Japan, which also included Mick Karn, Rob Dean, Richard Barbieri and Sylvian's brother Steve Jansen, started out as a confusing hybrid rock/sleaze outfit in the mould of David Bowie and The New York Dolls. Their music quickly evolved as, at least to begin with, they drew heavily on the influence of Roxy Music's art rock stylings. Their visual image developed in parallel and the band were (unwillingly) tagged as forerunners of the New Romantic movement.
Japan recorded five studio albums between March 1978 and November 1981. Their biggest hit single, the minimalist Ghosts, which reached the Top 5 in the UK charts in 1982, was a clear pointer to Sylvian's future direction. After a successful tour, the band split in late 1982, and Sylvian embarked upon a solo career.
Around the time of Sylvian's first solo album he collaborated with 坂本龍一 (Ryuichi Sakamoto) on the soundtrack music for the Nagisa Oshima film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), which produced a Top 20 hit single, Forbidden Colours.
Sylvian's debut solo album, the jazz and ambient-influenced Brilliant Trees (1984), met with critical acclaim and yielded the single Red Guitar, another Top 20 hit. Guest artists included Jon Hassell and Holger Czukay. His follow-up was an instrumental EP Alchemy which cemented his drift away from commercial pop
The EP was in turn followed by the double album Gone to Earth (1986), which flouted convention (and perhaps commercial wisdom) by featuring one record of songs (predominantly atmospheric ballads) and one consisting almost entirely of ambient instrumental tracks. Guest artists included guitarists Robert Fripp and Bill Nelson.
His third album, Secrets of the Beehive (1987), was more acoustic and oriented towards somber, emotive ballads laced with string arrangements by 坂本龍一 (Ryuichi Sakamoto). It yielded one of Sylvian's most well-received songs, Orpheus, and was supported by his first solo tour, 1988's "In Praise of Shamans". Sylvian's touring band included ex-Japan bandmates Jansen and Barbieri along with trumpeter Mark Isham, bassist Ian Maidman and guitarists David Torn and Robbie Aceto.
Never one to conform to commercial expectations, Sylvian then collaborated on several ambient music projects with artists including Holger Czukay and Russell Mills.
In 1991, a highly-anticipated Japan reunion (excluding Rob Dean) ended in acrimony. Sylvian insisted on calling the project and the album Rain Tree Crow, to the dismay of both his label Virgin Records (who were hoping for a hit "comeback" album) and his former bandmates. Guitarists Bill Nelson, Phil Palmer and Michael Brook augmented the quartet for the recording of the album.
In late 1991, Robert Fripp approached Sylvian and asked him to be part of a new King Crimson. Sylvian declined and instead suggested they work on a future collaboration resulting in the release of The First Day.
A period of relative musical inactivity followed, during which time Sylvian moved to the United States. Eventually in 1999, Sylvian released Dead Bees on a Cake. It showed the most eclectic influence of all his recordings, ranging from soul music to jazz fusion to Eastern spiritual chants, and most of the songs' lyrics reflecting Sylvian's inner peace with his marriage (to the wonderful poet/singer Ingrid Chavez), family and beliefs. Guest artists included longtime friend 坂本龍一 (Ryuichi Sakamoto), as well as Talvin Singh, Marc Ribot, Kenny Wheeler and Bill Frisell.
Sylvian parted ways with Virgin and launched his own independent label, Samadhi Sound. Sylvian experimented alone with treated sounds made from his guitar and computer. The results were recorded during February of 2003. A few months later, he released the album Blemish. The disc was stark in its sound and content. The lyrical subject matter dealt primarily with the impending dissolution of Sylvian's marriage. In 2005 The Good Son vs The Only Daughter was released, which was comprised of remixes of tracks from Blemish.
With the conclusion of "A Fire In The Forest Tour" in 2004, work resumed on a joint project between Sylvian and Jansen. Yet the course of the album took on a completely new tone after Sylvian decided to add keyboardist/vibraphonist/programmer Burnt Friedman to the proceedings and make him an equal partner in the collaboration. The band name of Nine Horses was adopted and the CD, titled Snow Borne Sorrow, was released in October of 2005. The sound was a return to more traditional avenues for Sylvian after the radical departure he took with Blemish. Elements of avant-garde jazz, pop, folk and electronic music were all blended together
Nine Horses' Money For All EP was released in 2006, which included new material as well as Burnt Friedman remixes of songs selected from their first disc.
News on Sylvian's website was released in March stating that "We're preparing for the release of David’s new album Manafon. It’s a powerfully bold, uncompromising work featuring contributions from Evan Parker, John Tilbury, Keith Rowe, Christian Fennesz, Otomo Yoshihide, and many more."
David Sylvian's official website: www.davidsylvian.com
A Fire in the Forest Ghosts
David Sylvian Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Above the gray sky
I will try to find it
Yes, I will try
My mind has been wandering
I hardly noticed
It's running on it's own steam
I let it go
A penny for your secrets
And standing in the window
Not out here where it belongs
There's a fire in the forest
It's taking down some trees
When things are overwhelming
I let 'em be
I would like to see you
It's lovely to see you
Come and take me somewhere
Come take me out
There is always sunshine
Far above the gray sky
I know that I will find it
Yes, I will try
The overall theme of David Sylvian's song "A Fire In The Forest" is finding hope and light in the midst of confusion and turmoil. The opening lines suggest that there is a metaphorical "sunshine" that exists even above bleak and oppressive circumstances, and the singer vows to search for it. The following lines introduce us to the singer's wandering mind that seems to be working on its own without conscious direction. When the singer reflects on their childhood, it seems bittersweet, as the suggestion is that secrets were hoarded and kept indoors, away from the outside world.
However, the singer experiences a transformative moment in the chorus, where they express that they "let things be" when they become too overwhelming. It's unclear what specifically is overwhelming, but the metaphor of a fire in the forest suggests that there can be both destruction and rebirth through chaos. The singer is hopeful that they will be able to see someone they care about and that this person will help guide them out of their state of confusion. The song ends with a repetition of the opening lines, suggesting that the singer is still in the process of seeking out the light that exists beyond the gray sky.
Line by Line Meaning
There is always sunshine
There is always hope and positivity, even when everything seems dull and gray.
Above the gray sky
Above the gloomy and bleak state of mind.
I will try to find it
I will consciously make an effort to search for positivity.
Yes, I will try
An affirmation of the intention to find happiness.
My mind has been wandering
My thoughts have been drifting aimlessly.
I hardly noticed
I was unaware of my mind's wandering, it was happening without my conscious attention.
It's running on it's own steam
My mind is functioning automatically, without me directing it.
I let it go
I allowed my mind to drift freely, without interference or control.
Oh, here comes my childhood
Memories and emotions from earlier years are coming to the forefront of my mind.
A penny for your secrets
An invitation to share one's hidden feelings and thoughts, in exchange for a small reward.
And standing in the window
Feeling trapped, looking out into the world from a limited perspective.
Not out here where it belongs
Feeling like one's true self is somewhere else, not in the current situation.
There's a fire in the forest
Something urgent and potentially destructive is happening nearby.
It's taking down some trees
The fire is causing visible damage and destruction to the environment.
When things are overwhelming
When situations become too difficult to handle.
I let 'em be
I consciously make the choice to step back and not interfere, even when things become difficult.
I would like to see you
I would enjoy spending time with another person.
It's lovely to see you
Expressing joy and appreciation for the presence of another person.
Come and take me somewhere
An invitation for the other person to take the initiative and bring the singer to a new place or experience.
Come take me out
Continuing the invitation for the other person to create a new experience together.
There is always sunshine
Reiterating that even in difficult times, there is always hope for positivity and happiness.
Far above the gray sky
Even higher than the gloomiest part of one's mind, there is still hope for positivity and happiness.
I know that I will find it
The singer is confident in their ability to find happiness and positivity, even when it seems difficult to do so.
Yes, I will try
Reaffirming the intention to search for hope and positivity.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: DAVID SYLVIAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@martinr1867
To me, David is legendary and I was lucky enough to see this tour. It was the highlight of my almost 40 year concert-going history.
@SlawekM.
Saw the this tour's show five days later, in Berlin. Simply phenomenal.
@sjvdputten351
SO BEAUTIFUL!
@zenobowie
it's always such a joy to see him live , everybody is completely silence when he is performing just fabulous
@PieWie123456
Saw him in 2007 in Eindhoven and the next day in Amsterdam. Great shows. Great singer / songwriter. I'll never forget those shows. Listen very often to his music. Mostly by the closing of the day. To reflect on things and moments gone by....
@pablot61
un artista da isola deserta......un grandissimo
@juanpabloillanes4906
I'm so sorry to come late to appreciate his deepest lyrics he's created, yet I'll always be looking forward to his reconsideration about singing... I hope he doesn't wait for another lifetime, as he said sometime ago. Sylvian's the best songwriter and singer I've ever known.
@wolfw.penning1836
Two of Davids haunted songs, ghosts is a sentimal memory of Japans Tin Drum.
He leaves the world of Pop Music year by year. I´m very proud to be a fan of Sylvians music. All fans of Davids music are unique .
My journey began in 1983, hearing Japans "cantonese boy" on a New Romantic-Sampler-LP named Modern Heroes. A few weeks later I´ve got the LP´s
Tin Drum, Gentleman take polaroids, Quiet life, Oil on canvas and Assemblage. The first collaboration, David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto, follows
with Forbidden Colours and Bamboo music/houses. And then Brilliant trees, Gone to earth, Some small hope (wonderful collaboration with Virginia Astley, one of my
childrens favourite christmas songs). And so all leads to his last magnificent song "small metal gods". I don´t give up the wish, David returns to brilliant songwriting ....
Seen him live in Hamburg, Musikhalle 1988 and 2004 in Frankfurt, Alte Oper, some of the beautiest moments in my life.
@ginali5578
This man opens the door of personal writing as a form of art to me.
@SmackedyDoo
gah. His voice. *shivers*