Shirt a Phobia

Sample Page

For the novel, see Forbidden Colors.

“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.

Reception

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

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

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 for some time. When Sakamoto invited him to work on “Forbidden Colours”, he began to work again. 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: “I mean, 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 of the song, which is featured as a bonus track for the CD version of Secrets of the Beehive,[10] This version also appears in Sylvian’s 2012 compilation album A Victim of Stars 1982–2012.[11]

Chart positions

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

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

Weekly charts

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

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

Other versions

There is a 12-inch vinyl Italo disco cover version on the Italian record label Discomagic named “Clock on 5 – Theme from Furyo” which was released in 1984.[26]

In 2004, Croatian pianist Maksim Mrvica included a piano remix of “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” on his third album, Variations Part I&II. Japanese-American R&B artist Hikaru Utada sampled the theme for her 2009 song “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence – FYI”, from the album This Is the One.

In 2008, a cover version of “Forbidden Colours” was included on Hollywood Mon Amour,[27] a collection of songs from soundtracks of movies made in the 1980s, rearranged by Marc Collin of Nouvelle Vague with Nadeah Miranda providing the vocals. In 2009, British singer Faryl Smith recorded a version of the song for her album Wonderland, entitled “Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence (Somewhere Far Away)”.

Japanese post-hardcore band Fact recorded a track by the title “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” on their self-titled album. Tokyo Brass Style, a Japanese big band, recorded a cover of the title theme for their fifth album, Brass Style Xmas. Sherwood & Pinch released a version of the song on their 2017 LP Man vs Sofa.[28]

On 27 July 2024, at the Fuji Rock Festival in Naeba, the German band Kraftwerk played a cover version of “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” as a tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto, who died in 2023. Ralf Hütter had been friends with Sakamoto since 1981. After performing “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence”, Kraftwerk played “Radioactivity“, for which Sakamoto wrote additional Japanese lyrics in 2012.[29]

References

  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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b “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. ^ “Clock On 5 – Theme From Furyo (Vinyl) at Discogs”. Discogs.com. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  27. ^ “Hollywood, Mon Amour – Hollywood, Mon Amour at Discogs”. Discogs.com. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  28. ^ “Sherwood* & Pinch (2) – Man Vs. Sofa”. Discogs. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  29. ^ “Kraftwerk perform ‘Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence’ in tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto”. Mixmag. Retrieved 7 November 2024.