"The Ink in the Well" is a song by the English singer-songwriter David Sylvian. It was released in August 1984 as the second single from his debut solo album Brilliant Trees. The single peaked at No. 36 on the UK Singles Chart.[2]
Reception
Reviewing the song for Record Mirror, Eden wrote "Mention David Sylvian and the adjectives that immediately spring to mind are sensitive, delicate, moody. 'Ink in the Well' lives up to David's reputation, it's accomplished with endearing lyrics and an interesting jazzy interlude occurs halfway through the song".[3]
Themes
The song was inspired by Picasso's 1937 canvas Guernica.[4][5]
Personnel
On "The Ink in the Well":
- David Sylvian – vocals, synthesizers
- Phil Palmer – guitar
- Danny Thompson – double bass
- Kenny Wheeler – flugelhorn
- Steve Jansen – drums
On "Weathered Wall":
- David Sylvian – synthesizer
- Richard Barbieri – synthesizer
- Ryuichi Sakamoto – piano
- John Hassell – trumpet
- Holger Czukay – dictaphone
- Steve Jansen – drums, percussion
Technical:
- David Sylvian – cover design, remixing ("The Ink in the Well")
- Nigel Walker – remixing ("The Ink in the Well")
- Peter Williams – engineer
- Steve Nye – engineer, mixing
- Anton Corbijn – photography
- Yuka Fujii – photography
Chart positions
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ireland (IRMA)[6] | 28 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[7] | 36 |
References
- ^ "News". Record Mirror: 6. 4 August 1984. Retrieved 14 December 2020 – via flickr.com.
- ^ "THE INK IN THE WELL". Official Charts. 1984-08-18. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ^ "Singles". Record Mirror: 13. 11 August 1984. Retrieved 14 December 2020 – via flickr.com.
- ^ Evans, Gary (2002). Music Inspired by Art: A Guide to Recordings. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-4509-1.
- ^ "The Ink in the Well". Vista. 2022-06-10. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Ink in the Well". Irish Singles Chart.
- ^ "David Sylvian: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
