lungs
And standing on my tongue
And while standing on my tongue
My little baby sung
My child sings
Yeah, if I lived in Brooklyn,
If I lived in Brooklyn,
And if I lived in Oakland,
Or Oakland,
If I was an Indian
Even if I were an Indian
Whatever I do,
No matter what I do,
They're Chinese through and through
My children are wholly Chinese
Well I like Chinese children
I have an affinity for Chinese children
I got Chinese children
I have Chinese children
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DEVENDRA BANHART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hrcak1
Love this song.
Mark Darwen
Go Devendra
Gabe Heinrich
Keep on goin :) you never know what’s next
Hotel Zaķīši
💚
Helena Kovach
Tik Tok sent me here and I love it! 😏
Mark Darwen
If i lived in New Zealand which i do there’d still be Chinese children
Hotel Zaķīši
☘️💚
TheAlmas3000
The Almas perform "Chinese Children"
MO
Aaaaaah quisiera decirlo!
小齐
我在这软件上的第一条评论就献给你了😭