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
The Scent Of Magnolia
David Sylvian Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whatever pierced the heart it didn't make a sound
I am terrified but I'm not losing sleep
If I'm falling then I'm falling at her feet
I'm leaving America, I'm taking a girl
I'm selling my soul again, I'm gaining the world
Every sense defies this impossible dream
The rose, the breath, the undying spark
The lotus heart's open, embracing the dark
The uncharted road is the not-coming-back
The language I speak is the words that I lack
The oncoming cars, the wedding of stars
Well I know your name or recognise your face
Or by what means I'll be delivered from this place
Here comes the gun, there goes the flash
Once the bullet leaves it's never coming back
The scent of magnolia, the face of a girl
And every detail embodies the world
What kind of goals define this impossible dream
None of the picture-books reflect all I've seen
I'm leaving America, I'm taking the girls
I'm far from the future and ambush the world
The scent of magnolia, the face of a girl
And every detail embodies the world
What kind of goals define this impossible dream
None of the history books describe where I've been
I'm leaving America, I'm taking a girl
I'm far from the future and ambush the world
The lyrics of David Sylvian's song The Scent of Magnolia seem to be about a man who is leaving behind his old life in America to pursue an impossible dream, whatever that may be. He is possibly escaping something or someone and taking a girl with him. The opening lines suggest that something significant and emotionally piercing has happened to the singer, something that has terrified him but hasn't caused him to lose sleep. The following lines imply that he is falling in love with this girl, whom he is taking with him on his journey. He speaks of a sense of gaining the whole world while losing his soul to achieve his dreams.
The rest of the song contains vivid imagery and metaphors, which may suggest that the singer has an imaginative soul. The scent of magnolia and the face of a girl seem to be vital sensory details that embody the world, though it's unclear what the impossible dream means in this context. The uncharted road is another metaphor attributed to the singer's journey. Perhaps, he is still searching for something and the journey he is embarking on is not coming back. Finally, the last line talks of the singer planning his not so distant future, far away from America, where he can ambush the world.
Line by Line Meaning
In the coldest hour something's going down
Something ominous and unknown is happening in a very bleak moment.
Whatever pierced the heart it didn't make a sound
The pain that has been inflicted is so deep that it is unfathomable and cannot be expressed.
I am terrified but I'm not losing sleep
I'm afraid of what's happening, but I'm also determined to face it head on and not let it consume me.
If I'm falling then I'm falling at her feet
Even in the midst of chaos, I am devoted to the woman I love and will always strive to be near her.
I'm leaving America, I'm taking a girl
I'm leaving my home and all that is familiar to me for a new chapter in life with a woman I care deeply about.
I'm selling my soul again, I'm gaining the world
I'm giving up something precious to me in exchange for something greater, something that will bring me closer to the world.
Every sense defies this impossible dream
This new journey seems impossible and unrealistic, but it is worth pursuing against all odds.
None of the history books describe what I've seen
My experiences are so unique and personal that there is no record of them in documented history.
The rose, the breath, the undying spark
These are symbols of the purity and continuance of love even in the face of adversity.
The lotus heart's open, embracing the dark
The heart, like a lotus flower, remains open and receptive, even in the darkness of life.
The uncharted road is the not-coming-back
Once you embark on a new journey, there is no going back, and the path is unknown and uncharted.
The language I speak is the words that I lack
Sometimes language fails to convey the true depth of emotions or experiences, leaving us lost and unable to communicate properly.
The oncoming cars, the wedding of stars
Life is full of contradictions, such as the mundane alongside the celestial, or the danger of a car crash next to the beauty of the night sky.
Well I know your name or recognise your face
I don't know the specifics of the thing that is causing me worry and fear.
Or by what means I'll be delivered from this place
I don't know what will ultimately save me from this situation, but I have faith that I will find a way out.
Here comes the gun, there goes the flash
There is danger and violence on the horizon, and it will happen suddenly and without warning.
Once the bullet leaves it's never coming back
Once something dangerous or harmful happens, there is no way to undo the damage that it causes.
The scent of magnolia, the face of a girl
These are symbols of the beauty and grace of life that make it worth living, even in the face of adversity.
And every detail embodies the world
Every little thing in life is significant and meaningful, and should be appreciated.
What kind of goals define this impossible dream
What kind of aspirations give purpose to this seemingly impossible journey?
None of the picture-books reflect all I've seen
Even the most well-known stories or historical records fall short of encompassing everything that life has to offer.
I'm far from the future and ambush the world
I'm ready to take on the challenges of the future and make a difference, even if it feels like I'm going up against the whole world.
Contributed by Stella K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.