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.
Long Song
Devendra Banhart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Song sung it sparkles and shines
You paint the pools that lie on their backs
Skip a stone and spit past the cracks
Blue song sung loose at my knees
The wind sing for horseflies and bees
Well who knows, explain
Who knows, explain
Who knows, explain
The sea song for sights your eyes find
Your eyes note of colors and lines
The sad song as the weather hold hands
The love song stood loose but it stands
The movers moved away
The song sung let it stay
The movers moved away
The song sung let it stay
The sea song for sights your eyes find
Your eyes note of colors and lines
The sad song as the weather held hands
The love song stood loose but it stands
The movers moved away
The song sung let it stay
Well who knows, explain
Who knows, explain
Devendra Banhart's "Long Song" appears to be a meditation on the power of music to evoke emotions and conjure up vivid images. The lyrics speak of different types of songs - a blue song, a sea song, a sad song, and a love song - each with its own unique qualities and associations. The repetition of the refrain "Who knows, explain" suggests that the singer is contemplating the mysteries of music and its ability to communicate feelings that are difficult to put into words.
The first verse of the song seems to be describing a scene in nature, with pools and stones and cracks. The image of skipping a stone and spitting is evocative of playful, carefree moments spent by the water. When the chorus comes in, the tone shifts to something more melancholy, with a "blue song" that is "sung loose at my knees." The singer seems to be touched by something sad, but they are not sure exactly what it is.
The second half of the song returns to the sea and the power of music. The "sea song" is for "sights your eyes find" and "colors and lines," which suggests that music can help us see things in a new way or appreciate the beauty around us more fully. The "sad song" is linked to the weather, as if the singer is feeling down in response to a grey and dreary day. But the "love song" is more resilient, standing strong even though the "movers moved away." In the end, the singer seems to be saying that the song is the thing that matters most - "let it stay" - even if we can't fully understand why it moves us.
Line by Line Meaning
Long song with words of all kinds
This song is long and contains all kinds of words
Song sung it sparkles and shines
This song is beautiful and shines brightly when sung
You paint the pools that lie on their backs
You create a picture of the upside-down reflections in pools
Skip a stone and spit past the cracks
You throw a rock and spit through the gaps in the ground
Blue song sung loose at my knees
This song is a relaxed, slow and melancholic blue tune at my knees
The wind sing for horseflies and bees
The wind makes music for the insects in the air
Well who knows, explain
I don't know, can you explain?
The sea song for sights your eyes find
This song is inspired by the sights your eyes see in the sea
Your eyes note of colors and lines
Your eyes focus on the colors and patterns they see
The sad song as the weather hold hands
This song is sad as the weather also seems sad and gloomy
The love song stood loose but it stands
This song started off as a loose, relaxed love tune, but it still holds up
The movers moved away
People have moved away
The song sung let it stay
But let this song stay
Well who knows, explain
I still don't know, can you explain?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Devendra Banhart
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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