Devendra Banhart: Carmensita (music video)
I pretty much could not love this video any more than I do. Hindu gods, Naturalismo, Natalie Portman, psych-folk-en-español, and the funkiest dance of destruction ever to come out of the Bhagavad Gita by way of a Caracas 'shroom stash. It's the first video from Venezuelan-Texan Devendra Banhart's latest album, Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon. Felicidad ciento porciento garantizada, homies. (Thanks, Jolon!)
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Ah, the very definition of wonderfulness! Crush the cripple crow into mashed bananas!!
I know right? WHERE ARE YOU MY RATTY-ASSED COMPADRE!
yah! goodnitudity!
I actually just ran into Devendra and Natalie in a bar in LA last night. Adorable ass people.
This video has convinced me to overcome my inherent dislike for Devendra for stealing Natalie away from me (not that we'd ever met, mind you...). Between this and his cover of "Little Boxes" on the "Song of America" compilation album, I can almost bring myself to like the guy.
I watched the video, laughed, liked the tune, sent the youtube link to a buddy, who watched it, laughed, and liked the tune so much he went and bought it on iTunes.
Only reason I didn't buy it then and there was that I'd rather buy a physical CD, at some point. I'm old-fashioned, that way.
"I will release the fire of pain trapped within my body and immolate myself."
Been there.
Well, I'd like to teach Natalie Portman the ways of riding the Homunculus Wingding, but now I'm thinking it looks a little dangerous, and mebbe I just oughta wait a little longer.
Garantizada Xeni, happiness is femenine ;-)
Any other Katamari fans notice the royal rainbow at 3:00? First time I saw this, I was singing, "I want to roll you up into my life" to myself for the rest of the day.
@#9 d'oh! of course it is, it is late and i am sloppy.
Yeah!!!!!!! happy dance!
fantabulious!
This pretty much pushed me to overload for joy.
devendra, natalie, katamari. I can rest happily.
i actually like the song a great deal. which is saying a lot, as the cultural expropriation thing is deeply irritating, and banhart's voice and delivery usually make me want to throw him down a well.
i'll call it a draw.
I am sending this one down to my wife in Mexico City at the Intl AIDS conference, with the hope that they'll adopt it as the official video of the conference. बहुत हास्यास्पद है!
@14 - but when "they" borrow "our" culture that's more ok?
No, it was awesome.
I do agree that there is something about Banhart's delivery, but for me it's a sort of acquired taste. Like Dylan.
~~~
Finally some artistic appreciation for octopus-human love.
It's a music video that is entirely informedf by the Indian TV show The Mahabarata.
Though the effects here are superior to the show.
Cult viewing...not that Hinduism is a cult I hasten to add.
So culture is a form of physical property that is diminished through sharing? Please, do elaborate.
Natalie Portman? Pfft.
If you look closely, you may recognize the fabulous Kat Dennings as the beautiful blue babe Kali. We love you Kat!
Does anyone know where the dance at 3.36 - 3.42 is from? It's used during a Kanye West song in Dave Chappelle's Block Party as well.
Octopus!!
And here I thought I'd have to go to bed without seeing Devendra's pubic area!
This is lovely and I'm glad to see it!
This clip really reminds me of Blubber Boy by Regurgitator. Low-fi retelling of appropriated stories from other culture with sub-titles and such. Not that they're the same or they've ripped the idea - it's just similar.
(lower-case warning: Blubber Boy contains repeated use of the c-bomb, but having said that it received significant radio and tv play in Australia at the time, so your delicate little ears and sensibilities will probably survive intact.)
#14: the cultural expropriation thing is deeply irritating
Isn't there a saying along the lines of "all art is a mash-up"? No, wait. "All art is a complicated financial instrument"? Err something like that.
Natalie and Kat (if that's who it was) were especially nice.
The next time I get trolled, I'm going to say "Love your dress - who made it?" And then I will deploy crystal bubbles to cremate out troubles! Can't wait!
@#25, I said:
Kat (if that's who it was)
Not to question the person who said it was Kat Dennings, I'm just saying I can't personally tell, with the the make-up.
Anyway, fantastic video! Thanks for sharing!
at least he is Jewish.
#17: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dream_of_the_Fisherman's_Wife
the most funny thing about the song, is the lyric... he is singing about drinking rum (ron pampero) and getting drunk with his cousin Bernardo (from venezuela) in Caracas. thats why in the chorus sings BERNA!!
Saludos desde Venezuela.
el niño.
It's a wonderful thing.
Y'know, I've been grooving on Devendra Banhart a lot lately, and I love him, but I can't seem to shake the sensation that there's just something ... Satanic about that dude. And I'm not religious by any means, so it's not like I go around calling people dark-sided or nothin', but still...
How many letters are in the alphabet of desire?
@#32:
Four.
L
O
V
E
Hmm. I would have guessed a hundred and eight.
oh man, I love this song. great video
that video was glorious. i am officially turned on to the new ish.