This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
All my fingers ran off
And I just couldn't follow them
Your eyelash was an island
And your eyes were someone's friend
How could that have been
Well I heard it was a real sweet thing
Now when my smells grew some new smells
And I just couldn't smell them all
I smell my sister in the winter
And my father in the fall
Cross sand and snow
A tired moan
And I just couldn't follow them
Your eyelash was an island
And your eyes were someone's friend
How could that have been
Well I heard it was a real sweet thing
Now when my smells grew some new smells
And I just couldn't smell them all
I smell my sister in the winter
And my father in the fall
Cross sand and snow
A tired moan
Lyrics submitted by Sum1LsesChpstck
An Island Lyrics as written by Devendra Banhart
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think this song is about transending into the world(Hopefully that makes sence. Where, "your eyelash was an island, and your eye was someones friend". The idea that everything was something before it was something else; or simply reincarnation. As far as, "I smell my sister in the winter and my father in the fall", this is probably about nature rather than actuall people. We all were grown from the earth, therefor we are all family.
Devendra is a psychedelic Guru.