Song Meaning
Devendra Banhart's "Owl Eyes" drifts in on a wave of surreal imagery, immediately hooking the listener into its enigmatic core. The opening line, "Send me up owl eyes unwinding," suggests a desire for elevated perception, a shedding of earthly constraints. The mention of "Asia and all your little diamonds" evokes a sense of exotic allure, possibly hinting at the seductive nature of ephemeral beauty or fleeting experiences. The repetition of "all your little diamonds" emphasizes their precious yet ultimately transient quality, like memories sparkling brightly before fading into the subconscious. These "diamonds" could also represent the fragmented pieces of a past relationship or a former self.
The second verse plunges into deeper psychological territory. "Everybody that's inside me / Buries the body that's behind me" speaks to the constant negotiation between the present self and the accumulated layers of past experiences and identities. The "body that's behind me" isn't necessarily a literal corpse, but rather the remnants of who Banhart once was—the discarded skins of personal evolution. This burial is a necessary act of self-preservation, a way to move forward without being weighed down by the ghosts of yesterday. Yet, the phrasing implies a certain violence, a forceful suppression of the past by the multitude of voices and influences that now constitute the singer's inner world.
Ultimately, "Owl Eyes" is a brief but potent meditation on transformation and the burdens of memory. Banhart doesn't offer easy answers; instead, he presents a series of evocative images that invite listeners to explore their own internal landscapes. The song's meaning is not a fixed point, but a fluid, shifting constellation of emotions and ideas, reflecting the complex and ever-changing nature of the human psyche. The request to be sent up with "owl eyes" is a plea to see beyond the surface, to understand the hidden depths of oneself and the world.
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