# What does the classical world think of Kate Bush?



## ChrisGraham (Apr 10, 2016)

As someone with a fairly modest understanding of classical music, I'm curious to know what lovers of classical music think about the rock/pop artist Kate Bush, a particular hero of mine.

If you do not know of Kate's music, possibly my favourite track of hers is called 'Hello Earth', from her suite of seven songs on the concept album called 'The Ninth Wave'. You can listen to 'Hello Earth' here: 





This particular piece features some Georgian chanting, potentially something that may appeal to the more classical-inclined (and definitely not my favourite part of the track!) If you want an idea of one of Kate's more conventional songs, here's a good example:





So, classical music fans, what are your thoughts on Kate Bush? Is she a musical genius, or just an overrated pop artist?


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I've tried listening to her, but I don't like little girl voices. I did like a couple of the backing vocal tracks she did for Peter Gabriel and Roy Harper.


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## motoboy (May 19, 2008)

I think I saw her on a "Blackadder" but that's all I might know about her.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

I don't have a clue as to what the classical music world thinks of Kate Bush. But she is one of my top five pop/rock female artists, along with Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro, Maria McKee, and PJ Harvey. One of her songs is a Top Ten for me, _Night of the Swallow_, and I find much of her output very fresh, inventive, and involving. Put me down as another fan.

http://www.talkclassical.com/43802-strange-magic-kate-bush.html?highlight=The+Strange+Magic


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## Iean (Nov 17, 2015)

I am an avid Kate Bush fan! I own all her CDs and my fave Kate Bush album is "Aerial". Her music is never predictable, and I love her voice! And she is an inspiration to my other fave female artist - Tori Amos:angel:


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

starthrower said:


> I've tried listening to her, but I don't like little girl voices. I did like a couple of the backing vocal tracks she did for Peter Gabriel and Roy Harper.


I know what you mean. The little girl voices in some of her songs aren't my favorite either. Apart from that I have a high opinion of her music.


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## nikola (Sep 7, 2012)

I love the atmosphere and texture of '50 Words for Snow'. Even though I don't think it's brilliant, it's still pretty much unique and good album to listen to.
Considering her earlier stuff, I just can't get into it. Too much of weird vocal and I could never get into songs that have free "this melody can simply go anywhere" style. Sometimes it just seems she wails the melody all over the place, so in the end most of her songs sound neurotic to my ears, but that's what some people probably like to hear.
However, I do like "Running Up That Hill" song.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

She was, is, and always will be one of my favourite pop/rock artists, regardless of gender. _Hounds of love_ is my all-time fave pop/rock album. Of course, I already listened to her before I listened to classical, so my opinion may not be what you're looking for.


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## Lenny (Jul 19, 2016)

I really like her music. From many of favourites, here's a little, almost prophetic song Deeper Understanding


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## TwoFlutesOneTrumpet (Aug 31, 2011)

Well, I'd only heard of her and never listened to her music before so now I clicked on the links in the OP and listened to the two songs. I'm sorry to say but I find nothing interesting about the music. As dull as it gets for me. Incidentally, her voice reminds me of a blend between Cyndi Lauper and the lead singer for the Bengals.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Is she a British thing? I had never heard of her until a friend in England was going gaga over her.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Europe (including UK obviously) and Canada mainly.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Manxfeeder said:


> Is she a British thing? I had never heard of her until a friend in England was going gaga over her.


Wikipedia might help....

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Bush


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## Antiquarian (Apr 29, 2014)

I grew up listening to her. I remember being quite a partisan fan of her back in the day.

_The Sensual World_ is my favourite album. There are several threads devoted to her here on TC.

As for her being relatively unknown in the U.S., I would have to agree with this. Some artists just seem to have a regional appeal. I've found this to be the case with Kylie Minogue also (or at least before her appearance on _Doctor Who_).


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## MagneticGhost (Apr 7, 2013)

I think she is a marvel. Beautiful in every way. An inspiration.
If I was going to choose my favourite song it would be the same as the OP - Hello Earth is climax to an album without many peers. A masterpiece of the 80's which sounds fresh and new to this day.


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## ChrisGraham (Apr 10, 2016)

I recently bought her live album from her tour Before The Dawn, and Hello Earth sounds spectacular live!


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## MagneticGhost (Apr 7, 2013)

ChrisGraham said:


> I recently bought her live album from her tour Before The Dawn, and Hello Earth sounds spectacular live!


Thanks for the tip. Don't often do live albums anymore but will make an exception this time :tiphat:


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

Count me as another fan of her's from before I got into classical.

I do not listen to her much any more, but I still have a lot of respect for her.


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## regenmusic (Oct 23, 2014)

I love female vocals, as some of you might know from my postings here. While I respect Kate for her creativity and success and being a part of progressive music and some musicians I admire, I have never really resonated with her.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

regenmusic said:


> I love female vocals, as some of you might know from my postings here. While I respect Kate for her creativity and success and being a part of progressive music and some musicians I admire, I have never really resonated with her.


Kate Bush does present some problems that can make it difficult to appreciate her overall appeal. Her music is often mannered, self-indulgent, poorly recorded or edited (much of it her own fault) so that one can barely make out the lyrics. So it is important to be introduced to her music by exposure to her most accessable work. I was lucky enough to hear the _Hounds of Love_ album first, and was quickly taken in by the songs on its first half: Running Up That Hill, Hounds of Love, The Big Sky, Cloudbusting. Once hooked, I could then pick and choose my way through the rest of her output, both past and then later evolved. Her work has always been, to my ears, very uneven, but when she is good, she is very, very good.


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## ChrisGraham (Apr 10, 2016)

Love those four - and I also love Kite (from The Kick Inside), Hammer Horror (Lionheart), This Woman's Work and The Sensual World!


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## ChrisGraham (Apr 10, 2016)

Strange Magic said:


> Kate Bush does present some problems that can make it difficult to appreciate her overall appeal. Her music is often mannered, self-indulgent, poorly recorded or edited (much of it her own fault) so that one can barely make out the lyrics. So it is important to be introduced to her music by exposure to her most accessable work. I was lucky enough to hear the _Hounds of Love_ album first, and was quickly taken in by the songs on its first half: Running Up That Hill, Hounds of Love, The Big Sky, Cloudbusting. Once hooked, I could then pick and choose my way through the rest of her output, both past and then later evolved. Her work has always been, to my ears, very uneven, but when she is good, she is very, very good.


Love those four - and I also love Kite (from The Kick Inside), Hammer Horror (Lionheart), This Woman's Work and The Sensual World!


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

ChrisGraham said:


> Love those four - and I also love Kite (from The Kick Inside), Hammer Horror (Lionheart), This Woman's Work and The Sensual World!


Some other favorites of mine by Kate include Experiment IV, Lily, Never Be Mine, Suspended in Gaffa, Why Should I Love You, Big Stripey Lie (_Your name is being called by things that are not addressed or spoken of. Sometimes they blow trumpets!_), and my all-time favorite, Night of the Swallow. Just to show how variable individual tastes are, Night of the Swallow failed to chart in any country--I may be its only devotee. But I'm used to often finding myself alone in my tastes, or with only few companions. As perhaps are we all.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Back in the 80s some "alternative" and "goth" buddies of mine knew I was a big prog head and turned me on to her by playing the track "Waking the Witch" off the Hounds of Love album. Holy expletive! Now that's prog. (Give it until about 1:16 or so for the full progressive onslaught.) I'll never forget that first shock on hearing this from someone I had written off as mere new wave rubbish in my ignorance.

Yes, her voice can be a little annoying, but The Man With the Child in His Eyes can make you cry with its beauty. I also enjoy "Wuthering Heights" and "Wow" from her earlier more conventional work.


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## ChrisGraham (Apr 10, 2016)

Weston said:


> Back in the 80s some "alternative" and "goth" buddies of mine knew I was a big prog head and turned me on to her by playing the track "Waking the Witch" off the Hounds of Love album. Holy expletive! Now that's prog. (Give it until about 1:16 or so for the full progressive onslaught.) I'll never forget that first shock on hearing this from someone I had written off as mere new wave rubbish in my ignorance.
> 
> Yes, her voice can be a little annoying, but The Man With the Child in His Eyes can make you cry with its beauty. I also enjoy "Wuthering Heights" and "Wow" from her earlier more conventional work.


Waking The Witch makes me terrified every time I listen to it!!! I love everything on The Ninth Wave - did you know that the low, scary voice in Waking The Witch is actually Kate!


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I did not know that. Makes it even cooler.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Here is the Kate Bush tribute/cover band Cloudbusting, performing _Hello Earth_. They do a pretty good job, I do believe. Tribute bands like Björn Again, Brit Floyd, Cloudbusting in my opinion both honor their inspirers but also can bring whole new generations into contact with great past pop and rock and thus spur newer folks into looking into the originals. In a sense, cover bands and cover versions of non-classical music bring non-classical more closely into alignment with how classical music works: "Listen today to Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #4 as performed by.....!"


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Has anyone thought to ask what Kate Bush thinks of the classical world and its need to know why the classical world is thinking about Kate Bush at all?:lol:


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## ChrisGraham (Apr 10, 2016)

Barbebleu said:


> Has anyone thought to ask what Kate Bush thinks of the classical world and its need to know why the classical world is thinking about Kate Bush at all?:lol:


What do you mean? I just wanted to know if Kate's music appeals to those who tend to choose classical music (who often avoid much pop).


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Barbebleu said:


> Has anyone thought to ask what Kate Bush thinks of the classical world and its need to know why the classical world is thinking about Kate Bush at all?:lol:


She knows enough about classical music to name one of her songs "Delius".


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## 433 (Jan 4, 2017)

I don't have an opinion on this


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

In my opinion she's still very much underappreciated for the unique, high-quality and completely original music she's made. She had already written 100 songs by when she was 16. She's a sonic painter from her own planet telling and acting stories that always have substance. She's also one of the few from the eighties that are worth mentioning. To me she's been running up that hill to be with a few other unique female artists like Laurie Anderson and Nina Hagen.

Here's an interesting documentary on her. Helps to understand her origins, influences, choices and music.


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## Casebearer (Jan 19, 2016)

Some of my favorites are:


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## ChrisGraham (Apr 10, 2016)

Casebearer said:


> Some of my favorites are:


Yes! I also love An Endless Sky of Honey, a 42 minute song from 2005's Aerial


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

A few personal favourites that are not often mentioned:


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