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.

Dogs They Make Up the Dark
Devendra Banhart Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Dogs they make up the dark surrounding
Mountains, they move towards the sea
Lie there, shine from your wound is blinding
Mountains still move towards the sea

Overall Meaning

The opening line of "Dogs They Make Up the Dark" by Devendra Banhart may seem strange or confusing at first, but upon deeper analysis, it can be interpreted as the idea that dogs are a physical representation of the darkness that surrounds us. This could be seen as a metaphor for the fears or uncertainties that constantly loom around us, as dogs are often associated with protection and security. However, despite the darkness, Banhart suggests that the mountains continue to move towards the sea. This line can be interpreted as a reflection of the natural progressions and ebbs and flows of life, even in the face of uncertainty or darkness.

The second line of the verse offers another intriguing metaphor, with the idea that the mountains move towards the sea. This line could be seen as a reflection of life's journey, with the mountains representing the challenges or obstacles one must overcome, and the sea representing some sort of end goal or eventual peace. The idea that the mountains are "moving" towards the sea suggests that even though progress may be slow or difficult at times, it is still happening.

The final line of the verse, "Lie there, shine from your wound is blinding," is a bit more opaque in meaning. It could be interpreted in a few different ways depending on context, but overall it seems to suggest the idea that even in painful or difficult times, there is still beauty to be found. The "wound" could represent something personal or emotional, and the idea that its "shine" is blinding could mean that the beauty or growth that comes from it is so bright it is impossible to ignore or overlook.

Line by Line Meaning

Dogs they make up the dark surrounding
The presence of dogs contributes to the darkness surrounding the area

Mountains, they move towards the sea
The mountains appear to be shifting towards the sea

Lie there, shine from your wound is blinding
While lying there, the glare from a wound is incredibly bright and intense

Mountains still move towards the sea
The mountains continue their slow progression towards the ocean despite other changes happening in the environment

Contributed by Abigail P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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