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.

Lagoon
Devendra Banhart Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Where'd you go, the red lagoon?
Are you gonna be coming back soon?
See, I stole your pack of goons
And put them in this tune

Never been to Minnesota
Still I'd love to live in Maine
Never been to Salamanca

Still I'd love to live in Spain

Where'd you go, the blue buffoon?
Your knuckles are out of tune
Your window doesn't face the moon
Are you happy with what you proved?

I've never been to Minnesota
Still I'd love to live in Maine

Never been to South Carolina
Still I'd love to live in Spain

Overall Meaning

The song "Lagoon" by Devendra Banhart follows his signature style of blending abstract and introspective lyrics with haunting melodies. The opening lines of the song, "Where'd you go, the red lagoon? Are you gonna be coming back soon? See, I stole your pack of goons and put them in this tune," create a vivid image of a mysterious disappearing entity and the singer's attempts to capture and recreate its essence in music. The use of colors, such as "red" and "blue," adds a dream-like quality to the lyrics, further emphasizing their abstract nature. The line "Your knuckles are out of tune" suggests a sense of discord or imbalance, perhaps within the singer themselves or in their relationship with the "blue buffoon."

The chorus of the song features the singer expressing their desire to live in different places, despite not having been there before. Lines such as "Never been to Minnesota, Still I'd love to live in Maine" and "Never been to Salamanca, Still I'd love to live in Spain" suggest a longing for new experiences and a sense of restlessness.

Overall, "Lagoon" is a complex and enigmatic song that invites the listener to enter Banhart's world of vivid colors, abstract imagery, and introspective musings.

Line by Line Meaning

Where'd you go, the red lagoon?
Asking where the person went to escape reality and find peace.

Are you gonna be coming back soon?
Inquiring about their return from that place of comfort.

See, I stole your pack of goons
Acknowledging that they took the person's worries and troubles.

And put them in this tune
Expressing that those worries and troubles are now trapped in the music.

Never been to Minnesota
The desire to see what's out there in the world.

Still I'd love to live in Maine
Expressing that Maine is a desirable location.

Never been to Salamanca
Showing the person's curiosity about new experiences.

Still I'd love to live in Spain
Expressing that Spain is a desirable location.

Where'd you go, the blue buffoon?
Asking where the person went this time to leave the reality again.

Your knuckles are out of tune
Noticing the person's discomfort or unease.

Your window doesn't face the moon
Highlighting the person's detachment from natural events around them.