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.
So Long Old Bean
Devendra Banhart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm getting carried up by the wind
Every time you get high
You might see me floating by
Well so long old bean
It's been a dream being with you
I couldn't tell us apart
Don't tread on me
When you float downstream
On a moonbeam
So long old bean
So long old bean
Here comes the Mapinguari singing awww
When's there gonna be an end to wondering
When all of our troubles are gonna end 'cause
We've had our fill of finding our empty pockets
Emptier still and there probably won't be
An end to that my friends
Now that my tralala's are dating
Little sips of the Hollywood bowl
They mute up my mind
How kind of them to mellow mellow mellow my soul
Well they're the gambling kind
As smooth as a tuba' ass on the dole
Money never beats soul
How noble
Don't forget me
When you float downstream
On a moonbeam
So long old bean
So long old bean
I'm a little firefly
Landing on you
The song So Long Old Bean by Devendra Banhart is a poignant and melancholic farewell to someone he once felt close to, but as time passed, the relationship became strained and disconnected. The opening lines, "Well these days I'm spread so thin, I'm getting carried up by the wind, every time you get high, you might see me floating by," indicates that the singer may have been neglected or forgotten by the subject during their times of hedonism. The singer feels lost and disconnected from the person they once knew intimately. They even say, "I couldn't tell us apart, oh and I know neither could you." This line could be interpreted in two ways. The first could be that the singer has lost such a sense of self that they cannot differentiate between their own identity and the other person's. The second possibility is that the two are so similar in thought and character that they appear to be the same person.
The second verse references the Mapinguari, a legendary creature in South American folklore, which is seen as a bad omen. The singer seems to be asking when their shared bad luck will end, and they won’t have to worry about being broke anymore. Devendra Banhart's lyrical style is cryptic and enigmatic, and the singer’s musings seem to be unordered, which could indicate a delirium of thoughts. The song then takes a lighthearted and whimsical turn with the mention of "little fireflies landing on you," returning to the theme of detachment and the fact that the singer feels as though they are merely a fly, insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
Line by Line Meaning
Well these days I'm spread so thin
I am feeling stretched thin and overwhelmed by my responsibilities and commitments.
I'm getting carried up by the wind
I am feeling directionless and out of control, like the wind is taking me wherever it pleases.
Every time you get high
Whenever you are under the influence of drugs, alcohol or other substances,
You might see me floating by
You might see me pass by, quite possibly without any notice or acknowledgement.
Well so long old bean
Farewell, my dear friend.
It's been a dream being with you
It has been a wonderful experience spending time with you.
I couldn't tell us apart
We were so close and alike that it was hard to differentiate who was who.
Oh and I know neither could you
I am sure you felt the same way as I did and were unable to separate us.
Don't tread on me
Please do not harm me or walk all over me, I need to be respected.
When you float downstream
When you are going with the flow,
On a moonbeam
In a peaceful, dreamlike state.
Here comes the Mapinguari singing awww
A mythical creature from Amazonian folklore is approaching, making a sound of awe or admiration.
When's there gonna be an end to wondering
When will we stop wondering and worrying about things?
When all of our troubles are gonna end 'cause
When we will finally be rid of all our problems and struggles,
We've had our fill of finding our empty pockets
We are tired of living with financial difficulties and poverty.
Emptier still and there probably won't be
Things are only getting worse and there doesn't seem to be any hope in sight.
An end to that my friends
Unfortunately, it appears there will be no resolution or conclusion in the near future.
Now that my tralala's are dating
Now that my infatuations and frivolous passions are developing into more serious relationships,
Little sips of the Hollywood bowl
Small drinks of the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle,
They mute up my mind
They quiet and calm my thoughts, making me feel peaceful.
How kind of them to mellow mellow mellow my soul
I am grateful for how much they are easing my mind and spirit.
Well they're the gambling kind
They are risky and uncertain.
As smooth as a tuba' ass on the dole
They are as slick and effortless as something that is already at ease and unburdened.
Money never beats soul
One's personal value and sense of self are always more important than any amount of money.
How noble
How admirable and respectable.
I'm a little firefly
I am small, insignificant and vulnerable.
Landing on you
I am finding refuge and support in you, regardless of your size or status.
So long old bean
Farewell, my dear friend.
So long old bean
Farewell, my dear friend.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DEVENDRA BANHART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Thais Nicols
on Mi Negrita
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