Song Meaning
Devendra Banhart's "We All Know" operates in the liminal space between childlike wonder and existential unease, a sonic playground where simple truths collide with cryptic pronouncements. The opening lines, almost nursery rhyme-esque ("We all know that the wind blows / And the moon glows / And our lungs grow"), establish a foundation of shared, fundamental understanding. But Banhart quickly subverts this simplicity, plunging the listener into a more ambiguous realm. The "floating hand / That's made by some animals" suggests a primal, instinctual force at play, a connection to something larger and perhaps less refined than conscious thought. The song's meaning starts to unfurl, hinting at a collective unconscious, a shared human experience shaped by forces beyond our complete comprehension.
The cyclical nature of life and death is a persistent theme. The lines about dancing, letting go, removing clothes, and trading loans evoke a sense of shedding burdens and engaging in a transactional world, a temporary escape before the inevitable. The image of a "tongue that roots from your breast" is both sensual and unsettling, hinting at a deep, almost parasitic connection. The departure of a "good friend" towards a "homeland" and "inside land" can be seen as a metaphor for death or spiritual transcendence. The instruction to leave one's eyes at the "horizon's dead door" suggests a letting go of earthly perception, a reliance on inner vision rather than outward observation.
Ultimately, "We All Know," refuses to offer easy answers. The children "disappearing" and "reappearing as a seed of love" encapsulates the cycle of reincarnation or the enduring power of love in the face of loss. The line "the hard parts are vegetables" is pure Banhart—a playful, almost nonsensical statement that could be interpreted as a commentary on the challenges and unpalatable truths of life. The song circles back to its opening statement, "We all know," but now the phrase resonates with a deeper, more complex understanding. What we all *think* we know is constantly being challenged and redefined by the mysteries of existence, and Banhart invites us to embrace that uncertainty with a blend of whimsy and introspection.
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