David Sylvian (born David Alan Batt, February 23 1958, in Beckenham, Kent, … Read Full Bio ↴David Sylvian (born David Alan Batt, February 23 1958, in Beckenham, Kent, UK) is an English singer, musician and composer who first rose to fame as the lead vocalist and main songwriter of the band Japan, and whose subsequent solo career has been influenced by a variety of musical styles and genres, including jazz, ambient music and electronic music.
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
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
Pt. 3 Awakening
David Sylvian Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by David Sylvian:
125 Spheres And when it appeared It was a flaming book of matches A…
20th Century Dreaming Cold morning Start of another day Sleeping through the epilo…
A Certain Slant of Light There's a certain slant of light Winter afternoons That op…
A Fire In The Forest There is always sunshine Above the gray sky I will try to…
A Fire in the Forest + Ghosts There is always sunshine Above the gray sky I will try to…
Alphabet Angel It`s later than I thought it was The shadows long…
Backwaters Once again I'm hiding in backwaters, Running this way and th…
Ballad Of A Deadman Oh honey take me out I’m a deadman Oh baby bake…
Bamboo Houses All the buildings I have loved Are barely standing All…
Bamboo Music I walk through open fields Where children sing Bamboo music …
Before The Bullfight I hear your voice Way down inside A whispering sea Of toweri…
Big Wheels in Shanty Town Dolphin, faced for the crime The birthday of time…
Blackwater I hold you in A sea of silence On the borderline of…
Blemish I fall outside of her She doesn't notice I fall outside of…
Boy With the Gun He knows well his wicked ways Are 'cause of bitterness A gru…
Brightness Falls Baby, baby I hate to go Don`t leave me alone with this…
Brilliant Trees When you come to me, I'll question myself again; Is this gri…
Buoy Underneath a burning sun There's always work to be done We t…
Cafe Europa They fired off the first shot So we`re on our feet…
Café Europa They fired off the first shot So we’re on our feet…
Come Morning God is in the silences Between the rhythms Rise and fallin…
Cover Me With Flowers Hold your head up sonny boy Let the earth dry on…
Cries And Whispers Shattered dreams on a bed of lies Now my love…
Damage I found the way By the sound of your voice So many…
Darkest Birds Here come the darkest birds To burst the bubble End of a…
Darkest Dreaming Stay tonight We'll watch the full moon rising Hold on tight …
Darshan Darshan Two birds One stone One chance Is thrown Don'…
Died In The Wool Is this how they'll find her? Pale blue frock-coat, snagged…
Do You Know Me Now? And if you think you knew me then You don’t know…
Dobro I stole a life With braids of fire And it rained on…
Dobro #1 I stole a life With braids of fire And it rained on…
Emily Dickinson She was no longer a user Don't think she realized we…
Every Color You Are touched his hand Burned like coal Put pay to the devil And s…
Every Colour You Are I touched his hand Burned like coal Put pay to the devil And…
Exit / Delete Feels like an ending She's winding her way towards a conclu…
Firepower He beats the door and breaks his watch Raids the fridge…
Five Lines Five lines Five lines With which he marked time Five line…
For the Love of Life And slowly you come to realize It's all as it should…
Forbidden Colors The wounds on your hands never seem to heal I…
Ghosts When the room is quiet The daylight almost gone It…
Ghosts (remix) When the room is quiet, the daylight almost gone It seems…
God One push You fall in Born in darkness Built on shame And hur…
God Man Welcome to Sun State The language of light The energy's im…
God's Monkey One push You fall in Born in darkness Built on shame And hur…
Gone To Earth With a burning candle, A book of holy things, They'll throw …
Heartbeat I see the lines in the palm of its hand…
How Little We Need to Be Happy She fell No jewels for the hurt When she fell Where is th…
I Should Not Dare I should not dare to leave my friend, Because—because if he…
I Surrender I opened up the pathway of the heart The flowers died…
Ink in the well The lights of the ashes smoulder through hills and vales No…
Jean the Birdman He gambles on the saddle He's pulling on the mane He thrashe…
Krishna Blue She's here in the snowfall At dead of night The mood is…
Late Night Shopping Ask me I might go Why not take me with you? Ask…
Laughter & Forgetting Running like a horse between the trees The ground beneath my…
Let The Happiness In I'm waiting on the empty docks Watching the ships come in I'…
Linoleum I hear them breathing They know what I have done, all…
Manafon There's a man down in the valley Who doesn't speak in…
Maria "Climb the stairs And step into my dream house" These words…
Mária Climb the stairs And step into my dream house These words ar…
Midnight Sun They`ve stolen the moon The magic has gone And there in this…
Money For All Wanna step on through Can I check that bag Is there someth…
Mother & Child Shadows form knights and pawns Upon the squares Blood is dra…
Nostalgia Voices heard in fields of green Their joy their calm and…
Orpheus Standing firm on this stony ground The wind blows hard Pulls…
Playground Martyrs You run to the gate But you'll be marked late It's for…
Pollen Path Welcome me father on the North shores of Lapland Welcome me…
Pop Song Behind the iron gates The shifts were workes in silence Ea…
Praise This song is a hindi praise sung by Shree Ma.…
Promise The silence of the park The moonshine after dark Came to k…
Promise (The Cult of Eurydice) The silence of the park The moonshine after dark Came to kee…
Pulling Punches If heaven watches over me, Sowing seeds back in the soil. Wi…
Pure Genius Oh, the lights are blinking Here's the great deceiver Bling,…
Random Acts of Senseless Violence Under yellow light Comes the face of tomorrow Lights the fus…
Red Guitar I recognize no method of living that I know. I see…
Ride Messages ran all over town Words without sound Condemned me …
River Man I see your eyes light up like fire; It's medicine to…
Riverman I see your eyes light up like fire It's medicine to…
September The sun shines high above The sounds of laughter The birds s…
She Is Not There she is among her children Full of paintings Going ro…
Silver Moon Out upon the open fields The rain is pouring down We're pull…
Silver Moon Over Sleeping Steeples There's a new moon over my shoulder And an old love…
Sleepwalkers Your poetry describing me It doesn't come close You work t…
Small Metal Gods It's the farthest place I've ever been It's a new frontier…
Snow Borne Sorrow Strip the branches Unsheathe the hatchets The threads of fri…
Snow White in Appalachia Half-life She moves in a half-life Imperfect From a place o…
Some Kind Of Fool Maybe I'm wrong I should just keep moving on... I suppose.…
Some Small Hope All those dreams lie unfulfilled All those lives that pass u…
Sugarfuel There are many rooms and many faces When you're on the…
Taking The Veil In dresses white, all set for sail A little girl dreams…
Thalheim Couldn`t leave you if I tried Couldn`t weather this alone An…
The Banality of Evil I've got me a badge A bright shiny badge I'm painting the…
The Blinding Light Of Heaven I count the tables, she counts the trees I tell her…
The Boy With The Gun He knows well his wicked ways Are 'cause of bitterness A gru…
The Boy With The Gun - 2003 Digital Remaster He knows well his wicked ways A course of bitterness A grudg…
The Day The Earth Stole Heaven Let me tell you about a friend She contends she will…
The Devil The night is dark and cold The strong winds and the…
The Golden Way She said "Come to me and sit you down You'll always…
The Good Son You know he'll take you But not too far Always first in…
The Greatest Living Englishman Here we are then, here we are Notes from a suicide And…
The Healing Place That has to be the age of overcome The systems which…
The Heart Knows Better I don't know how long She's been here with me But it's…
The Ink In The Well The lights of the ashes smoulder through hills and vales Nos…
The Last Days of December What shall we tell them? A honeymoon brief as a walk…
The Librarian Keep you head down Keep you head down While they're firing l…
The Only Daughter She was, she was A friend of mine Do us a favour,…
The Rabbit Skinner Who'll do for him Child of the fifties With no common sense …
The Scent Of Magnolia In the coldest hour something's going down Whatever pierced…
The Shining Of Things Take my word for it This never should have happened What in…
The World Is Everything The world is everything The world is everything And I mo…
Thermal Morning, you lay sleeping Your small body clinging tightly …
Thoroughly Lost To Logic When the little one came A hole was blown open A partial…
Transit I have listened repeatedly I have listened very well No on…
Upon This Earth Looking, by chance, in at the open window, I saw my…
Wanderlust Help me I feel like I'm weightless Floating right out of…
Waterfront On the banks of a sunset beach Messages scratched in sand Be…
Wave It seems that I remember I dreamed a thousand dreams. We'd f…
Weathered Wall You were someone to believe in A place for hope in…
When Poets Dreamed Of Angels She rises early from bed Runs to the mirror The bruises infl…
Where's Your Gravity Baby's putting on her make-up Her mouth is swollen as a…
Wonderful World Itâ??s a wonderful world And you take and you give And the…
World Citizen World Citizen There goes one baby's life It's such a sma…
Zero landmine Zero Landmine This Is My Home The Land Of My Mother The…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found