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.
NOAH
Devendra Banhart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To what you and I appreciate
To what you and I appreciate
Noah is a cowboy
But nobody knows
Can guys owed ill socks? wtf?
Still nobody knows
Not everyone can relate
To what you and I appreciate
Not everyone can relate
To what you and I appreciate
But no you'd like to ride away
But it's hard with horseshoes made of clay
The selfish friend that I am says stay
My friend,
My friend,
My friend
These lyrics from Devendra Banhart's song Noah are open to interpretation but there are different ways to approach them. On one hand, it could be interpreted as a commentary on the artist’s sense of alienation, on how he and a select few appreciate certain things that might not necessarily appeal to everyone. The song might shine a light on how people can feel ostracized because they have unique interests, tastes or experiences. The persona that Devendra Banhart adopts in the song is named Noah, a cowboy. The name and character of Noah might be a reference to the biblical story of Noah and the Ark, which might suggest the idea of purity, a clean slate, or salvation. However, the song does not make it clear whether Noah is an actual person or just a fictional character.
The second verse is intriguing and also adds to the song’s overall ambiguity. The reference to socks and the question “Can guys owed ill socks?” is puzzling, and might not have a clear meaning. It might be that the line is meant to rhyme, or it could be a nod to a specific person or event that might only be known to the songwriter. It seems likely that the line was included because of how it sounds when sung in the context of the song, more than because it was supposed to mean something.
To follow up on the idea expressed in the first verse, the chorus repeats the lines “Not everyone can relate to what you and I appreciate” twice. This drives home the idea that there are things that can connect people that are hard to explain or describe, that are not universal. The lines might be a call to arms of sorts to those who feel different, to those who are into things that are not mainstream, to embrace and celebrate those differences.
Line by Line Meaning
Not everyone can relate,
Some people may not understand or appreciate what we do.
To what you and I appreciate
We share a unique appreciation for something uncommon or overlooked.
Noah is a cowboy
There is a character named Noah, who is likened to a cowboy.
But nobody knows
The character is unknown or mysterious to others.
Can guys owed ill socks? wtf?
This line does not have a clear interpretation and may be nonsense.
Still nobody knows
The character remains unknown to others.
But no you'd like to ride away
Despite this, you would like to leave or escape.
But it's hard with horseshoes made of clay
It is difficult to depart given limitations or obstacles.
The selfish friend that I am says stay
Despite this difficulty, the artist selfishly wants the person to stay.
My friend,
The artist addresses the person as a friend.
My friend,
The singer continues to address the person as a friend.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DEVENDRA BANHART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Aoiii
The evolution of this men is beautiful. Thankyou for bringing us back to the present moment.
@m-am7491
such a simple person with a golden heart and true artist saying something meaningful , i love this dude , a true legend !
@ArthurMelobh
Holy Moly Guacamole
@lorenzomoro9286
This is what I was waiting for.
I love hearing Harold Budd's influence in the usage of the steel guitar, blended with those amazing analog synths.
The video is lit!
@floda_reltih
Zupełnie jak chleb z masłem, musztardą i dżemem. Wszystko pycha.
@SPLENDIDZEN
Recuerdo que hace ya muchos años, en una entrevista de radio, él había hablado sobre la embriaguez de las aves al comer de los frutos pasados de maduración... Ahora toca emborracharse otra vez con su música...
@SPLENDIDZEN
I remember that many years ago, in a radio interview, he had talked about the intoxication of birds when eating the fruits past ripening... Now it's time to get drunk again with his music...
@rockpepaine
Background music for reading Devendra's poems in a cozy mountain cabin.
@guilhermearruda1021
Abraços de um triste Brasil...
@douglashgs
:((