Forbidden Colours

This article is about the song. For the novel, see Forbidden Colors. For the concept in color theory, see Impossible colors.

"Forbidden Colours"
Single by Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Sylvian
from the album Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence O.S.T
Released	1983
Recorded	1983
Genre	Electronic, Film, New Age, World
Length	4:13
Label	Virgin Records
Writer(s)	Ryuichi Sakamoto (music) David Sylvian (lyrics)
Producer	Ryuichi Sakamoto
Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Sylvian singles chronology
"Bamboo Houses" (1982) "Forbidden Colours" (1983) "Red Guitar" (1984) Music sample "Forbidden Colours" 30 second sample of "Forbidden Colours"

"Forbidden Colours" is a song composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto with lyrics by David Sylvian. The song is the vocal version of the theme from the Nagisa Oshima film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (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".

The title of the song is taken from Japanese writer Yukio Mishima's 1953 novel Forbidden Colors; 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 and was later also included as a bonus track on certain editions of his 1987 album Secrets of the Beehive. 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

1. "Forbidden Colours" – 4:42
2. "The Seed and the Sower" – 5:00

• UK 12" Virgin Records VS 601-12

1. "Forbidden Colours" – 4:42
2. "The Seed and the Sower" – 5:00
3. "Last Regrets" – 2:40

• UK 3" CD Virgin Records CDT 18 (released 1988)

1. "Forbidden Colours" - 4.42
2. "Bamboo Houses" - 5.26
3. "Bamboo Music" - 5.38

Personnel

• Ryuichi Sakamoto - keyboards, programming
• David Sylvian - vocals, lyrics

Production

• Ryuichi Sakamoto - producer
• Recorded and mixed by - Ryuichi Sakamoto, Seigen Ono, Shinichi Tanaka
• Recording assistant - Michio Nakakoshi
• David Sylvian - artwork, cover design
• Yuka Fujii - photography

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 Mrvica made a piano version included in his album Variations Part I&II (2004)
• Sarah Brightman recorded the song for her album, La Luna, yet it was unfinished. Brightman later included the song on The Harem Tour CD, a limited compilation sold at shows on her tour for Harem.
• The song was used as the main theme for a Singapore film - The Leap Years, released in December 2005.
• Anggun used part of the song's tunes for her tracks entitled "Hymne à la vie / Seize the Moment / Sebelum Berhenti" from her Elevation 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 Smith 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)