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
Darkest Dreaming
David Sylvian Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll watch the full moon rising
Hold on tight
The sky is breaking
I don't ever want to be alone
With all my darkest dreaming
Hold me close
I don't ever want to be alone
With all my darkest dreaming
Hold me close
The sky is breaking
David Sylvian's song "Darkest Dreaming" is a ballad that could be interpreted as a plea for companionship and love, a desire to not be alone in the face of personal struggles and fears. The opening lines set the scene for a romantic moment between the singer and their partner - they are watching the full moon rising together, and there is a sense of intimacy and closeness as they hold on tight. However, the mood soon shifts as the next line reveals that "the sky is breaking," hinting at a sense of impending doom or chaos on the horizon.
The repeated refrain "I don't ever want to be alone with all my darkest dreaming" underscores a sense of vulnerability and fear within the singer. They are seeking solace in the presence of their partner, hoping that their love and support will be enough to fend off the darkness lurking within. The song fades out with the repeated plea to "hold me close, the sky is breaking," underscoring the fragility and uncertainty of life and the need for human connection in the face of such uncertainty.
Overall, the lyrics of "Darkest Dreaming" reveal David Sylvian's gift for poetic expression and emotional depth, as well as a desire to explore universal human themes of love, fear, and the search for meaning in uncertain times.
Line by Line Meaning
Stay tonight
Spend the night with me
We'll watch the full moon rising
We will observe the entire moon rising from the horizon
Hold on tight
Clasp me firmly
The sky is breaking
The heavens are opening up
I don't ever want to be alone
I never desire to be by myself
With all my darkest dreaming
Along with all my unpleasant thoughts
Hold me close
Embrace me tightly
The sky is breaking
The heavens are opening up
I don't ever want to be alone
I never desire to be by myself
With all my darkest dreaming
Along with all my unpleasant thoughts
Hold me close
Embrace me tightly
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID SYLVIAN, JIVAN GASPARYAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ferran Cañada
Stay tonight
We'll watch the full moon rising
Hold on tight
The sky is breaking
I don't ever want to be alone
With all my darkest dreaming
Hold me close
The sky is breaking
I don't ever want to be alone
With all my darkest dreaming
Hold me close
The sky is breaking
Conrad Dean
Monster has brought so much joy to my life. A large part of that joy, is the music of Slyvian i discovered afterwards.
Dmitriy Pikul
David Sylvian introduced me to the "Monster". Am I an incredible exception?
Walter Leroy Aston
dr. Tenma, now can you see the landscape of the end?
Tamanyi
Same thanks to Monster I discover the beautiful musics of David Sylvian
Conrad Dean
@Kanırtıcı society
Kanırtıcı
Who is monster
Ferran Cañada
Stay tonight
We'll watch the full moon rising
Hold on tight
The sky is breaking
I don't ever want to be alone
With all my darkest dreaming
Hold me close
The sky is breaking
I don't ever want to be alone
With all my darkest dreaming
Hold me close
The sky is breaking
Good Samaritan Sniper Society
I want this played at my funeral.
Mad House
thanks
Dave Uozz
❣