Song Lyric Sunday

Kate Bush
Kate Bush. New to me. What’s not to love?

Helen Espinosa, of This Thing Called Life One Word at a Time, chose New to You as the theme for this week’s Song Lyric Sunday. I admit I haven’t gone seeking new music to listen to because I find comfort in the music I grew up with, and I really only listen in the car. Of course, I couldn’t escape hearing the music my son grew up with as well, but mostly I stick to the Oldies and show tunes.

Enter Candice Louisa Daquin, an unpretentiously exquisite poet, honest, passionate, and brilliant. She introduced me to Tim Arnold and his music, and then asked if I knew Kate Bush. I did not. I went looking, and found an inexplicable, unique artist with a bizarrely appealing sense of fun. I was hooked. A link to the YouTube video from her 1978 Lionheart album is in the song title. I hope you are as intrigued as I was.

“Hammer Horror“
by Kate Bush

You stood in the belltower,
But now you’re gone.
So who knows all the sights
Of Notre Dame?They’ve got the stars for the gallant hearts.
I’m the replacement for your part.
But all I want to do is forget
You, friend.

Hammer Horror, Hammer Horror,
Won’t leave me alone.
The first time in my life,
I leave the lights on
To ease my soul.
Hammer Horror, Hammer Horror,
Won’t leave it alone.
I don’t know,
Is this the right thing to do?

Rehearsing in your things,
I feel guilty.
And retracing all the scenes,
Of your big hit,
Oh, God, you needed the leading role.
It wasn’t me who made you go, though.
Now all I want to do is forget
You, friend.

Hammer Horror, Hammer Horror,
Won’t leave me alone.
The first time in my life,
I leave the lights on
To ease my soul.
Hammer Horror, Hammer Horror,
Won’t leave it alone.
I don’t know,
Is this the right thing to do?

Who calls me from the other side
Of the street?
And who taps me on the shoulder?
I turn around, but you’re gone.

I’ve got a hunch that you’re following,
To get your own back on me.
So all I want to do is forget
You, friend.

Hammer Horror, Hammer Horror,
Won’t leave me alone.
The first time in my life,
I leave the lights on
To ease my soul.
Hammer Horror, Hammer Horror,
Won’t leave it alone.
I don’t know,
Is this the right thing to do?

Lyrics from AZ Lyrics
Song Lyric Sunday
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Author: Sue Ranscht

Having survived valve repair surgery and an experimental cardiac bypass at age 5, three years before it was an accepted medical procedure, Susan grew into the size of her overworked and enlarged heart. Maybe she thought she had enough to give it away -- twice. Both times, she had to retrieve the shattered pieces and puzzle them back together. She thanks her Dad for the only advice of his she ever followed to the letter: "Never get married. Learn to take care of yourself." So of course she is a writer. Susan has co-written a YA SciFi novel, and has three more novels in various stages of evolution. She's had several short stories published in other people's anthologies, some of which were contest-related. Let her tell you a story...

16 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday”

  1. Dearest One, Kate was THE singer and songwriter whom I admired the most to the exclusion of all else really. I felt her depth and beauty overwhelmed other artists and whilst I do love a large variety I kept coming back to her. Kate’s later work is a little different and not really as appreciated by myself as her earlier work up until Hounds of Love which I believe was her best LP. The ones if anyone is interested to really cherish are: Hounds of Love, The Kick Inside (her first LP done at 18yrs old in 1978), Lionheart (very off the wall and original) The Dreaming (wasn’t commercial, didn’t sell well but has some totally mad sounds) The Sensual World (came after Hounds of Love and whilst it has some weak tracks there are some incredible ones too). The ones I would not recommend to anyone are: 50 Words for Snow (just didn’t work in my estimate) Ariel (a double LP and many loved it, a bit mundane for my liking) and the remastered work (not as good as the original as the timber of her voice has shifted and I preferred the earlier sound with the style of music). Another classic is her duet with Peter Gabriel (Don’t Give Up) and her work with Peter Gabriel, they work really well together. It was in fact Pink Floyd who ‘discovered’ Kate Bush back in the mid-seventies. She is due to release the video of her second ever concert soon, watch this space 😉

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    1. Thank you, Candice, my friend. Your analysis of Kate’s sound and discography is a loving tribute. She certainly offers depth I haven’t found in many musical artists. I will definitely be watching that space! ❤

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      1. FYI just heard the filmed version of her second ever concert (first was 1978 second was 2015) is coming out November 25th, I might be possibly over-excited about that fact 😉

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    1. I’m glad you were! I can’t think of anybody else quite like her. Maybe Phoebe Snow’s voice was comparable, but she took herself way more seriously than Kate Bush takes herself. 😀

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  4. Once you know Kate, it’s all over. She’s astounding! Great song selection. Check out “This Woman’s Work” by her. You’ll love that too. *big hugs*

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    1. Wow. I had listened to everything that’s available from 1978-1985, which includes two entire albums as well as a bunch of singles. I hadn’t gotten to 1989 yet. But wow. That is a powerful piece — great sense of story. Cloudbusting is another one, but it’s not quite as emotionally charged.

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