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Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (instrumental)

(Redirected from Forbidden Colours)

"Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" is a 1983 instrumental by the Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, recorded for the 1983 film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. Sakamoto also recorded a vocal version, "Forbidden Colours", featuring the English singer David Sylvian. In 1999, a remix by Watergate, "Heart of Asia", was successful in the UK and Denmark. In 2024, the German band Kraftwerk covered "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" in tribute to Sakamoto after his death in 2023.

"Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence"
Single by Ryuichi Sakamoto
from the album Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence O.S.T
B-side"Sowing the Seed"
ReleasedSeptember 1983
Genre
Length4:38
LabelVirgin
SongwriterRyuichi Sakamoto
ProducerRyuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto singles chronology
"Forbidden Colours"
(1983)		 "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence"
(1983)		 "Field Work"
(1985)

Reception

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According to the Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw, "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" is one of the most famous film themes of the 1980s, with an "inspirationally catchy westernised pop take on Japanese music".[1] It inspired the mandolin part of the 1991 R.E.M. song "Losing My Religion".[2]

Charts

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Chart (1983) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] 88
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[4]38
UK Singles (OCC)[5]93
Chart (2016) Peak
position
France (SNEP)[6]185

Forbidden Colours

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"Forbidden Colours"
Single by David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto
from the album Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence
B-side"The Seed and the Sower" (by Sakamoto)
Released24 June 1983 (1983-06-24)[7]
Recorded1983
Genre
Length4:42
LabelVirgin
SongwritersRyuichi Sakamoto (music)
David Sylvian (lyrics)
ProducerRyuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto singles chronology
"Riot in Lagos"
(1983)		 "Forbidden Colours"
(1983)		 "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence"
(1983)
David Sylvian singles chronology
"Bamboo Houses"
(1982)		 "Forbidden Colours"
(1983)		 "Red Guitar"
(1984)

Sakamoto created a vocal version, "Forbidden Colours", with the English singer David Sylvian. It reached the top 20 of the UK singles chart in July and August 1983.[8]

After Sylvian's band Japan broke up, he did not write music until Sakamoto invited him to work on "Forbidden Colours". Sakamoto originally expected Sylvian's vocal to follow the instrumental melody, but Sylvian found this impossible and instead wrote a counter-melody. Sylvain said of Sakamoto's theme: "Sonically it was incredible. I loved all the samples that he was using ... Sound design was a big part of it for us, and what Ryuichi as producer did was extraordinary with that particular piece of music."[9]

Sylvian later recorded another version, which is featured as a bonus track for the CD version of Secrets of the Beehive.[10] It also appears in Sylvian's 2012 compilation album A Victim of Stars 1982–2012.[11]

Chart positions

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Chart (1983) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] 29
Iceland (Dagblaðið Vísir)[12] 1
Ireland (IRMA)[13]15
UK Singles (OCC)[14]16

Watergate remix

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"Heart of Asia"
Single by Watergate
B-side"Infinity" (club mix)
Released24 September 1999 (1999-09-24)
Length3:06 (radio edit)
Label
  • Dance Division
  • Underdog
SongwriterRyuichi Sakamoto
Producers

In September 1999, a remix, "Heart of Asia", was released in Europe by the German-Turkish DJ DJ Quicksilver, under the alias Watergate. It reached number three on the UK singles chart and number four in Denmark.[citation needed] The British journalist James Masterton wrote that it was "one of the few dance treatments of a famous song that actually manages to make the original seem almost dull by comparison".[15]

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1999–2000) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[16] 98
Denmark (IFPI)[17] 4
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[18] 18
Germany (GfK)[19]26
Ireland (IRMA)[13]13
Scotland Singles (OCC)[20]2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21]22
UK Singles (OCC)[22]3
UK Dance (OCC)[23]1

Year-end charts

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Chart (2000) Position
Ireland (IRMA)[24] 98
UK Singles (OCC)[25] 86

Kraftwerk cover

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On 27 July 2024, at the Fuji Rock Festival in Naeba, the German band Kraftwerk covered f "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" as a tribute to Sakamoto, who died in 2023. The Kraftwerk member Ralf Hütter had been friends with Sakamoto since 1981. After performing "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence", Kraftwerk played their single "Radioactivity", for which Sakamoto wrote additional Japanese lyrics in 2012.[26]

References

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  1. ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (27 June 2018). "Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda review – portrait of Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence composer". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  2. ↑ Myers, Marc (12 April 2016). "Behind R.E.M.'s Hit 'Losing My Religion'". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 263. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. ↑ "Ryuichi Sakamoto – Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  5. ↑ "Ryuichi Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  6. ↑ "Ryuichi Sakamoto – Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  7. ↑ "Turn on". Record Mirror: 8. 18 June 1983. Retrieved 15 December 2020 – via flickr.com.
  8. ↑ "Forbidden Colours". UK Official Charts. Official Charts. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  9. ↑ Wallace, Wyndham (19 March 2012). "David Sylvian's guide to the work of David Sylvian". The Quietus.
  10. ↑ "Secrets Of The Beehive". David Sylvian : Expect Everything And Nothing Less. 14 March 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
  11. ↑ "Forbidden Colours (version) - David Sylvian". Vista. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
  12. ↑ "Vísir - 181. Tölublað (12.08.1983) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  13. 1 2 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Forbidden Colours". Irish Singles Chart. Cite error: The named reference "sc_Ireland2_" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  14. ↑ "Search results for "David Sylvian and Riuichi Sakamoto" | Official Chart". Official Charts Company.
  15. ↑ Masterton, James (7 May 2000). "Week ending May 13th 2000". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  16. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  17. ↑ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 46. 6 November 1999. p. 23. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  18. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 21. 20 May 2000. p. 11. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  19. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  20. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 13/5/2000 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  21. ↑ "Watergate – Heart of Asia". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  22. ↑ "Official Singles Chart on 13/5/2000 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  23. ↑ "Official Dance Singles Chart on 13/5/2000 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  24. ↑ "Top 100 of 2000". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Archived from the original on 2 June 2004. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  25. ↑ "Best Sellers of 2000: Singles Top 100". Music Week. 20 January 2001. p. 25.
  26. ↑ "Kraftwerk perform 'Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence' in tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto". Mixmag. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
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