If you’ve never heard of Kate Bush, you have no idea which great musician you’re missing.
The English singer, songwriter and instrumentalist opened a new chapter in her career after being rediscovered by the new generation with the classic and incredible song ‘Running Up That Hill’, which became a huge hit nearly forty years after its initial release. , thanks to the series ‘Stranger Things’. But it’s clear Bush’s discography goes beyond that music and spans decades of pop art appreciation and conceptual forays — which spawned iterations like “Wuthering Heights” and “Babooshka.”
Bush recently turned 64, and to celebrate her legacy and impact on pop culture, we’ve put together a short list of ten of her great songs to get to know her.
See our picks below and let us know which is your favorite:
“THE WUTHERING HEIGHTS”
Album: The Kick Inside (1978)
Enjoy watching:
Bush’s debut single was a huge hit when it was released, topping the UK charts for four weeks. Inspired by Emily Brontë’s novel ‘Wuthering Heights’, ‘Wuthering Heights’ is an impeccable amalgamation of art pop, baroque pop and goth-rock featured on the beloved album ‘The Kick Inside’, and is told from the point of view of the novel’s protagonist. , Catherine Earnshaw, in a supernatural and romantic rhapsody that is, to this day, enshrined as one of the greatest songs of all time.
“THE MAN WITH THE CHILD IN THE EYES”
Album: The Kick Inside (1978)
The fourth single from Bush’s debut album, “The Man with the Child in His Eyes”, was composed by the singer when she was just 13 – which is a simply fantastic feat, especially more so given the quality of the moving poetry of verse she composed. The romantic ballad in progressive pop surrenders to the echo of pianos and is about a nameless man who comes to visit her at night and knows her like no one else, behaving like a gentleman who treats her with candor and respect.
“WOW”
Album: Lion Heart
Already in his second studio album, Bush showed himself as an unimaginable force not only in the alternative scenario, but in the phonographic field as a whole. With “Lionheart,” she landed as an expressive voice that was fully aware of the messages she carried in her songs — and “Wow” is one of the great exponents of her knowledge of the entertainment industry. After all, the track dives headfirst into the metalanguage and speaks to the cosmos of show business, in a fine collaboration between Bush and Andrew Powell in production.
“BABOUCHKA”
Album: Never Forever (1980)
“Babooshka” is one of Bush’s most irreverent songs and, for that reason, is one of his most exuberant and striking signatures. Present on the album “Never for Ever”, from 1980, the song is marked by the poignant presence of the piano and the string instruments which adorn a story which borders on mystery, in which a woman wants to test the fidelity of her husband. So she adopts Babooshka’s alter-ego, sending him letters and wanting to meet the boy to pursue a sordid plan.
“BREATHING”
Album: Never Forever (1980)
As you can see, there are no limits to what Bush’s imagination can achieve – and that’s proven with “Breathing,” one of the singles from the acclaimed “Never for Ever” album. The haunting construction features elements of progressive rock, set in a chilling atmosphere constructed from the perspective of a fetus – who is fully aware that its mother is dealing with the aftermath of a nuclear attack in a post-apocalyptic scenario (the all infused with a jaw-dropping vibe).
“RUN UP THIS HILL”
Album: Love Dogs (1985)
When we compare “Running Up That Hill” with, say, Bush’s latest single, it’s remarkable what passionate vocal versatility the artist has. The beautiful track is built on a solid foundation of synth-pop and new wave, discussing how a man and a woman can’t understand each other precisely because of who they are (“if I could, I’d make a pact with God, and I’ll make him change places”). Moderately successful at the time of its release, the song resurfaced with more force after the season 4 premiere of “Stranger Things”, propelling the song to No. Billboard Hot 100.
“CLOUDBUSTING”
Album: Love Dogs
“Cloudbusting” is another great representative of Bush’s discography: released as the second official single from the famous “Hounds of Love”, the track has a slightly more marketing construction that fits perfectly into the aesthetics of the album. ‘album. Here, art rock and baroque pop merge in a story that examines the relationship between philosopher and psychiatrist Wilhelm Reich and his son Peter. Each element is accompanied by a magnanimity resulting from the precise use of subtle synthesizers and urgent cellos.
Album: Love Dogs (1985)
Released as the third single from his self-titled album, “Hounds of Love” is not only one of Bush’s most underrated songs, but one of his best. The engaging production aligns with art rock and alternative rock impulses in a plot that speaks to the fear of falling in love due to possible disappointments and frustrations. Each element was designed by the artist herself, which is why the track is extremely intimate and declamatory, topped with the impact of cellos exploding in the chorus.
“THIS WOMAN’S WORK”
Album: The Sensual World (1989)
Joining Bush on the piano is quite simply the best gift any music lover could ask for – and with ‘This Woman’s Work’ she delights us with her impeccable vocals and remarkable production. Originally written for the John Hughes film ‘She’s Got a Baby’, the song was also featured on 1989’s ‘The Sensual World’ album. The narcotic ballad is told from a man’s point of view and unfolds to pop art with enormous force, leaning towards jaw-dropping avant-garde influences and establishing itself as one of the artist’s finest constructs.
“KING OF THE MOUNTAIN”
Album: Aerial (2005)
Twelve years after releasing “The Red Shoes,” Bush returned to the music world with “Aerial,” which promoted a major shift in her phonographic style without abandoning the roots of the alternative scene that had put her under the spotlight. spotlights. With ‘King of the Mountain’, the album’s first and only single, she bet on a more measured production that spoke to the synth’s growing resurgence in the mainstream scene – and they hint at the possibility of Elvis Presley, the king rock, still be alive.
