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.

There Was Sun
Devendra Banhart Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, i know i was born, i was born
When i slipped out of my mother's womb
And i know it was warm, it was warm
'Cause i slipped out on a hot afternoon
Oh waouh oh

And i know there was sun, there was sun
When i felt it on my human skin

And i know it was done, it was done

When i saw the moon rising
Ah ah ah

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Devendra Banhart's song "There Was Sun" are simple yet profound. The opening lines "Well, I know I was born, I was born, when I slipped out of my mother's womb" depict the beginning of life. It is a beautiful way to describe birth as slipping out of the mother's womb. The artist acknowledges his own existence and the experience of being born. The following line, "And I know it was warm, it was warm, 'cause I slipped out on a hot afternoon" is not only a description of the temperature, but it's a beautiful image of the warmth of the mother's embrace.

The second verse, "And I know there was sun, there was sun, when I felt it on my human skin" reveals the artist's awareness of the world and himself. The sun here symbolizes the power of life and brings light to the world. It also represents the deep connection that the artist has with nature. The concluding lines, "And I know it was done, it was done, when I saw the moon rising" evidently signifies the end of the day. The artist perhaps describes leaving behind the light and the warmth of the day while being filled with a sense of the beauty of the world around him.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, i know i was born, i was born
I am aware that I came into this world through the passage of birth

When i slipped out of my mother's womb
I made my swift exit from the comfortable abode of my mother's uterus

And i know it was warm, it was warm
I was welcomed into the world by a pleasant sensation of coziness and temperateness

'Cause i slipped out on a hot afternoon
It was a scorching day when I made my grand entrance into the world

And i know there was sun, there was sun
I experienced the brightness and warmth emanating from the star at the center of our solar system

When i felt it on my human skin
I distinctly remember the embrace of the rays on my flesh and bones that marked my presence on this earth

And i know it was done, it was done
I was certain that a particular momentous event had taken place

When i saw the moon rising
It was when I witnessed the celestial body ascending into the sky, signifying the end of a day and the beginning of a new era

Ah ah ah
These sounds are an expression of my emotions and gratitude for the blessings of life and the universe

Contributed by Josiah S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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