He was born in, Cairo, Egypt to a Jewish family with one brother and one sister, Leon and Brigitte, but raised in New York City, where his family had moved after living on Lafayette Avenue in Buffalo, New York while he was still a child. When asked if he was related to American fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi (born October 14, 1961) he responded, "No. Only in spirit." Before joining the New York Dolls in 1971, Sylvain was a member of the band Actress, also featuring Dolls Johnny Thunders and Billy Murcia. He played guitar in the proto-punk group the New York Dolls (replacing Rick Rivets), from 1971 until the group's final dissolution in 1975. Sylvain and singer David Johansen were the last remaining members at the time the group broke up. After the dissolution of the Dolls, he frequently played with Johansen in his solo project. He started his own solo project, "The Criminals" with another ex-Doll, Tony Machine and continued to play the New York club scene. He landed a solo recording contract with RCA, and released one album with Lee Crystal (drums; later of Joan Jett's Blackhearts) and Johnny Rao (guitar) as his backing band. For a period, he also drove a cab in New York City. He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s and recorded one record, Sleep Baby Doll for Fishead Records. His band mates on this record were: Brian Keats, drums (Dave Vanian's Phantom Chords), Speediejohn Carlucci on bass (formerly of The Fuzztones/Speedies) & Olivier LeBaron' on lead guitar. There were guest appearances by Frank Infante of Blondie & Derwood Andrews of Generation X. This record was re-released as "New York's Au Go Go". He now plays once again with David Johansen in the reformed New York Dolls.
As of November, 2006, he is currently on tour with the New York Dolls in the "Little Steven's Underground Garage Rolling Rock and Roll Show," featuring not only the Dolls but several other rock bands as well as go-go dancers.
Trash
Sylvain Sylvain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And awakens in mind
And finally recognizes
Yourself in time
Call us what you will but
Love made us like this
So what? Yeah, this whole world is just
Take a good look at my good looks
Then close your eyes
Keep the picture in your mind 'cause
I'll be gone
One rainy day, I saw ya smiling
You let me stay awhile
And it was all right
Living with you, not even trying
The pain is long gone
And it's all right!
Take a good look at my good looks
Then close your eyes
Keep the picture in your mind 'cause
I'll be gone
Hellishly transparent
Utterly divine
Every little timeless gesture of
Valentine
Memories hold onto illusion
Cause we're just human
And that's all right (Take a good look at my good looks, baby)
Duality is so confusin'
You think you're not dreamin'
Then you open
There's no foundation
No final resting place
Only emptiness and
Hellish grace
Some rainy day, I'll find ya crying
With love and animus
Sparkling in your eyes (Take a good look at my good looks, baby)
But you'll be the one to recognize me
You'll all get lost
Every time I fall (Take a good look at my good looks, baby)
Nothing you say will scandalize me
You'll be all right
You're just like it is (Take a good look at my good looks, baby)
It's all right, it's all right!
Our noisy years will seem like moments
In a film of
Eternal tears (Take a good look at my good looks, baby)
Seems so long to have romance
(Take a good look at my good looks, baby)
The lyrics to Sylvain Sylvain's song "Trash" explore themes of love, self-discovery, and the fleeting nature of life. The opening lines suggest that the human spirit is connected to nature and can awaken in the mind, leading to self-realization. As the song progresses, the singer acknowledges that love has shaped them, but also recognizes the artificial nature of the world around them.
The chorus, "Take a good look at my good looks / Then close your eyes / Keep the picture in your mind 'cause / I'll be gone," speaks to the impermanence of life and the importance of cherishing memories while we can. The song goes on to describe a past relationship that was ultimately freeing and healing for the singer, but also acknowledges the illusion of memories and the confusion of duality.
The closing lines of the song suggest that despite the lack of a foundation or final resting place, life is still worth living and that even difficult times are all right in the end. Overall, the lyrics to "Trash" encourage the listener to embrace life and love while they can and to recognize the beauty in both the joyful and painful moments.
Line by Line Meaning
Spirit slumbers in nature
Our true essence resides in the natural world
And awakens in mind
We become aware of ourselves through our thoughts and experiences
And finally recognizes
We come to accept our own identity and worth
Yourself in time
This self-discovery process takes time and patience
Call us what you will but
We may be judged and labeled by others
Love made us like this
But ultimately, love is the force that shapes us
So what? Yeah, this whole world is just
In the grand scheme of things, our labels and societal constructs are insignificant
Artifice
They are all just facades and illusions
Take a good look at my good looks
Appreciate my physical appearance
Then close your eyes
But also recognize that it is temporary
Keep the picture in your mind 'cause
Remember me and what I stood for
I'll be gone
Because I will not live forever
One rainy day, I saw ya smiling
I remember a time when you were happy
You let me stay awhile
And I cherish that moment
And it was all right
Because we were content and at peace
Living with you, not even trying
Being with you was effortless and natural
The pain is long gone
I have healed from past hurts
And it's all right!
I am now happy and fulfilled
Hellishly transparent
Our true selves are both beautiful and painful
Utterly divine
But also divine and worthy of love
Every little timeless gesture of
The small acts of love and kindness
Valentine
Are what truly matter and last
Memories hold onto illusion
Our memories may distort reality
Cause we're just human
Because we are limited and flawed
And that's all right (Take a good look at my good looks, baby)
But we should still appreciate ourselves and each other
Duality is so confusin'
Our conflicting emotions and desires can be confusing
You think you're not dreamin'
We may be unaware of our own illusions
Then you open
Our eyes to the truth
There's no foundation
We cannot find certainty or permanence in this world
No final resting place
There is no ultimate destination or purpose
Only emptiness and
All that's left is emptiness and
Hellish grace
The beauty and terror of existence
Some rainy day, I'll find ya crying
In the future, I may witness your pain
With love and animus
But also with love and passion
Sparkling in your eyes (Take a good look at my good looks, baby)
You will still have the capacity to love and find joy
But you'll be the one to recognize me
You will be the one who truly understands me
You'll all get lost
Others may not fully grasp who I was
Every time I fall (Take a good look at my good looks, baby)
But you will remember me at my best
Nothing you say will scandalize me
I will not be offended by your words or actions
You'll be all right
You will overcome your struggles and pain
You're just like it is (Take a good look at my good looks, baby)
We are all imperfect and flawed
Our noisy years will seem like moments
In the end, our lives will seem like brief flashes
In a film of
In the grand story of humanity
Eternal tears (Take a good look at my good looks, baby)
But our legacy will endure through our impact on others
Seems so long to have romance
Our time on earth may feel long and endless
Lyrics © A SIDE MUSIC LLC D/B/A MODERN WORKS MUSIC PUBLISHING, BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID JOHANSEN, SYLVAIN MIZRAHI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
d0dFLyEr
Sylvain Sylvain... your star will always shine in the sky.
We love you
I am very sad
RIP
Mich Rabushka
Love Syl. I always remembered him saying to get out there and practice your craft!
Koppafiel
The Heart, Soul & Truth of The New York Dolls.
Koppafiel
God bless Syl. He held the Dolls flag higher than anyone and was cool as fuck. Sleep well my friend. You did good. Sleep Baby Doll.
SCOOTER
You got that right!!!!
Dan Skammer
RIP Syl...he had a great personality, loved the Dolls as well.... the kid on bass must be his son..
Shane Smith
RIP Syl. A true legend!
Robert Iaccarino
Good tone from Sylvain; his guitar rig is banging.
lee shafer
I heard Johnny said in response to Syl saying to him, after pointing up , "that'd be a great name for a band": "WHAT, DOLL HOSPITAL?" Funnier anyway (was Syl's microphone even on during Trash?
DMSProduktions
\m/ Mr. Mizrahi still has it!