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
Riverman
David Sylvian Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's medicine to me
But as the hunted live their lives
You're keeping out of reach
So I keep running, falling
Till I reach the water
Run with me holy man
But when I reach out
Now we're living
Blessed with all the thunder in the world
Now, should you ask me to come home
To wake up from the sleep
Like a boat inside a storm
Is there no hope for me?
So I keep running, falling
Wade into the water
Run with me riverman
But when I reach out
I find I'm standing right beside her
Now we're living
Blessed with all the thunder in the world
The song "Riverman" by David Sylvian and Robert Fripp is a beautiful and poetic expression of the journey of love and the longing to be with the one you desire. The lyrics describe the intense attraction and desire of the singer toward their love interest, who seems to keep themselves out of reach like a hunted animal. The singer keeps running and falling, unable to reach their love until they finally reach the water. The water symbolizes the separation between the two, and the singer implores their love to run with them in this journey. However, when they reach out, they find themselves standing right beside her, and they can finally live and be together, blessed with all the thunder in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
I see your eyes light up like fire
I observe the way your eyes light up with passion, which is invigorating to me.
It's medicine to me
The sight of your passion is like a healing balm to my soul.
But as the hunted live their lives
However, in this world where the hunted must constantly keep their guard up, you keep yourself aloof from me.
You're keeping out of reach
You're deliberately keeping distance from me, almost like playing a game of cat and mouse.
So I keep running, falling
As a result, I keep chasing after you, only to crash and burn time and again.
Till I reach the water
Yet I persist in the chase and finally reach the river.
Run with me holy man
I invite a spiritual guide to join me in my pursuit.
But when I reach out
However, when I attempt to make contact,
I find I'm standing right beside her
I find myself standing right beside the woman I was chasing - the very same one who was keeping out of reach.
Now we're living
Together we begin to lead a life full of vigor and vitality.
Blessed with all the thunder in the world
Our life resonates with a power and energy like that of thunder.
Now, should you ask me to come home
In the future, if you were to invite me to your home,
To wake up from the sleep
To awaken from the slumber of my daily routine,
Like a boat inside a storm
I feel like a vulnerable vessel traversing through rough, choppy seas.
Is there no hope for me?
I can't help but wonder if this struggle will ever end, and whether there's any hope for things to be easier.
Wade into the water
So I return to the river, ready to face another round of struggles and challenges.
Run with me riverman
Yet, I still invite anyone who's willing to join me on this journey, this tumultuous river ride.
But when I reach out
However, when I attempt to make contact,
I find I'm standing right beside her
Once again, I find myself standing right beside the woman who was previously keeping out of reach.
Now we're living
Nonetheless, we continue living our lives, together.
Blessed with all the thunder in the world
Our life continues to resonate with a power and energy like that of thunder.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DAVID SYLVIAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
aramanth
Mel Collins' ghostly saxophone playing way way out in the distance...
gives me
chills.
P. Funk
David Sylvian made some songs that belong to the most beautiful music I ever encountered in "popular music". And these songs stand alone as a class of its own, being impossible to classify them into some preconceived category of music. This song is one of them. Most of these songs can be found on the splendid double CD "Everything and nothing". Thank you, David Sylvian!
billbollins
Such a talent.
Crist Design And Animation
thank you David for binging my friends ear, for all theses years.
michael 476
wonderfully atmospheric.
KUPHSER
That bassline is so heavy on a good system. It ties the song together completely yet it’s so simple. Less is more. Genius
wrongvisions
played by Iain (now Jennifer) Maidman, longtime partner of the great Annie Whitehead
onsese joo
Anytime :)
KUPHSER
onsese joo I love that song, havnt heard it I’m so many years.. thanks for reminding me I’m going to enjoy listening to it now!
onsese joo
In that sense it brings Peter Gabriel's Don't Give Up to mind.