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.

Won
Devendra Banhart Lyrics

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Won't you come home I surrender
I miss my sweet bag of bones
Drunk and tender
Why don't you want to stay here suspended
In the dead arms of a year that has ended

Can't see the shape of the song that we're singing
River too dirty for us to go swimming

Why would you want to stay clear of adoration
That disappears when you're near when you're close

Won't you come home I surrender
I miss my sweet bag of bones
Drunk and tender

Why don't you want to stay here suspended
In the dead arms of a year that has ended

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Devendra Banhart's song "Won't You Come Home" convey a sense of loneliness and longing for someone who has left. The singer addresses this person directly, expressing his desire for them to return to his life. The opening line "Won't you come home I surrender" is a plea for reconciliation and a willingness to let go of any past conflicts. The line "I miss my sweet bag of bones" communicates a sense of nostalgia for a time when the two were close, and the use of the word "sweet" suggests that the relationship was not devoid of love.

The subsequent lines "Drunk and tender / Why don't you want to stay here suspended / In the dead arms of a year that has ended" create a vivid image of the singer's state of mind. The words "drunk and tender" suggest that the singer is emotionally vulnerable and perhaps also intoxicated. The image of being suspended in the dead arms of a year that has ended implies a feeling of being stuck in the past, unable to move on from a relationship that has ended.

The final stanza expresses confusion on the part of the singer. He asks why the other person would want to stay away from the "adoration" that disappears when they are apart. This suggests that the feelings of love and affection are only present when they are in each other's company. The line "River too dirty for us to go swimming" adds another layer of frustration and the idea that external factors are creating obstacles to their relationship. The repetition of the opening stanza at the end reinforces the idea that the singer is still hoping for the other person to come back to him.

Line by Line Meaning

Won't you come home I surrender
I am admitting defeat and asking for you to come back

I miss my sweet bag of bones
I miss you, my dear

Drunk and tender
I am intoxicated and emotionally vulnerable

Why don't you want to stay here suspended
Why don't you want to stay here in this moment with me?

In the dead arms of a year that has ended
In this time that has passed and cannot be changed

Can't see the shape of the song that we're singing
I cannot make sense of our relationship

River too dirty for us to go swimming
We cannot enjoy something together because of external factors

Why would you want to stay clear of adoration
Why would you want to avoid being loved?

That disappears when you're near when you're close
But then seems to vanish when you are actually with me

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, BMG Rights Management
Written by: DEVENDRA BANHART

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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