Forbidden Colours (for the film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence)

Okay, so the movie that this song is from is called "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence." Or FURYO in Japan, which is the Japanese word for "Prisioner of War." -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merry_Christmas,_Mr._Lawrence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7176RazMVR8

The film centers around POW's in WW2 Japan. In the opening scenes, two soldiers are brought out in front of an execution squad. The two soldiers had a homosexual relationship and are obviously emotionally involved, but one claims that it was rape to get out of the shame. The "perpetrator" is commanded to perform commit suicide by sword, the "victim" gets to live.

Later the film focuses on the unlikely relationship between Jack Celliers and Captain Yanoi (played by Ryuichi Sakamoto of the band Yellow Magic Orchestra and who performs the song with David Sylvian) develops his own sort of homo-emotional feelings for Celliers.

Yanoi goes easy on Celliers and shows humanity and compassion to him after being told about the western tradition of Christmas, he says "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" after sparing him from punishment for one of his camp mates having a radio.

The title "Forbidden Colours" is also shared by a novel from the 50's written by Yukio Mishima, the Japanese name for the book "kinjiki" is a euphemism for homosexuality and it is the book's primary topic.

The lyrics of the song itself, to me, describe someone who is going through an internal turmoil - their faith vs. their feelings and not being able to understand or deal with it. "The blood of Christ, or the beat of my heart?" - My faith, or my love for this person? - "Learning to cope with feelings aroused in me, my hands in the soil - buried inside myself." This person is tilling the dirt of their soul so to speak, trying to dig out this part of them that they've been taught is wrong and unnatural. "I`ll go walking in circles while doubting the very ground beneath me -Trying to show unquestioning faith in everything," - the character is so wracked with guilt and confusion and internalized fear that they spaz out and forget where they are or what they're doing. The kind of thing somebody hopelessly in love does. But despite all this, they still put on the facade that everything is "normal."

And yes, Utada Hikaru SAMPLED this song and kept the original title, however her version has nothing to do with the subject of the original. Hers is more of a "have fun and party" song.