Sakamoto began his career while at university in the 1970s as a session musician, producer, and arranger. His first major success came in 1978 as co-founder of YMO. He concurrently pursued a solo career, releasing the experimental electronic fusion album Thousand Knives in 1978. Two years later, he released the album B-2 Unit. It included the track "Riot in Lagos", which was significant in the development of electro and hip hop music. He went on to produce more solo records, and collaborate with many international artists, David Sylvian, Carsten Nicolai, Youssou N'Dour, and Fennesz among them. Sakamoto composed music for the opening ceremony of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and his composition "Energy Flow" (1999) was the first instrumental number-one single in Japan's Oricon charts history.
As a film-score composer, Sakamoto had won an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Grammy, and 2 Golden Globe Awards. Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) marked his debut as both an actor and a film-score composer; its main theme was adapted into the single "Forbidden Colours" which became an international hit. His most successful work as a film composer was The Last Emperor (1987), after which he continued earning accolades composing for films such as The Sheltering Sky (1990), Little Buddha (1993), and The Revenant (2015). On occasion, Sakamoto has also worked as a composer and a scenario writer on anime and video games. In 2009, he was awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the Ministry of Culture of France for his contributions to music.
Sakamoto entered the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in 1970, earning a B.A. in music composition and an M.A. with special emphasis on both electronic and ethnic music. He studied ethnomusicology there with the intention of becoming a researcher in the field, due to his interest in various world music traditions, particularly the Japanese (especially Okinawan), Indian and African musical traditions. He was also trained in classical music and began experimenting with the electronic music equipment available at the university, including synthesizers such as the Buchla, Moog, and ARP. One of Sakamoto's classical influences was Claude Debussy, who he described as his "hero" and stated that "Asian music heavily influenced Debussy, and Debussy heavily influenced me. So, the music goes around the world and comes full circle."
Sakamoto released his first solo album Thousand Knives of Ryūichi Sakamoto in mid-1978 with the help of Hideki Matsutake—Hosono also contributed to the song "Thousand Knives". The album experimented with different styles, such as "Thousand Knives" and "The End of Asia"—in which electronic music was fused with traditional Japanese music—while "Grasshoppers" is a more minimalistic piano song. The album was recorded from April to July 1978 with a variety of electronic musical instruments, including various synthesizers, such as the KORG PS-3100, a polyphonic synthesizer; the Oberheim Eight-Voice; the Moog III-C; the Polymoog, the Minimoog; the Micromoog; the Korg VC-10, which is a vocoder; the KORG SQ-10, which is an analog sequencer; the Syn-Drums, an electronic drum kit; and the microprocessor-based Roland MC-8 Microcomposer, which is a music sequencer that was programmed by Matsutake and played by Sakamoto. A version of the song "Thousand Knives" was released on the Yellow Magic Orchestra's 1981 album BGM. This version was one of the earliest uses of the Roland TR-808 drum machine, for YMO's live performance of "1000 Knives" in 1980 and their BGM album release in 1981.
Sakamoto's production credits represent a prolific career in this role. In 1983, he produced Mari Iijima's debut album Rosé, the same year that the Yellow Magic Orchestra was disbanded. Sakamoto subsequently worked with artists such as Thomas Dolby; Aztec Camera, on the Dreamland (1993) album; and Imai Miki, co-producing her 1994 album A Place In The Sun. In 1996, Sakamoto produced "Mind Circus", the first single from actress Miki Nakatani, leading to a collaboration period spanning 9 singles and 7 albums though 2001.
Roddy Frame, who worked with Sakamoto as a member of Aztec Camera, explained in a 1993 interview preceding the release of "Dreamland" that he had had to wait a lengthy period of time before he was able to work with Sakamoto, who wrote two soundtracks, a solo album and the music for the opening ceremony at the Barcelona Olympics, prior to working with Frame over four weeks in a New York studio. Frame said that he was impressed by the work of YMO and the Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence soundtrack, explaining: "That's where you realise that the atmosphere around his compositions is actually in the writing - it's got nothing to do with synthesisers." Frame's decision to ask Sakamoto was finalized after he saw his performance at the Japan Festival that was held in London, United Kingdom.
Sakamoto began working in films, as a composer and actor, in Nagisa Oshima's Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1983), for which he composed the score, title theme, and the duet "Forbidden Colours" with David Sylvian. Sakamoto later composed Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor (1987), which earned him the Academy Award with fellow composers David Byrne and Cong Su. In that same year, he composed the score to the cult-classic anime film Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise. Sakamoto also went on to compose the score of the opening ceremony for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, telecast live to an audience of over a billion viewers.
Other films scored by Sakamoto include Pedro Almodóvar's Tacones lejanos (High Heels) (1991); Bertolucci's The Little Buddha (1993); Oliver Stone's Wild Palms (1993); John Maybury's Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon (1998); Brian De Palma's Snake Eyes (1998) and Femme Fatale (2002); Oshima's Gohatto (1999); and Jun Ichikawa's (director of the Mitsui ReHouse commercial from 1997 to 1999 starring Chizuru Ikewaki and Mao Inoue) Tony Takitani (2005).
Several tracks from Sakamoto's earlier solo albums have also appeared in film soundtracks. In particular, variations of "Chinsagu No Hana" (from Beauty) and "Bibo No Aozora" (from 1996) provide the poignant closing pieces for Sue Brooks's Japanese Story (2003) and Alejandro González Iñárritu's Babel (2006), respectively. In 2015, Sakamoto teamed up with Iñárritu to score his film, The Revenant starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy.
Sakamoto also acted in several films: perhaps his most notable performance was as the conflicted Captain Yonoi in Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, alongside Takeshi Kitano and British rock singer David Bowie. He also played roles in The Last Emperor (as Masahiko Amakasu) and Madonna's "Rain" music video.
In 1994, Japan Football Association asked Sakamoto to compose the instrumental song "Japanese Soccer Anthem". This instrumental song played at the beginning of Japan Football Association-sponsored events, such as Emperor's Cup matches.
In 2006 Sakamoto, in collaboration with Japanese music company Avex Group, founded Commmons (コモンズ, Komonzu), a record label seeking to change the manner in which music is produced. Sakamoto has explained that Commmons is not his label, but is a platform for all aspiring artists to join as equal collaborators to share the benefits of the music industry. On the initiative's "About" page, the label is described as a project that "aims to find new possibilities for music, while making meaningful contribution to culture and society". The name "Commmons" is spelt with three "m"s because the third "m" stands for music.
Sakamoto's first of three marriages occurred in 1972, but ended in divorce two years later—Sakamoto has a daughter from this relationship. Sakamoto then married popular Japanese pianist and singer Akiko Yano in 1982, following several musical collaborations with her, including touring work with the Yellow Magic Orchestra. Sakamoto's second marriage ended in August 2006, 14 years after a mutual decision to live separately—Yano and Sakamoto raised one daughter, J-pop singer Miu Sakamoto. He has lived with his manager and wife Norika Sora since around 1990 and has two children with her.
Beginning in June 2014, Sakamoto took a year-long hiatus after he was diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer. In 2015, he returned, stating: "Right now I'm good. I feel better. Much, much better. I feel energy inside, but you never know. The cancer might come back in three years, five years, maybe 10 years. Also the radiation makes your immune system really low. It means I'm very susceptible to another cancer in my body."
On June 14, 2018, a documentary about the life and work of Sakamoto, entitled Coda, was released. The film follows Sakamoto as he recovers from cancer and resumes creating music, protests nuclear power plants following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster, and creates field recordings in a variety of locales. Directed by Stephen Nomura Schible, the documentary was met with critical praise.
On January 21, 2021, Sakamoto shared a link on his official pages, which contained a letter announcing that though his throat cancer went into remission, he was now diagnosed with rectal cancer, and that was currently undergoing treatment after a successful surgery. He wrote: "From now on, I will be living alongside cancer. But, I am hoping to make music for a little while longer".
A Day In The Park
坂本龍一 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I AM THE ONE
WHO'S THINKING LOVE YOU
STOP, BABY LOOK, BABY DON'T GO
I AM THE ONE
WHO REALLY LOVES YOU
STOP, BABY LOOK, BABY DON'T GO
WHO REALLY LOVES YOU
STOP, BABY LOOK, BABY DON'T GO
I AM THE ONE
WHO'S THINKING LOVE YOU
STOP, BABY LOOK, BABY DON'T GO
I AM THE ONE
WHO REALLY LOVES YOU
STOP, BABY LOOK, BABY DON'T GO
I AM THE ONE
WHO'S THINKING LOVE YOU
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING BABY
I KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO GO
BUT BEFORE YOU MAKE THE MISTAKE
OF WALKING OUT LOVE'S DOOR
YOU'VE GOT TO
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING BABY
I KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO GO
BUT BEFORE YOU MAKE THE MISTAKE
OF WALKING OUT LOVE'S DOOR
YOU'VE GOT TO
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING BABY
I KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO GO
BUT BEFORE YOU MAKE THE MISTAKE
OF WALKING OUT LOVE'S DOOR
YOU'VE GOT TO
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING BABY
I KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO GO
BUT BEFORE YOU MAKE THE MISTAKE
OF WALKING OUT LOVE'S DOOR
YOU'VE GOT TO
STOP, BABY LOOK, BABY DON'T GO
I AM THE ONE
WHO'S THINKING LOVE YOU
STOP, BABY LOOK, BABY DON'T GO
I AM THE ONE
WHO REALLY LOVES YOU
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING BABY
STOP, BABY LOOK, BABY DON'T GO
I KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO GO
BUT BEFORE YOU MAKE THE MISTAKE
OF WALKING OUT LOVE'S DOOR
YOU'VE GOT TO
The lyrics of "A Day In The Park" by 坂本龍一 express a desperate plea from the singer to their love interest to stay and not leave. The repeated lines of "STOP, BABY LOOK, BABY DON'T GO" and "I AM THE ONE WHO REALLY LOVES YOU" emphasize the urgency and sincerity of the message being conveyed. The singer is adamant in expressing their feelings, repeatedly urging the listener to stop and consider their emotions before making a decision to walk away.
The lyrics convey a sense of vulnerability and fear of losing the person they love. The repetition of "I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING BABY" suggests that the singer is aware of the doubts and uncertainties in the listener's mind regarding the relationship. Despite this, the singer is determined to convince them of the depth of their love and the importance of staying together.
The line "BUT BEFORE YOU MAKE THE MISTAKE OF WALKING OUT LOVE'S DOOR" highlights the singer's belief that leaving the relationship would be a mistake, urging the listener to reconsider their decision. The use of imagery with "WALKING OUT LOVE'S DOOR" symbolizes the abrupt and irreversible nature of walking away from love, implying that once they leave, it will be difficult to return to what they had.
Overall, the lyrics of "A Day In The Park" capture the emotions of desperation, love, and a plea for reconciliation. The singer's heartfelt expression of love and the fear of losing their partner are central themes in the song, creating a poignant and emotional plea for the listener to stay and not make the mistake of walking away from the love they share.
Line by Line Meaning
STOP, BABY LOOK, BABY DON'T GO
Pause, my love, please reconsider leaving
I AM THE ONE WHO'S THINKING LOVE YOU
I am the one who is constantly thinking about loving you
I AM THE ONE WHO REALLY LOVES YOU
I am the one who truly loves you
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING BABY
I understand what is on your mind, my dear
I KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO GO
I know that you feel like leaving
BUT BEFORE YOU MAKE THE MISTAKE
But before you make a regrettable decision
OF WALKING OUT LOVE'S DOOR
Of walking away from love
YOU'VE GOT TO
You must
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: VIVIAN SESSOMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DiegochaconOmstart
Stop, Baby, Look, Baby, Don't go
Cause i'm the one who's thinking of you
Stop, Baby, Look, Baby, Don't go
Cause i'm the one who really loves you
Stop, Baby, Look, Baby, Don't go
Cause i'm the one who really loves you
Stop, Baby, Look, Baby, Don't go
Cause i'm the one who's thinking of you
I know what you're thinking baby
I know that you want to go
But before you make the mistake
Of walking out love's door you've got to
@iamg2ko48
同じコード進行の繰り返しなんですが、ずっと聴いていたくなる心地良さは坂本マジック。
@peridusk6128
It's crazy how sakamoto can go from classical to hiphop and electronic, his discography is great
@paolatraiani1815
Stesso tuo pensiero ....e quindi Sakamoto e' un grandissimo artista❤❤❤❤
@tomislavzdunic802
Sakamoto.. David sylvian.. Two esoteric diamond in music sky..
@bowbowbow9954
i just love this song so much
@kerbelltin8970
자주산책했던 과거 집앞의 공원을 회상하며 들으면 그저 신비롭고 아득한 기억속으로 빠지게 만드는 음악
@DiegochaconOmstart
Stop, Baby, Look, Baby, Don't go
Cause i'm the one who's thinking of you
Stop, Baby, Look, Baby, Don't go
Cause i'm the one who really loves you
Stop, Baby, Look, Baby, Don't go
Cause i'm the one who really loves you
Stop, Baby, Look, Baby, Don't go
Cause i'm the one who's thinking of you
I know what you're thinking baby
I know that you want to go
But before you make the mistake
Of walking out love's door you've got to
@gex9999
I'm a big fan from Manila of Sakamoto-San. His music truly inspires me. ☺
@ATARAXIADP
Hermosa decadencia auditiva. Toda una experiencia estetica sin lugar a dudas...
@mgpattison
I've had this song on repeat for about two months now. Just hits different, I guess