Out Of The Page

A very, very happy birthday to the wonderful, magical Kate Bush, born 30th July 1958.

I fell in love with Kate at age 7, watching her mesmerising performance of Wuthering Heights on TV. Since then, she has produced an incredible body of work which demonstrates the breadth and persistence of her vision, not just the music, but the videos, the concert performances and the rare but fascinating interviews.

I've attempted a career-spanning, 66(ish) minute selection of songs to celebrate this woman's work (see what I did there?) It was impossible to avoid some of the big hits - there are so many - but I've also chosen some deeper cuts and alternative versions, including one of Kate's earliest demos from 1974, age 16. 

 

David Gilmour heard Kate's music and helped produce a demo tape, which led to a signing with EMI that continued for over a quarter of a century. Since 2011, Kate's releases have been on her own label, Fish People. Director's Cut revisited and reworked songs from The Sensual World and The Red Shoes. 50 Words For Snow, an album of all-new songs, followed the same year. 2016 saw Before The Dawn, a live document of her spectacular return to live performance in 2014. 

The first Kate Bush album I owned was Lionheart, a birthday gift from my brother's then-girlfriend in the 1980s. As such, this will always be my favourite, the songs deeply ingrained in my consciousness.

 

It speaks of Kate's mass appeal that it was one of the relatively few artists that my parents didn't complain about my playing loud at home. My brother, my friends, my girlfriends, pretty much everyone I knew owned at least one Kate Bush record.

 

When I lived for a brief time in Derby, the guy in the flat next door used to constantly play hair metal at high volume, with one exception. I knew that he either had a lady visiting or was trying to create his own luck for a night out whenever he played Kate Bush's greatest hits compilation, The Whole Story. We didn't have much in common, but we at least agreed on Kate.

Kate found a whole new generation switched on to her music when Running Up That Hill was used in the Netflix series Stranger Things. I've never seen it, but it must be alright if it means that Kate's music is appreciated all over again. 

 

Stick to the end of this selection and you'll hear a snippet from an unexpected phone interview by Emma Barton for BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour on 22nd June 2022. Even her speaking voice is a joy to listen to.

Have a day filled with love and hugs, Kate, and thank you for the gifts you have given, which continue to surprise, delight and enrich us.

 

1) Never Be Mine ('Director's Cut' Version) (2011) 

2) Hounds Of Love (Album Version) (1985)

3) How To Be Invisible (Album Version) (2005)

4) Night Of The Swallow (Album Version) (1982)

5) Delius (Song Of Summer) (Album Version) (1980)

6) Big Stripey Lie (Album Version) (1993)

7) Army Dreamers (Single Remix) (1980)

8) Symphony In Blue (Album Version) (1978)

9) Among Angels (Album Version) (2011)

10) The Sensual World (Album Version) (1989)

11) Kite (Album Version) (1978)

12) Don't Put Your Foot On The Heartbrake (BBC TV Performance) (1979) 

13) In My Garden (aka Garden By The Willow aka Something Like A Song) (Home Demo) (1974)

14) Wuthering Heights (New Vocal) (1986)

15) Shoedance (The Red Shoes Dance Mix) (1993)

16) ...Kate speaks... (2022)

 

1978: The Kick Inside: 11

1978: Lionheart: 8

1980: Army Dreamers EP: 7

1980: Never For Ever: 5

1982: The Dreaming: 4

1985: Hounds Of Love: 2

1986: Experiment IV EP: 14

1989: The Sensual World: 10

1993: The Red Shoes: 6 

1993: The Red Shoes EP: 15

2005: Aerial: 3

2011: Director's Cut: 1 

2011: 50 Words For Snow: 9

2014: The Season Of The Witch: Cathy's Home Demos (bootleg): 13

2014: 1979 Television Special: 12

Out Of The Page (1:05:38) (KF) (Mega)