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.
I Feel Like A Child
Devendra Banhart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah I feel just like a child
Well I feel just like a child
Well I feel just like a child
From my womb to my tomb
I guess I'll always be a child
Well some people try and treat me like a man
Well I guess they just don't understand
Well some people try and treat me like a man
They think I know shit
But that's just it
I'm a child
Well I need you to tell me what to wear
Yeah I need you to help me comb my hair
Yeah I need you to come and tie my shoes
Yeah I need you to come and keep me amused
From my cave to my grave
I guess I'll always be a child
Well I need you to help me reach the door
And I need you to walk me to the store
And I need you to please explain the war
And I need you to heal me when I'm sore
You can tell by my smile
That I'm a child
And I need you to sit me on your lap
And I need you to make me take my nap
Could you first pull out a book and
Read me some of that
Cause I need you to make me take my nap
And I need you to recognize my friends
Cause they're there even though
You don't see them
They got their own chair, plate, and a seat
You know I won't touch my food
Unless they eat
From the roof to the floor
I crawl around some more
I'm a child
And I need you to help me blow my nose
And I need you to help me count my toes
And I need you to help me put on my clothes
And I need you to hide it when it shows
From be my daddy's sperm
To being packed in an urn
I'm a child
And when I steal you gotta
Slap me til I cry
Don't you stop til the tears run dry
See I was born thinking under the sky
I didn't belong to a couple of old wise guys
From sucking on my mama's breast
To when they lay my soul to rest
I'm a child
Well I guess I'm always be
The song “I Feel Just Like a Child” by Devendra Banhart is a reflection on the singer’s sense of helplessness and dependence on others. The song begins with a repetition of the line “I feel just like a child,” emphasizing the fact that no matter how old or mature the singer becomes, they will always feel like they are in need of guidance and support. The next line “from my womb to my tomb, I guess I’ll always be a child” highlights the idea that the singer’s dependence on others is not limited to childhood, but extends through their entire life.
The singer goes on to describe the ways in which they need others to take care of them, from helping them with small things like tying their shoes, to more complex situations like explaining war. The line “I need you to recognize my friends, ‘cause they’re there even though you don’t see them” is particularly poignant, as it suggests that the singer’s sense of being a child stems not just from physical needs, but also from feeling unseen and unrecognized by others.
Overall, the song portrays a sense of vulnerability and longing for connection, and underscores the fact that even as we age and become more independent, we never fully outgrow our need for support and care from others.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I feel just like a child
Despite my age and experience, I often feel naive and inexperienced in the world.
From my womb to my tomb, I guess I'll always be a child
No matter how long I live, I will always need guidance and care like a child.
Yeah some people try and treat me like a man
There are those who expect me to act and think like an adult.
Well I guess they just don't understand
Those people fail to see that I still need help and support in many areas of life.
They think I know shit, but that's just it
Others assume that because of my age, I am knowledgeable about everything, when in reality, I am still learning.
I need you to tell me what to wear
I require assistance with simple tasks, such as picking out my clothes.
Yeah I need you to help me comb my hair
I need someone to help me with basic hygiene tasks, such as taking care of my hair.
From my cave to my grave, I guess I'll always be a child
Even as I grow older, I will still need help and support like I did when I was younger.
Yeah I need you to come and tie my shoes
I require assistance with tasks that seem easy to others, such as tying my shoes.
And I need you to come and keep me amused
I need someone to keep me entertained and engaged in the world around me.
And I need you to please explain the war
I require explanations and guidance on complex issues, such as war and conflict.
You can tell by my smile that I'm a child
My behavior and attitude often exhibit childlike joy and wonder.
And I need you to sit me on your lap
Sometimes, I need physical comfort and affection, such as sitting on someone's lap.
And I need you to make me take my nap
I require structure and routine, including enforced nap times.
Cause I need you to make me take my nap
While I may resist, I ultimately need someone to make sure I rest and recharge.
And I need you to help me recognize my friends
I need guidance and help recognizing and interacting with peers and friends.
From the roof to the floor, I crawl around some more
I am still exploring and experiencing the basic aspects of my surroundings.
And I need you to help me blow my nose
I require assistance with basic hygiene tasks, such as blowing my nose.
And I need you to hide it when it shows
I require privacy and protection when it comes to bodily functions, such as blowing my nose.
From being my daddy's sperm to being packed in an urn
From my very beginnings to my eventual end, I will require care and guidance.
And when I steal you gotta slap me til I cry, don't you stop til the tears run dry
While I may exhibit negative behaviors and make mistakes, I still require consequences and guidance to learn from those mistakes.
See I was born thinking under the sky, I didn't belong to a couple of old wise guys
My individual perspective and experience cannot be completely understood or accounted for by older, wiser individuals.
From sucking on my mama's breast to when they lay my soul to rest, I'm a child
Throughout every stage of my life, I will require emotional and physical support like a child.
Yeah I feel just like a child, well I feel just like a child
I continuously feel like I require guidance, support, and care, like a child.
Well I feel just like a child, well I feel just like a child
No matter how much I may mature, my need for guidance and care will always make me feel like a child.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DEVENDRA BANHART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@paulwright2081
As a 51 year old man,who is still deciding what he wants to be when he grows up,i can relate to that.Brilliant lyrics.
@joesjukebox2978
Did you work it out?
@moondancer4660
@@joesjukebox2978 exactly what I was going to ask lol!
@sambechseaa__3
Lkkkk
@jenniferwininger4970
You want to be a baby so a woman can take care of you, got it
@PuginaConverseShoe
This is one of my favorite songs, hands down. Can't get enough of it.
@naturehugger3350
Lol so today this song was playing on my friend/coworker's computer in our office (just us two), and there is just something about the lyrics of this song combined with the way he sings some of those high notes that is utterly hilarious and ridiculous to hear in an office environment. Maybe it was the coffee. Maybe we desperately needed a laugh. We successfully repressed our laughter for the better part of the song (unbeknownst to each other)..but then...something about blowing his nose and counting his toes, and I giggled, and she heard me, and it was over. We laughed for probably 5 minutes straight, until we were both crying, the kind where you just keep replaying it in your mind and laughing harder and harder. It was therapeutic.
Thanks Devendra.
@Manou189
Lovely!
@gerardcousineau3478
Talented
@PercivalThe23
that was even funny for me now!😄