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
Where's Your Gravity
David Sylvian Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Her mouth is swollen as a rose
Countdown, she wraps her legs around him
Weightless, she's taking off her clothes
Candy, colours in her pocket
Bright children hiding in their rooms
Soft toys spread across her pillows
Self-annihilation couldn't come too soon
Where's your gravity?
Where's your mind?
Share your thoughts with me
Waste my time
Slow down, nothing's gonna save you
Ice-cream dripping from your spoon
Oh, but come now, you're always telling stories
Bare-foot, walking on the moon
Wake up, and someone's bound to tell you
Your pretty face is gone to hell
So find them, something you can trade with
Hand-make something you can sell
Where's your gravity?
Where's your mind?
Share your thoughts with me
Waste my time
Where's your gravity?
Where's your mind?
Share your thoughts with me
Waste my time
The lyrics of David Sylvian's song Where's Your Gravity? seem to be a commentary on a life superficially lived. The first verse paints a picture of a woman getting ready for a sexual encounter, but it is clear that there is nothing particularly fulfilling or meaningful about this experience. The lines "Countdown, she wraps her legs around him / Weightless, she's taking off her clothes" suggest a transactional and emotionless liaison, while the line "Self-annihilation couldn't come too soon" implies a sense of despair and self-destructive behavior.
The chorus of the song, "Where's your gravity? / Where's your mind? / Share your thoughts with me / Waste my time," seems to be directed at the woman in question. It suggests that she is not grounded in reality and is perhaps living a life that lacks substance. The subsequent verses reinforce this idea by describing her as being preoccupied with superficial things like candy and toys, telling stories, and trying to maintain her appearance.
Overall, the lyrics of the song seem to be questioning the value of a life lived without depth or substance. It suggests that without some sort of gravity or grounding force, life can become meaningless and unfulfilling. The song seems to encourage listeners to explore their own thoughts and ideas, rather than simply going through the motions of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby's putting on her make-up
She's dressing up to present herself in a certain way
Her mouth is swollen as a rose
Her lips are puffy, possibly from kissing or talking excessively
Countdown, she wraps her legs around him
She's preparing to have sex with her partner
Weightless, she's taking off her clothes
The act of undressing makes her feel free and unencumbered
Candy, colours in her pocket
She has something sweet and colorful in her possession, possibly as a comfort
Bright children hiding in their rooms
Children are concealed in their rooms, possibly escaping from reality or the outside world
Soft toys spread across her pillows
She surrounds herself with objects for comfort
Self-annihilation couldn't come too soon
She desires to destroy herself or lose her identity
Where's your gravity?
Asking where one's sense of responsibility or groundedness is
Where's your mind?
Asking where one's focus or mental state is
Share your thoughts with me
Request to understand one's perspective or ideas
Waste my time
Acknowledgement that the conversation or activity may not be productive or useful
Slow down, nothing's gonna save you
Encouragement to be still or take a break, as nothing can prevent the inevitable
Ice-cream dripping from your spoon
A simple moment of pleasure that shouldn't be taken for granted
Oh, but come now, you're always telling stories
Implying that the individual is not genuine or truthful in their actions or words
Bare-foot, walking on the moon
Feeling untethered or unconstrained, as if walking through space
Wake up, and someone's bound to tell you
Reality will catch up to you eventually
Your pretty face is gone to hell
Your attractive exterior has aged or deteriorated
So find them, something you can trade with
Suggesting that the individual should acquire something of value to exchange or sell
Hand-make something you can sell
Creating something by hand to be sold for profit or value
Contributed by Zoe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Carolina Cuéllar
Baby's putting on her make-up
Her mouth is swollen as a rose
Countdown, she wraps her legs around him
Weightless, she's taking off her clothes
Candy colours in her pocket
Bright children hiding in their rooms
Soft toys spread across her pillows
Self-annihilation couldn't come too soon
Where's your gravity?
Where's your mind?
Share your thoughts with me
Waste my time
Slow down, nothing's gonna save you
Ice-cream dripping from your spoon
Oh, but come now, you're always telling stories
Barefoot, walking on the moon
Wake up and someone's bound to tell you
Your pretty face is gone to hell
So find them something you can trade with
Hand-make something you can sell
Where's your gravity?
Where's your mind?
Share your thoughts with me
Waste my time
Where's your gravity?
Where's your mind?
Share your thoughts with me
Waste my time"
Tourbillon 13
Do you think we could manage to allow David to "rest on his laurels" for a long while?
It is just so easy to feel that there shall never be enough, isn't it?!!
This man is just so damned ethereal, and beautious in his creations that he has already a mythical identity attached to him!
No other has ever, or shall, even come close to his Lyrical ability nor style of Musicianship...
Ain't we the the blessed ones to experience the "David Sylvian Chronicles" as and when they happen?!!
Imagine say, 200 years from now... Students listening to his music as most of us did with Beethoven, or Bach.
How fantastical would that be 😊
Beats John Cage and his Er, Silent "Masterpiece" which I was more or less "told" to admire in College for it's "pure innovative value" and I can tell you now am still not quite sure what to think of it 🤣😂!
Emperor's New Clothes perhaps? 🤭
Ye Gods! I shall be burnt at the stake...!
ΜΑΤΙΝΑ ΑΡΤΕΜΑΚΗ
'' Baby's putting on her make-up
Her mouth is swollen as a rose
Countdown, she wraps her legs around him
Weightless, she's taking off her clothes
Candy, colours in her pocket
Bright children hiding in their rooms
Soft toys spread across her pillows
Self-annihilation couldn't come too soon
Where's your gravity?
Where's your mind?
Share your thoughts with me
Waste my time
Slow down, nothing's gonna save you
Ice-cream dripping from your spoon
Oh, but come now, you're always telling stories
Bare-foot, walking on the moon
Wake up, and someone's bound to tell you
Your pretty face is gone to hell
So find them, something you can trade with
Hand-make something you can sell
Where's your gravity?
Where's your mind?
Share your thoughts with me
Waste my time
Where's your gravity?
Where's your mind?
Share your thoughts with me
Waste my time ''
monkyfab
Sylvian's voice is like a mantra. It sounds like the voice of the Gods.
Dan Mohr
This is like an entire David Lynch feature film shoehorned into a single 5+ minute song. Eerie, spellbinding, slow-burning, erotically charged, hypnotic. Lyrical and musical perfection. Stunning.
princessthyemis
When the song ends it's like coming back down to earth. I love it.
Abigail Eldritch
I can feel this song run through my veins and all my bones and I can feel it in my spine
Carolina Cuéllar
Baby's putting on her make-up
Her mouth is swollen as a rose
Countdown, she wraps her legs around him
Weightless, she's taking off her clothes
Candy colours in her pocket
Bright children hiding in their rooms
Soft toys spread across her pillows
Self-annihilation couldn't come too soon
Where's your gravity?
Where's your mind?
Share your thoughts with me
Waste my time
Slow down, nothing's gonna save you
Ice-cream dripping from your spoon
Oh, but come now, you're always telling stories
Barefoot, walking on the moon
Wake up and someone's bound to tell you
Your pretty face is gone to hell
So find them something you can trade with
Hand-make something you can sell
Where's your gravity?
Where's your mind?
Share your thoughts with me
Waste my time
Where's your gravity?
Where's your mind?
Share your thoughts with me
Waste my time"
shaman5150
Las ambientaciones sonoras de Sylvian tienen una oscura belleza.
sugarfuelove
A music journalist (male) described Sylvian's voice as "gorgeously erotic"... a truly accurate definition!
Levi Tate
Please enjoy listening to more David Sylvian. I wish I was just discovering him, but it has been 33 years since I first heard him on record.
machinistchick
holy shit! how have i never heard of this guy?!?! amazing!
markkeogh18
Really impressed with this. I wonder is this a brand new track or an out-take from an earlier record? Personnel? Certainly a lot easier to listen to than much of Sylvians's recent work. His voice on this track is a beautiful thing.