Red Guitar

"Red Guitar" is a song by the English singer-songwriter David Sylvian. Released in May 1984, it was his debut solo single (not counting his two earlier singles with Ryuichi Sakamoto) and taken from his first solo album Brilliant Trees. It peaked at no.17 on the UK Singles Chart.[2]

"Red Guitar"
Single by David Sylvian
from the album Brilliant Trees
B-side"Forbidden Colours" (version)
Released21 May 1984 (1984-05-21)[1]
Recorded1983–1984, London, Berlin
GenreArt rock
Length
  • 5:09 (album version)
  • 4:42 (single version)
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)David Sylvian
Producer(s)
David Sylvian singles chronology
"Forbidden Colours"
(1983)		 "Red Guitar"
(1984)		 "The Ink in the Well"
(1984)

The red guitar of the title was the red guitar which Sylvian played throughout his time with the band Japan.

Reception

Reviewing the song for Record Mirror, Dylan Jones wrote "through the mesh, through the ferns, behind the mask and out on his own we find the reluctant pop-star David Sylvian, taking yet another MOODIST pose on the single sleeve. Not a stunning debut by any means, but an adept performance, even if it has got too many atmospherics and Aladdin Sane piano fills".[3] Dave Rimmer for Smash Hits made it Single of the Fortnight and wrote "by all accounts one of the least weird tracks on the forthcoming solo LP, this is quiet, un-Japan-like, almost jazzy".[4] However, Karen Swayne for Number One wrote that "Japanophiles won't be disappointed. There's no great change in style, but it's still all a bit self-consciously arty and angst-ridden" and that "Sylvian's voice is a Ferry derivative, and tends to drone on in a melancholy fashion without ever really getting anywhere".[5]

Music video

The music video was directed by Anton Corbijn, whose work on Propaganda's "Dr. Mabuse" led Sylvian to approach him. It was inspired by and an homage to British photographer Angus McBean. Sylvian had seen McBean's portrait of actress Flora Robson from 1938 and wanted to base the video off of it. The black-and-white video featured an appearance by McBean lipsyncing to a verse of the song, as McBean only agreed to the use of his Robson portrait so long as he was credited in the video and so it was decided that he should make an appearance.[6]

Track listings

7"

  1. "Red Guitar" – 4:24
  2. "Forbidden Colours" (version) – 5:53

12"

  1. "Red Guitar" (full length version) – 5:06
  2. "Forbidden Colours" (version) – 5:53

Personnel

Chart positions
Chart (1984) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[7] 13
UK Singles (OCC)[2] 17

References
  1. "News". Record Mirror: 4. 19 May 1984. Retrieved 13 December 2020 – via flickr.com.
  2. "David Sylvian: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  3. "Singles". Record Mirror: 16. 26 May 1984. Retrieved 13 December 2020 – via flickr.com.
  4. "Singles". Smash Hits. 10–23 May 1984. p. 25. Retrieved 14 December 2020 – via sites.google.com.
  5. "Singles". Number One: 36. 26 May 1984. Retrieved 15 December 2020 – via flickr.com.
  6. thevistablogger, Author (2019-06-28). "Red Guitar". Vista. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  7. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Red Guitar". Irish Singles Chart.
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