Songs that prove Kate Bush shouldn't have been left in the 1980s

Overview and Background

Kate Bush is an English singer and songwriter who debuted in 1978 with her song “Wuthering Heights”, though most people know her from her song “Running Up that Hill” Which was featured in the Netflix original show ‘Stranger Things’. Kate Bush was very popular in the late 70s and 80s, yet rehit the charts earlier this summer because of the amount of influence shows like ‘Stranger Things’ have, and the trending culture that has shot so many artists back into the spotlight. So, without further adieu, here are my personal top 11 Kate Bush songs.

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11. “Strange Phenomena”

Strange Phenomena is from Kate Bush’s Debut album, The Kick Inside. The song starts out slower, with a simple tone, but it picks up quickly once the chorus hits. Strange Phenomena is a great song for practically anything, for it does not change your mood too drastically, I would even consider it one of the happier songs on this album.

Stand out lyrics:

“You hear your sister calling for you

But you don't know where from”

“We raise our hats to the strange phenomena”

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10. “Cloudbusting”

Cloudbusting is from Kate Bush’s album Hounds of Love. It has an upbeat yet sad feel. It is a great song for when you are uncertain about something. This song is more or less the same speed and beats the entire song, yet there are still moments when it picks up or there is an extra instrument added and it makes the song so much better.

Stand out lyrics:

“I can’t hide you, from the government”

“When you and sleep escape me”

“You looked too small

In their big black car

To be a threat to the men in power”

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9. “Hammer Horror”

Hammer Horror is from Kate Bush’s album Lionheart. It is one of the more iconic Kate Bush songs, it has that unique Kate Bush essence about it. It also has a very prominent change of beat, getting slower and faster with multiple beat drops. It starts off slow, but then everytime the beat drops it becomes an absolute banger that you can jump around to.

Stand Out lyrics:

“The first time in my life

I keep the lights on to ease my soul”

“Is this the right thing to do?”

“All I want to do is forget

You, friend”

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8. “James and the Cold Gun”

James and the Cold Gun is from Kate Bush’s album The kick inside. This song is very bouncy and upbeat yet not necessarily happy. It is one of those songs that if you just tune out the lyrics you can have a good time, but if you really focus on the lyrics it starts to make you question things. Nevertheless, it is still a very good song, and has a really good beat drop. It has a really great instrumental to it at the end, with a big beat drop.

Stand Out Lyrics:

“They're only lonely for the life they led”

“You're running away from humanity

You're running out on reality”

“James, are you selling your soul to a cold gun?”

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7. “Babooshka”

This is one of Kate Bush’s more popular songs, getting some attention from Tikok a while ago. Babooshka is from the album Never for Ever. This song is about a wife who wants to test her husband's loyalty, signing the letters she writes Babooshka. As you can assume these lyrics only really are relatable for a certain group of people. So if you are worried about your husband being unloyal then this is the song for you! Jokes aside, this song is wonderful. The chorus is intense, with Kate practically screaming the words, “All yours, babooshka.” It has a great beat drop (Like most kate bush songs).

Stand Out Lyrics:

“So she arranged a place to go

To see

If he

Would fall for her incognito”

“Reminds him of his little lady

Capacity to give him all he needs”

6. “Running up that hill”

Yes, of course Running up that Hill made this list. Most people reading this will know this song from Stranger things, or have just heard it on the radio/social media. This song is a masterpiece, and it was a great song choice for a t.v show. This song is about the loss of a loved one, wanting to switch places with them. This song does not have a crazy beat drop like some of the other songs on this list, but like Hounds of Love and Cloudbusting, it has parts that add an extra layer of sound, which makes it feel very intense.

Stand out lyrics:

“And if I only could

I'd make a deal with God

And I'd get him to swap our places”

“"C'mon, baby, c'mon, darling

Let me steal this moment from you now”

“It's you and me won't be unhappy”

5. “The Wedding list”

The Wedding List is from Kate Bush’s album Never for Ever. This song is about a groom who gets accidentally killed by a group of 5 men who shoot him through a window, then the bride tracks them down and, let’s just say ‘get’s her revenge’. This song has a pretty spunky beat to it, and a good beat drop. It makes you want to dance while feeling like a crazy villain (In a good way).

Stand out Lyrics:

“Do you think I'd ever let you get away with it, huh?”

“I die with him, again and again

And I'll feel good in my revenge”

“I got him on the wedding list

I got him and I did not miss”

4. “Breathing”

Breathing is from Kate Bush's album Never for ever. This song can be described as very ‘musical’. It is a song that would be featured in a musical (I like to think it would give wicked vibes, but that may be just me!). This song gets slow and fast, changing speeds and vibes throughout the song, keeping you invested. It has a very grand beat drop, that you can’t help but get hyped up for.

Stand Out lyrics:

“We've lost our chance

We're the first and last, ooh”

“My radar send me danger

But my instincts tell me to keep

Breathing (out, in, out, in, out, in)”

3. “Night of the Swallow”

Night of the Swallow is from Kate Bush’s album The Dreaming. The Dreaming is a very experimental album, and no two songs are the same. This song, like most other Kate Bush songs, starts off slow and then the beat drops picking the song's pace up. The song is about a smuggler who is about to go off on another journey, but the song is sung from the perspective of his lover. Towards the end it gives the response of the smuggler, telling his lover to let him go.

Stand Out Lyrics:

“If you go, I'll let the law know”

“And though pigs can fly

They'll never find us”

2. “Hounds of Love”

Hounds of Love is from Kate Bush’s album Hounds of Love. This song is one of my personal favorites, because it starts with a bang (Quite literally) and it starts off with a very upbeat pace that makes you want to run up a hill ;). This song is very much a song you play when you are pretty much falling in love, but are scared and uncertain. It is one of the happier songs on this list, with its upbeat tone and theme of love. I would recommend this song to anyone who enjoyed Running up that Hill a lot, it has a very similar feel to it, it’s just happier.

Stand Out lyrics:

“I don't know what's good for me”

“Do you know what I really need?”

“I've always been a coward

And never know what's good for me”

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1. “Wuthering Heights”

Wuthering Heights was Kate Bush’s debut song. It is one of the most iconic songs she has produced, as she was only 19 when it was released. She directed and made the choreography for the music video all by herself. Wuthering Heights is based on the book, Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. Wuthering Heights is a story about a man named Heathcliff, whose wife died and has come back to haunt him. The song, Wuthering Heights, is told from the perspective of Cathy (Heathcliff’s wife). The song is not slow, however it still has a beat drop that adds much to the song. The song is creepy yet still a good dancing tune.

“Heathcliff, it's me, I'm Cathy

I've come home, I'm so cold”

“Ooh, let me have it

Let me grab your soul away”

“Too long I roam in the night

I'm coming back to his side, to put it right”