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.
Maria Lionza
Devendra Banhart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That this is a moment without any meaning
This is a moment without any meaning
Let's make the most of when we stopped believing
Love is the only thing truly worth grieving
Love is the only thing truly worth needing
Lady hand me real arrows
Who do you love
The lover you can't forget
Who do you love
Or the lover you haven't met
Who do you love
The lover you can't forget
Who do you love
Or the lover you haven't met
The lyrics of Devendra Banhart's song "Maria Lionza" are open to interpretation, but they seem to express the idea that sometimes our experiences lack meaning, but we can still appreciate and cherish them. The first stanza encourages us to raise a toast to an elusive feeling of emptiness, acknowledging that it is part of the human experience. The repetition of "this is a moment without any meaning" suggests that the singer is trying to convince himself of this fact and perhaps alleviate some existential anguish.
The second stanza seems to present love as the only thing that can give substance to our lives in the face of meaninglessness. The affirmation that "love is the only thing truly worth grieving" portrays love as something that makes us vulnerable and exposes us to the risk of loss, but also something that is worth fighting for. The song's title is a reference to a Venezuelan folk saint who is considered a protector of love, fertility, and abundance. By invoking Maria Lionza, the singer might be seeking her aid in finding love or coping with the absence of love.
The chorus poses a question that has been asked by many a love song: whom do you love? The options presented are the lover you can't forget, and the lover you haven't met. The ambiguity of these options opens up the possibility that the song is not just about romantic love, but also about the various forms of love that we encounter in our lives.
Overall, "Maria Lionza" is a beautifully poetic song that captures the bittersweetness of life and the human yearning for connection and meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's drink a toast to that strange old feeling
Let's celebrate the inexplicable emotions we experience at times without fully understanding them
That this is a moment without any meaning
This is a moment devoid of any particular significance
This is a moment without any meaning
This is still a moment that can be meaningful in its own way
Let's make the most of when we stopped believing
Let's take advantage of the moment when we ceased to hold certain beliefs
Love is the only thing truly worth grieving
Love is the only thing that deserves our sadness and regret when it is lost
Love is the only thing truly worth needing
Out of all the things in life, love is the only one that we truly require
Maria Lionza
Referring to the Venezuelan goddess of nature and love, Maria Lionza
Lady hand me real arrows
Asking the goddess for help in finding true love or directing it towards the right person
Who do you love
Asking a broader question about the nature of love and whom we choose to direct that feeling towards
The lover you can't forget
The person who has left such a lasting impact that they cannot be forgotten
Who do you love
Repeated question calling into question the nature of love
Or the lover you haven't met
Is it possible to feel love for someone we haven't even met yet, or for a love that has not yet materialized?
Who do you love
One final instance of the question, looking for a deeper understanding of love
The lover you can't forget
Reiterating the idea that some loves are so strong that they can never be forgotten or replaced
Who do you love
The song ends on a final question, highlighting the complexity and ambiguity of love
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DEVENDRA BANHART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Thais Nicols
on Mi Negrita
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