10th April 2020
35 years ago my loved of music was taken to a completely different level
Kate Bush released Hounds of Love in September 1985 and nothing would ever be the same again.
The single ‘Running Up That Hill” had already been released and trapped me in its heavy back beats, I played it constantly …. constantly as in, nothing else was listened to until the album was released.
I am listening to Hounds right now whilst I take a break from work, and I feel compelled to write about it, it is, the singularly most important record in my collection and I’m going to try and explain why, track by track.
Running Up That Hill: Ask me at any given time what my favourite track ever is, and categorically the answer remains the same. This is my ULTIMATE SONG, everything about it speaks to me, from the incessant beat to the mystical lyrics, the repetitive nature that keeps me going back for more, and of course the stunning video which heralded Kate’s return to the musical landscape in magnificent form. So serious is my love for this track it’s first on the list for when I leave this mortal coil.
Hounds Of love: It’s in the trees, it’s coming! Starting with a thud and building to a crescendo of sounds that create a huge landscape of thundering magnificence. Hounds is anthemic in every possible way and makes me wants to get up and dance with abandon!
Big Sky: Light in a heavy kinda way, the vast sounds that seem so hollow and yet full at the same time absolutely make me think about the ‘BIG SKY’ …. and pause for the jet! A jolly number in which you can absolutely hear the happiness in Kate’s voice as she sings. That cloud looks like Ireland!
Mother Stands For Comfort: Haunting sounds, haunting lyrics, one of the most moving songs about motherhood ever written, it makes me think that yes, my Mam would have done anything for me, no matter what I might have done, she would have always supported me, even if she didn’t agree with what [it] might be. The crashing sounds just add to the heartache so deeply felt in the way Kate sings the lyrics.
Cloudbusting: EPIC, absolutely epic. Even non-fans (who are they???) cannot hide their delight at this stunning, uplifting and beautiful piece of work. The lyrics relate to the book ‘a book of dreams’ by Wilhelm Reich and the video tells the story of a cloud catcher. It’s all a little surreal but it’s one of the absolute highlights of Kate’s body of work. Makes me want to go marching through the streets (even though I can’t right now) singing at the top of my voice “it’s you and me daddy”.
Side 2…. when we had sides on albums in the good old days, is the incredible ‘Ninth Wave’ inspired by Tennyson’s ‘The coming of Arthur’:
‘Wave after wave, each mightier than the last , till last, a ninth one, gathering half the deep and full of voices, slowly rose and plunged roaring, and the all the wave was in a flame’.
And Dream Of Sheep: Little light shining, atmospheric, even before I had analysed the lyrics it was obvious Kate was drowning and trying to save herself …. This powerful piece of music sends shivers up and down my spine every time I listen to it and is for me, the moment in Kate’s career when she absolutely delivered every single piece of her fertile imagination in a single piece of music.
On a separate note, this track was the influence behind the shirt I created for seeing Kate live in ‘Before The Dawn!’
Under Ice: Those screechy strings at the start make me imagine myself ice skating with difficulty (as I’d be hopeless at it). It’s another haunting and atmospheric track that evokes a sense of emptiness, loneliness and desperation. It’s eery from start to finish and sets the tone for what’s coming in the next piece. Listen to it and tell me you don’t feel cold and scared!
Waking The Witch: ‘wake up child, pay attention’ Strange voices talking , questioning, getting more and more annoyed as the track deepens and then suddenly, you are drowning, gurgling, gasping along with Kate as she sinks deeper and deeper into the water, and then, it’s about a witch … a witch who will either drown to prove her innocence or float to prove her guilt to be then burnt at the stake. Church bells, banging drums, noises, strange voices all pushing themselves into your mind as Kate sings for her life.
Watching You Without Me: Thinking about not getting home as she slowly drifts away deeper into the ocean and the inevitable drowning that is her destiny. Reminiscing and thinking ahead, the lyrics tug at the heart strings and Kate’s delicate, almost trembly voice adds gravitas to the depth of the musicality.
Jig Of Life: Irish in its structure (Kate is a fan of Irish music) …. this piece starts the journey back to wanting to survive, its frenetic and frantic, fast and full of intensity, Kate’s voice becomes more intense; everything is about fighting for her life, and then it breaks into an Irish jig. I can picture traditional Irish dancing and lost of positive happy faces as something good starts to kick in … and then: “I put this moment here” …. Kates’ brother comes in and chants a rousing poetic verse that changes the tempo of the track.
Hello Earth: OH MY HOW I LOVE THIS PIECE, it’s hypnotic opening, ‘hello earth, hello earth’ is filled with hope, ‘peek a boo little earth’ she is safe, it’s going to be alright. The positivity in the voice and music lifts me every time I hear it. Good is coming, that’s what it says to me. it ends slowly and hauntingly with random voices speaking in foreign tongues….fading out until….
The Morning Fog: Saved, the gentle melody and Kate’s voice signal happiness again…. ‘ do you know what, I love you” she sings and my heart melts. An upbeat, life affirming statement after the deep dark moments we have just lived through. Happiness and a sense of relief as the opus ends on an absolute high.
If you have never listened to Hounds Of love, I urge you to do it, my pretentious meanderings can never ever do it justice.
