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.
Fall
Devendra Banhart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But when the night comes
Light of match
Will catch lay low leave
Or sing so long
Window spreads like cornfields in fall
She come by call
She don't leave at all
Like cornfields in fall
So long finger new family
Would you lay with me?
And heard of a singer who wore ringlet hair
Won't you sing for me?
And so long snake'll stay low
And so long snake you stay low
So long snake you'll stay low
So long snake you stay low
The lyrics of Devendra Banhart's “Fall” are primarily concerned with the various changes that occur - both expected and unexpected - within the natural world. Through various metaphors and a series of shifting images, the song reflects upon the ways in which these changes mirror those that occur in human relationships.
The opening lines of the song - “Fallow casts and one's bone your bread / But when the night comes / Light of match / Will catch lay low leave / Or sing so long” - suggest that the singer is contemplating the transience of all things. Just as a fallow field will eventually spring back to life once more, so too are people susceptible to change.
As the song progresses, Banhart introduces a series of complementary images, including that of cornfields in fall: “Window spreads like cornfields in fall / She come by call / She leave no trace / She don't leave at all / Like cornfields in fall.” Here, the singer highlights the impermanence of things, as the fields change with the season, and people similarly come and go, often leaving nothing behind.
Later in the song, Banhart returns to the image of a singer, who - like the cornfields - is subject to the vagaries of time: “And heard of a singer who wore ringlet hair / Won't you sing for me?” Here, the singer is both a symbol of artistic expression and a more generalized stand-in for the ways in which we try to capture and preserve certain aspects of our lives.
Overall, the lyrics of “Fall” are evocative and impressionistic, but ultimately suggest that change - difficult and emotional as it may be - is an inevitability that must be accepted and even celebrated.
Line by Line Meaning
Fallow casts and one's bone your bread
The barren land doesn't give much; you'll have to make do with few resources.
But when the night comes, light of match
Despite the little prospects, there's still hope that things will improve.
Will catch lay low leave, or sing so long
You either hide, run away, or stand your ground and fight.
Window spreads like cornfields in fall
The emptiness that's growing within is hard to conceal, like fields stripped of their crops in autumn.
She come by call, she leave no trace
The one you yearn for may appear and disappear without warning or explanation.
She don't leave at all, like cornfields in fall
You may think she's gone, but she's still there, haunting your thoughts and dreams.
So long finger new family, would you lay with me?
The allure of being part of something new may tempt you to abandon what you have, but is it worth it?
And heard of a singer who wore ringlet hair, won't you sing for me?
The memories of those who touched your soul can provide comfort in difficult times.
And so long snake'll stay low
Those who pose a threat might remain unseen for a while, but they're still present.
And so long snake you stay low, so long snake you'll stay low, so long snake you stay low
The repetition underscores the idea that danger is always lurking, and it's better to be prepared and vigilant.
Contributed by Mateo D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Thais Nicols
on Mi Negrita
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