Forbidden Colours
Encyclopedia
- This article is about the song. For the novel, see Forbidden ColorsForbidden Colorsis a novel by Yukio Mishima, translated into English in 1968. The name kinjiki is a euphemism for homosexuality. The kanji 禁 means "forbidden" and 色 in this case means "erotic love", although it can also mean "color". The word "kinjiki" also means colors which were forbidden to be worn by people of...
. For the concept in color theory, see Impossible colorsImpossible colorsImpossible colors or forbidden colors are hues that cannot be perceived in ordinary viewing conditions from light that is a combination of various intensities of the various frequencies of visible light. Examples of impossible colors are bluish-yellow and reddish-green...
.
"Forbidden Colours" is a song composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto
After working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
with lyrics by David Sylvian
David Sylvian
David Sylvian is an English singer-songwriter and musician who came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and main songwriter in the group Japan...
. The song is the vocal version of the theme from the Nagisa Oshima
Nagisa Oshima
is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. After graduating from Kyoto University he was hired by Shochiku Ltd. and quickly progressed to directing his own movies, making his debut feature A Town of Love and Hope in 1959....
film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is a 1983 film directed by Nagisa Oshima, produced by Jeremy Thomas and starring Jack Thompson, David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yuya Uchida, and Takeshi Kitano.It was written by Oshima and Paul Mayersberg and based on Laurens van der Post's experiences...
(in certain territories retitled Furyo) and was first released on the soundtrack album. "Forbidden Colours", also issued as a duet single on Virgin Records in 1983, was the second collaborative single release by Sylvian and Sakamoto, following 1982's "Bamboo Houses
Bamboo Houses
"Bamboo Houses" is a song by Japanese musician-composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and English singer-songwriter David Sylvian, released on Virgin Records in 1982....
".
The title of the song is taken from Japanese writer Yukio Mishima
Yukio Mishima
was the pen name of , a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor and film director, also remembered for his ritual suicide by seppuku after a failed coup d'état...
's 1953 novel Forbidden Colors
Forbidden Colors
is a novel by Yukio Mishima, translated into English in 1968. The name kinjiki is a euphemism for homosexuality. The kanji 禁 means "forbidden" and 色 in this case means "erotic love", although it can also mean "color". The word "kinjiki" also means colors which were forbidden to be worn by people of...
; although not directly related to the film, both works include exploration of homosexual themes.
In 1984 the track was re-recorded and released as the B-side to "Red Guitar", the lead single to Sylvian's first solo album Brilliant Trees
Brilliant Trees
Brilliant Trees is the debut solo album by British singer/songwriter David Sylvian, released in 1984.-History:Produced by Sylvian with Steve Nye, it was his first full length release after the break-up of his band Japan in late 1982. The album peaked at no.4 in the UK, the highest chart position of...
and was later also included as a bonus track on certain editions of his 1987 album Secrets of the Beehive
Secrets of the Beehive
Secrets of the Beehive is the fourth solo album by David Sylvian and was released in 1987. Produced by Steve Nye and David Sylvian, the album features Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Torn, Mark Isham and Steve Jansen among others.-Track listing:...
. Both Sakamoto and Sylvian have since recorded several interpretations of the song, both instrumental (under the title "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence") and vocal. An orchestral version featuring vocals by Sylvian was included on Sakamoto's 1999 album Cinemage.
Formats and track listings
All music by Ryuichi Sakamoto; lyrics by David Sylvian on "Forbidden Colours", "Bamboo Houses" and "Bamboo Music".- UK 7" Virgin Records VS 601 & 7" pic disc VSY 601
- "Forbidden Colours" – 4:42
- "The Seed and the Sower" – 5:00
- UK 12" Virgin Records VS 601-12
- "Forbidden Colours" – 4:42
- "The Seed and the Sower" – 5:00
- "Last Regrets" – 2:40
- UK 3" CD Virgin Records CDT 18 (released 1988)
- "Forbidden Colours" - 4.42
- "Bamboo Houses" - 5.26
- "Bamboo Music" - 5.38
Personnel
- Ryuichi SakamotoRyuichi SakamotoAfter working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
- keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, programming - David SylvianDavid SylvianDavid Sylvian is an English singer-songwriter and musician who came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and main songwriter in the group Japan...
- vocals, lyrics
Production
- Ryuichi SakamotoRyuichi SakamotoAfter working as a session musician with Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi in 1977, the trio formed the internationally successful electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. Known for their seminal influence on electronic music, the group helped pioneer electronic genres such as...
- producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Recorded and mixed by - Ryuichi Sakamoto, Seigen Ono, Shinichi Tanaka
- Recording assistant - Michio Nakakoshi
- David SylvianDavid SylvianDavid Sylvian is an English singer-songwriter and musician who came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and main songwriter in the group Japan...
- artworkCover artCover art is the illustration or photograph on the outside of a published product such as a book , magazine, comic book, video game , DVD, CD, videotape, or music album. The art has a primarily commercial function, i.e...
, cover design - Yuka Fujii - photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
Cover versions and appearances in other media
- In March 2000, German trance band Watergate scored a UK #3 hit with their song "Heart of Asia", which was based on the main melody to the instrumental version of the song.
- Maksim MrvicaMaksim MrvicaMaksim Mrvica is a Croatian pianist. He plays classical crossover music.- History :Mrvica was born in Šibenik, Croatia. He took up piano lessons from the age of nine from Marija Sekso and gave his first public performance in the same year. Just three years later he gave his first concert...
made a piano version included in his album Variations Part I&IIVariations Part I&IIVariations Part I&II is Croatian pianist Maksim Mrvica's third album, including his first album, "Gestures".-Track listing:#Tonci Huljic: "Kolibre"#Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1#Sakamoto: "Merry Christmas Mr...
(2004) - Sarah BrightmanSarah BrightmanSarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...
recorded the song for her album, La Luna, yet it was unfinished. Brightman later included the song on The Harem Tour CDThe Harem Tour CDThe Harem Tour Album is an album by classical crossover soprano Sarah Brightman. It is a limited edition CD that was only available for purchase at Sarah Brightman's "The Harem World Tour" events, and is now out of print...
, a limited compilation sold at shows on her tour for HaremHaremHarem refers to the sphere of women in what is usually a polygynous household and their enclosed quarters which are forbidden to men...
. - The song was used as the main theme for a Singapore film - The Leap YearsThe Leap YearsThe Leap Years is a Singapore film produced by MediaCorp Raintree Pictures, based on the novella Leap of Love by the author Catherine Lim. The production for the film started in 2005, and the film was initially to be released in December 2005 release...
, released in December 2005. - AnggunAnggunAnggun Cipta Sasmi is an Indonesian singer-songwriter. She has released 12 studio albums and one soundtrack album , and her songs have also been included on various compilation albums. Her musical career began in childhood, and she achieved commercial success in Indonesia when she was 12 years old...
used part of the song's tunes for her tracks entitled "Hymne à la vie / Seize the Moment / Sebelum Berhenti" from her ElevationElevation (Anggun album)Elevation is the fourth international studio album by Anggun. The album was recorded in English and French.-French Version:* France Standard Edition#"J'ignorais tout" – 4:22#"Si tu l'avoues" – 3:59#"Hymne à la vie" – 4:24...
album. - Japanese-American artist Hikaru Utada released a song titled "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence - FYI" on her 2009 English-language album This Is the One, which sampled "Forbidden Colours".
- In November 2009, British Classical Artist Faryl SmithFaryl SmithFaryl Smith is a British teen mezzo-soprano who rose to fame after auditioning for the second series of the ITV television talent show Britain's Got Talent in 2008. She received praise throughout the competition, and although she was the favourite to win after the second round, she finished...
released an edited version of the track called "Somewhere Far Away" which used the same melody as "Forbidden Colours", however the lyrics have been changed. - R. Sakomoto also contributes with a Solo Piano version of "Forbidden Colours" on the Various Artists Solo-Piano Compalion "Piano One" (Private Music- 1985)