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't You Come Home
Devendra Banhart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
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
Eric Nathaniel
When I get married, I’m definitely going to dance to this song with my wife
BROOKLYN MURPHY
What a gorgeous song. Hypnotic voice. Beautiful.
Hamburglar247
I came from "That Awkward Moment'' movie. Really good movie i have rewatched it maybe 5 times? I keep coming back to it idk why but the soundtrack for this movie is insane. Every song in that movie just hits perfectly! I recommend you watch it if you haven't :)
Aleeza Abbasi
Me too! Didn't love the movie, but the soundtrack is amazing.
Carlos Fandango
Wow, just how personal can a songwriter get? Absolutely love it.
Marlon n
Llevaba 3años buscando está canción y hoy 25/08/2020 por fin la puedo disfrutar ♥️
Prov - SJ
I want to travel to an unknown city and once there go out by the night with a stranger I just met and start to talk about no specific subject. Walk with that person the entire city 'til dawn and the moments of silence just hear this song and enjoy the experience. That is one of my goals in life.
Prov - SJ
@Soda boj 6 years later I’ve had the chance to live this experience more than once… very happy that you had yours too! You won’t ever forget it
Soda boj
It's been 6 years since your comment but I think I've lived through something similar to this. I've went abroad to study to a different city in my country and on my faculty I've met the most beatiful girl on my classes, she was also a newcomer in this city. One night we went out for a beer for the first time, spent the whole night wandering around a "small-ish" coastal city without seeing a single person outside. We came to my place to eat something and have a beer and more cigarettes and in the meantime there was also music from this guy, but the song was Hey Mama Wolf, which is pretty spiritual to me every single time I listen to it now as it was then. This girl was a dream. We've spent the whole night together, talking, listening to music and going through all sorts of things and when I went to sleep all I dreamt about was her. I've had like dozens of dreams that were memorable because she was there with me. It was an experience for sure
Rez Logan
I’ve done it. A guy walked and t with me awhile and started asking where I lived, so I got creeped out and walked around near a homeless shelter until he left. Even as a young man, predators can single you out if you seem too trusting.