Note: There are three artists with this name.
1. Prog Rock, German band<… Read Full Bio ↴Note: There are three artists with this name.
1. Prog Rock, German band
2. 60's female pop singer.
3. Low-Fi Dublin Band

1.
In the spring of 1990, Kay Söhl, the two keyboarders Volker Söhl and Matthias Harder, founded the band TEMPORAL TEMPTATION. By that summer the band had already played its first gig - the first live performance of the core founding members of the band. In a way it was also Sylvan's birth. At this time the band played hard rock music and sang in German. Only a small part of their music was progressive rock.

In Autumn 1990, the band changed its name to CHAMELEON, a symbol of changeability, representing the long instrumental parts in their music. The cover artwork had a likeness to early MARILLION covers and has never been issued. In summer 1991 Marko Heisig joined Chameleon as the lead singer and bassist. Between 1992 and 1994 the band had a gloomy and aggressive tonality to them and in this they were very different from the more rocky sounds of the previous years. In 1992 the first official demo tape of Chameleon was released. With Matthias Koops as lead singer, the second official demo tape was recorded. The title was 'Slaves' and its tracklist was 'Time', 'Slaves', 'Mirror of a Lifetime' and 'Childhood Dreams'. (By the way, 'Slaves' was the old title of a version of today's song 'Deliverance' after which Sylvan's first album was named!).

In winter 1995 one of the band's dreams was fulfilled: Marco Glühmann, an old friend who played many years before with Chameleon, joined the band. Within the same year the third and last official demo tape was recorded. The tracklist was 'Beren and Luthien', 'Golden Cage' and 'Outro'. All of these songs have merged into Sylvan's first studio album in one way or another.

In 1997 the last live concert took place under the name Chameleon. Marko Heisig left the band and the bass was taken over by Patrick Münster. The band changed its name to Sylvan. Their first cd was recorded in 1998 and the second was released in 2000. (Adapted from text on the official history website). The music of the band is progressive rock with some hard rock moments, and some spacey melodic pop-rock elements, probably lingering from earlier in their career. Also there are some Art-prog elements, but really not enough to call this music Art-rock as such. Other apparent influences include psychedelic rock, a little PINK FLOYD in the spacey elements, and surely MARILLION and GENESIS.

2. 60's female pop singer. In 2006 her record "We Don't Belong" first recorded in 1965, was featured on a Rhino Records compilation set "The Hatbox collection" "Girl Groups Lost and Found" which gained two Grammy Award nominations in January 2007. Now a successful photographer living in London. www.sylvanmason.com In 1965 Sylvan became the first and only Stowaway on Radio Caroline's Mi Amigo Pirate Ship. She spent the weekend with Tony Blackburn, Roger Gale and Mike Allen promoting her record "We Don't Belong" which had recently been banned by the BBC; helping the dj's with their quiz shows and making jingles whilst the headlines in newspapers screamed "Beautiful blonde Marooned with 15 men". Unlike the new film "The Boat That Rocked" which is based on Radio Caroline, it was cold, uncomfortable and a bit smelly says Sylvan but the boys were very sweet and well behaved.

3. Irish band Sylvan are a five-piece low-fi Dublin-based group, originally formed in 2000 by band members Colin Russell-Conway (drums), Paul Clynes (vox & lead guitar), and Adam McCormack (vox & guitar). Adam left the group in 2004, to move to Denmark and is now recording & gigging with his new band, Imagine I Had Hands. At this point Kieron (Beardy) joined the band to replace Adam on vox & guitar. And Fergus Russell-Conway was also recruited to join the band on bass & backing vox. The band have released 3 full-length albums to date. Their first album "The Ugly Lemon" was recorded in Chicago with Steve Albini in 2003. They then recorded their second album My Marble Eye themselves in Dublin in January 2005. Sylvan have just released their third album "We Are Lying to you through song" in September 2007, and are currently touring this album in Ireland and Europe. http://www.myspace.com/sylvan1

The Fountain of Glow
Sylvan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Heart, you bleed away... Day's, you're dyed in crimson
World, you left me pale and misunderstood

Home, where are you now? Face, I lost you in the
Crowd, a frozen place - will my heart survive?

Then a flamet flares up faintly
Touch my heart with just one smile!

Heart, you beat aloud... Dawn, a sanguine fire
World, I should walk out, pass on what I feel

Open up, step out ... a flame unfurled ... into a brand-new, once threatening world
I walk with a smile, this smile's my arm to shoot out a fire that causes no harm
I'll contaminate and strike a spark, an ardent desire to share my heart ...

Propagate my blood, let's spread it out, embrace the whole world and light the crowd
Explode, blazing fire, outshine the dark, please warm and revive my heart!
And now shine so bright ... please spread, my flame ... and fly ...

Heart, you last ... oh yes, you'll live on
World, you start to grow a new home for me
Face ... you ... please take my smile ...

Dark, where are you now?
World, so unfamilair ...
Please ... your little heart, will it wilt, my child?

Then an angel brings you heaven! Inflame your heart with just one smile!

Living in haze, living in fume, living in rage
Living in jealousy
Living in haste, living in need, living in time
Look, all the people next to me

Living in cold, living in ice ... Living in quest of sympathy
Living in hate, living in ash ... Look, all the people crave for care indeed

It is on you, comes from you ... hand it over

Living in glut, living in greed, living in void,
Living in vacuity ... Living in grief, living in pain
Living in lack of just a little heed ... Living in fear, living in urge
Living for respect, this is all they need

It is on you, comes from you ... hand it over

Love is the fountain, the fountain of glow
Where hearts can catch fire and passion can grow

Vibrant and truthful, a radiant flame
That creates with its power both pleaser and pain

Overall Meaning

The opening lyrics of The Fountain of Glow, by Sylvan, speak to the heart of someone who has been hurt and feels misunderstood. The imagery is that of a bleeding heart and a world that is pale, perhaps as a reflection of their own pain. The singer is asking for a smile to touch their heart, to bring it back to life.

The song moves on to speak of a flame that flares up, faintly at first, but then grows stronger until it is an unfurled flame, taking the singer out into a new world. With a new smile, a symbol of rebirth and a new start, the singer is able to shoot out fire that causes no harm, to share their heart with others. The song culminates in a plea for love to be a fountain, the fountain of glow, where hearts can catch fire and passion can grow.

The overall message of the song seems to be one of hope, of the possibility of new beginnings, and of the transformative power of love. The pain of the past is not ignored, but it is not allowed to overshadow the possibility of a happier future.

Line by Line Meaning

Heart, you bleed away... Day's, you're dyed in crimson
My heart is broken and bleeding, overwhelmed by the amount of pain and hurt I have suffered throughout my days.

World, you left me pale and misunderstood
The world has failed to recognize me, leaving me colorless and confused, unable to find a sense of belonging.

Home, where are you now? Face, I lost you in the
I am searching for a place to call home, but I have lost my sense of identity and individuality in the process.

Crowd, a frozen place - will my heart survive?
The people around me seem to be stuck in a state of coldness and detachment, making me wonder if I will ever find warmth and connection.

Then a flamet flares up faintly
Suddenly, a small spark of hope emerges, filling me with a glimmer of light and warmth.

Touch my heart with just one smile!
I am seeking human connection, hoping that someone will reach out to me and help me find a way to heal from my pain.

Heart, you beat aloud... Dawn, a sanguine fire
My heart begins to awaken, beating louder and stronger as I am filled with a renewed sense of passion and excitement for life.

World, I should walk out, pass on what I feel
I am inspired to share my newfound sense of hope and joy with the world, hoping to help others find their own path to healing.

Open up, step out ... a flame unfurled ... into a brand-new, once threatening world
I am venturing out into the unknown, embracing the risks and challenges of a new world that once seemed intimidating and frightening.

I walk with a smile, this smile's my arm to shoot out a fire that causes no harm
I am armed with a smile, using its power to inspire others and spread a message of love and kindness without causing harm or hurt.

I'll contaminate and strike a spark, an ardent desire to share my heart ...
I am driven by an intense desire to share my heart with others, infecting them with a spark of hope and joy.

Propagate my blood, let's spread it out, embrace the whole world and light the crowd
I am spreading my message of love and hope far and wide, embracing the world and lighting up the hearts of all those around me.

Explode, blazing fire, outshine the dark, please warm and revive my heart!
I am unleashing a brilliant flame of passion and love that can overcome all darkness, warming and reviving my own heart in the process.

And now shine so bright ... please spread, my flame ... and fly ...
My flame of love and hope is spreading far and wide, brightening the lives of countless others and taking flight to inspire change and transformation.

Heart, you last ... oh yes, you'll live on
My heart is strong and resilient, able to withstand even the toughest challenges and hardships.

World, you start to grow a new home for me
The world is beginning to open up new opportunities and possibilities for me, showing me that I can find a new home and a new sense of belonging.

Face ... you ... please take my smile ...
I am sharing my smile and my joy with others, hoping to make a positive impact on the world around me.

Dark, where are you now?
I am no longer afraid of darkness or the unknown, embracing the challenges and opportunities that they bring.

World, so unfamiliar ...
The world is full of new and unexpected experiences, showing me that life is full of surprises and opportunities for growth and transformation.

Please ... your little heart, will it wilt, my child?
I am filled with concern and compassion for others, wondering if their hearts will be able to survive the challenges and difficulties of life.

Then an angel brings you heaven! Inflame your heart with just one smile!
I am inspired by the idea that an angel can bring us to heaven and uplift our hearts with just a simple smile and act of kindness.

Living in haze, living in fume, living in rage...
I am observing the many ways in which people around me are struggling and suffering, living in a state of confusion, anger, and pain.

Living in jealousy, living in haste, living in need, living in time
People around me are caught up in their own desires and needs, living in a state of fear and anxiety as they try to make the most of their limited time on Earth.

Look, all the people next to me...
I am witnessing the suffering and struggles of people around me, recognizing that we are all in this together and that we must support and care for one another.

Living in cold, living in ice ... Living in quest of sympathy
People around me are feeling isolated and disconnected, searching for sympathy and understanding from those around them.

Living in hate, living in ash ... Look, all the people crave for care indeed
Many people are struggling with feelings of hate and despair, in need of love and care from the people around them.

It is on you, comes from you ... hand it over
I am recognizing that it is up to each and every one of us to care for one another, and that we must take action to support and uplift those around us.

Living in glut, living in greed, living in void, living in vacuity ... Living in grief, living in pain
People around me are living in a state of emptiness and pain, struggling to find a sense of purpose and meaning in their lives.

Living in lack of just a little heed ... Living in fear, living in urge
Many people are living in fear and insecurity, in need of care and attention from the people around them.

Living for respect, this is all they need
People are searching for respect and recognition from others, hoping to find a sense of worth and value in their lives.

Love is the fountain, the fountain of glow
Love is the source of light and hope in our lives, providing us with the strength and courage we need to overcome our struggles and challenges.

Where hearts can catch fire and passion can grow
Love has the power to ignite our hearts and fuel our passions, giving us the energy we need to pursue our dreams and achieve our goals.

Vibrant and truthful, a radiant flame
Love is honest and authentic, radiating with warmth and goodness that can uplift our spirits and inspire us to be our best selves.

That creates with its power both pleasure and pain
Love is a powerful force that has the capacity to bring both joy and sorrow into our lives, reminding us of the complexity and beauty of the human experience.

Contributed by Jack V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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