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 ๅๆฌ้พไธ (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 ๅๆฌ้พไธ (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 ๅๆฌ้พไธ (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 Davidโs new album Manafon. Itโs 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
Darshan
David Sylvian Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two birds
One stone
One chance
Is thrown
Don't make
Mistakes
Two thieves
Strung up
One knife
One cut
Two doors
One shut
One light
One way
One road
To take
We stand
And wait
From cool
To warm
From dusk
'til dawn
From flux
To form
Kneeling on the road to graceland
Kneeling on the road to graceland
To graceland
Darshan
is a song by David Sylvian that is rich with symbolism and imagery. The opening lines of the song, "Two birds, one stone, one chance is thrown," create a sense of urgency and the need to make the most of any situation. The metaphor of throwing a chance like throwing a stone at two birds creates a sense of risk and uncertainty. The lyrics urge the listener to not make mistakes, possibly alluding to the idea that every opportunity is precious and shouldn't be wasted.
The song goes on to describe two thieves strung up with one knife and one cut, with two doors and one shut. This imagery is heavily symbolic and may refer to the idea of making a choice between two paths, with consequences that cannot be reversed. The lyrics then describe "one light, one way, one road to take," possibly suggesting that there is only one true path to follow.
The chorus of the song is "Kneeling on the road to Graceland," which may allude to the idea of seeking a spiritual or transcendent experience. Graceland could be interpreted as a metaphor for heaven or a state of enlightenment. The song suggests that the journey is from cool to warm, from dusk until dawn, from flux to form, indicating a transformation or metamorphosis.
Overall, Darshan is a deeply philosophical and introspective song that encourages listeners to think about the choices they make in life and the paths they choose to follow.
Line by Line Meaning
Two birds
There are two possibilities or paths to take.
One stone
Both possibilities can be achieved at the same time with one decision.
One chance
This is the only opportunity to make the decision.
Is thrown
The decision must be made, whether or not it is easy or desirable to do so.
Don't make
It is important to take this decision seriously and not make a mistake.
Two thieves
There are two sides to every situation or problem.
Strung up
The situation is serious or dire.
One knife
A decision or action must be taken to resolve the situation.
One cut
This decision or action will have consequences for both sides.
Two doors
There are two possible outcomes or paths after the decision is made.
One shut
Only one of these outcomes or paths will be available after the decision is made. The other will be closed off.
One light
There is one source of guidance or hope.
One way
There is one correct path or course of action to take.
One road
There is one journey or process to follow.
To take
This path, process or journey must be followed to reach the desired outcome.
We stand
We are at a point of decision, waiting to take action.
And wait
We are hesitant or unsure about what decision to make.
From cool
The situation or mood is calm and indifferent.
To warm
The situation or mood becomes more emotional or invested.
From dusk
The situation or mood becomes darker or uncertain.
'til dawn
The situation or mood becomes clearer or hopeful again.
From flux
The situation or mood is constantly changing and uncertain.
To form
The situation or mood becomes more defined or stable.
Kneeling on the road to Graceland
The artist is at a point of decision, perhaps related to a spiritual journey, and is showing humility and respect.
To Graceland
The decision or journey is related to the pursuit of something holy or sacred.
Contributed by Alexander K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@linkdu94880
Hey people !!! I just came back from the future...
And i tell you it...: THIS ALBUM IS A TRUE MASTERPIECE !!! ๐
What you are waiting for listening it ? ๐
I listened to it already several times and it is so gooooooooood โค
David Sylvain is really a gender of artist of those we are missing nowadays. ๐
That makes me think at your time humans could rest really more.
I'm just passing and i can write so fast grace to the BrainSTT-speaking technology. ๐ง ๐ฃ๐ฌ๐ฅ
Hopefully i can communicate to you because i learnt some old school dead languages such as French, English, and Spanich, and not only the Newspeak.
But for now i need to reopen the Quantic Portal, and to go back to the future.
Because, i'm late and i am already loosing my credits of good citi-'zen', and I won't recieve enough, to be able to use the brain-surfing web tool, and drink Monster-Santo INC. waternergy, if I delay again.
Yes, down there, we always need to be more fast for everything, at the point we started to became half bionic robots, to stay enough efficient to the masonic consumerism industry needs.
Enough blah, blah...
Psssssssst.... But for now, just before i'm going, come with me and lets put the speedrate at a 1.25 ratio, for raising heavy groovy rythms, to stay fully reactive.
That sounds a normal rythm where i'm coming from.
HELL YEAH ๐ฆพ๐
Peace from France-rica department of Ununited Continents.
@ianthepelican2709
My first words out loud when hearing this "Ooo this is good"! :-)
@user-cn5so7jj3z
David Sylvian never forget you have so much love โฃ๏ธ from Israel ๐ฎ๐ฑ and you have lot of Fans from Israel ๐ฎ๐ฑ and i am one of them Love From Israel ๐ฎ๐ฑโคโค
@katemurphy1915
I listened to Mr. Sylvian while writing my honors thesis in college.
@serpicokojak1602
Me too many times, King Crimson too, Herbie Hancock, Tomita, and many others
@TheFpCassini
I listen to Messrs. Fripp and Sylvian while administering enemas.
Chuck Mangione too.
@robhaver8704
Is'nt it 'whilst'?
@jodiewest4949
No matter what music I listen to ...this music plays in my head at times , over the years , again and again - Darshan - The Road to Graceland ...it must have been the start- of the road - for so much electronic music and I love acknowledging source and roots and itโs a cool piece of music oh it is !! So I listen to it tonight on YouTube . I was so Young when I first heard it but Darshan has stayed with me always through many countries and experiences and near death and life ... love this . โโโDonโt make mistakesโโ โโTwo , doors one shut โ ha ha ha I love the lyrics but no words bind me yet I love this piece of music always . ๐พ๐ฝโ๏ธ๐น๐ป๐ค๐ป๐ธ๐โ๏ธ๐พ๐๐๐คฉ๐โจ๐ฅ๐๐
@user-cn5so7jj3z
David Sylvian i love your music from 1978 love โฃ๏ธ from Israel ๐ฎ๐ฑ Japan , David Sylvian,and Robert friip and Virginia Astley and Ryuchi Sakamoto and Yellow Magic Orchestra and Brian Eno and David Sylvian we love you โฃ๏ธ from Israel ๐ฎ๐ฑ
@darsaana
Out of this world could listen to darshan every night
@antonyjstowers1936
I only discovered this a few days ago and I'm nearly 60 and have been listening to Fripperies for years since In the Court and then to the trio with Adrian Belew in the early 80's and God Save the King (which this reminds me of). Sylvian's dark overtones have always impressed too, from his velvety, moody voice and articulation of lyrical poetry to his tones and atmospherics in his choice of electronic instruments. I love that driving beat that kicks in at around 3.30 and goes on and on and on with ambient loops and other noises drifting in and out. It's like a backdrop to a long drive through urban soundscapes. Not much impresses me these days and I find myself buying fewer and fewer albums but this is on my Christmas list. Excellent behaviour.