Art pop’s eclectic mom is having a moment. Again. Kate Bush has once more entered the cultural zeitgeist, thanks to the “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” needle drop on the newest season of Netflix’s Stranger Things. While Bush has been an enduring presence in queer spaces, she’s currently enjoying the kind of widespread popularity she hasn’t seen since the ’80s, largely because of Gen-Z’s sudden acknowledgement of her alt-pop prowess.
While Bush continues her quiet existence in some faraway, reclusive castle, “Running Up That Hill” is running circles around new songs from Bad Bunny and Harry Styles on the charts and in listener’s hearts. The Hounds Of Love single has a chance to hit greater heights on the Billboard Hot 100 chart this time around than it did when the song was first released in 1985. The track has even received the internet’s highest honor by becoming a viral TikTok sound.
“Running Up That Hill” can serve as the gateway song for younger generations into Bush’s wider (and phenomenal) discography. This Power Hour will carve out additional essential listening for burgeoning Bush fans, and for those who have long been in the know, well, there’s never a bad time to re-spin the classics. You also get to spend the next hour watching Kate Bush music videos, which is truly a delight.
“Cloudbusting”
Nestled right below “Running Up That Hill” on the list of Bush’s great cuts is “Cloudbusting,” an ethereal offering from Hounds Of Love. The song is inspired by Peter Reich’s memoir A Book Of Dreams, in which he shares the details of his father, philosopher Wilhelm Reich. The song itself is spellbinding, led by cellos and Bush’s cooing vocals. Everything rises into the stratosphere, which is when she utters “We’re cloudbusting daddy.” Add this song to your in-flight playlist immediately.
“Wuthering Heights”
In 1978, a 19-year-old Bush entered the scene with “Wuthering Heights,” a melodic adaptation of the famed Emily Brontë novel. With the opening words, “Out on the wily, windy moors,” Bush penned her name into the musical history books. It’s a romantic, swooning track and it encapsulates the best parts of Bush as she showcases her knack for songwriting and theatrical melodrama. Strokes of genius can be found in the smallest of places, from the strategic location of the tinkling keys to the sailing delivery of “You know it’s me, Cathy!”
“Suspended In Gaffa”
Bush catches a glimpse of God in “Suspended In Gaffa,” but finds herself trapped in a web of gaffer’s tape with her feet stuck in the mud, unable to get a full look. Bush’s voice carries so many inflections in this song, with its hearty lows and shrill highs, all over a playful piano line. She’s never more relatable than when she sings, “I don’t know why I’m crying.” Same, Kate Bush, same.
“Hounds Of Love”
“It’s in the trees! It’s coming!” What an opening line, which sounds as if it’s being shouted from the treetops. Love comes in the form of rapturous hounds, who chase a fearful subject down in “Hounds Of Love.” The thumping of the drums creates this sense of urgency, echoed by the unshakeable strings. Right off the tail of “Running Up That Hill” in Hounds Of Love, the title track switches gears entirely, showing the other sensational side of Bush and marking another perfect song from the album. No notes.
“Babooshka”
We call this one, “The alt girl’s ‘Escape (The Piña Colada Song).’” In “Babooshka,” Bush writes of a woman who takes on a pseudonym in order to test her husband’s love. The name she picks for this mystery woman Babooshka (yes, the Russian word for grandmother). It’s a campy song, filled with an insanely catchy chorus and even the sounds of shattering glass. Next to “Wuthering Heights,” it’s one of her most theatrical tracks, fit for a candlelit cabaret night.
“Moving”
In the opener of The Kick Inside, Bush sings a tribute to her mime instructor, Lindsay Kemp. “Moving” is a love letter to the beauty of movement, and the way Kemp guided Bush through this connection with her body and soul. Bush’s vocals in this song kick ass, as she showcases her range and general bravado. Imagine: It’s 1978, and you stumble upon The Kick Inside while rifling through the stacks, and this song introduces you to the world of Kate Bush. How enchanting.
“This Woman’s Work”
“This Woman’s Work” is the only Bush ballad on this here Power Hour. Originally penned for director John Hughes’ She’s Having A Baby (starring Kevin Bacon), “This Woman’s Work” is a sprawling, empathetic track about the trials of childbirth. Bush takes on a tenderness and sensitivity not always seen in her work, resulting in a divinely feminine song.
“The Big Sky”
“The Big Sky” from Hounds Of Love feels most of its time with a groovy, bombastic sound. In conversation with other music of 1985, it’s the most straightforward rock offering from her fifth studio album. That being said, “The Big Sky” shreds, with a didgeridoo to top it all off. It also serves as a reminder to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, and easily fits into any soundtrack for a long drive.
“Army Dreamers”
This poetic waltz ponders the possibilities of soldiers outside the landscape of war. Bush’s delicate voice tiptoes over the pared down instrumentation, allowing the use of drill calls, which creates a sense of rhythm in “Army Dreamers.” It’s these touches which really paint the image Bush wanted to achieve while creating a dichotomy between the feminine and masculine. While the singer’s not prone to controversy, this one landed on some banned lists within the U.K. for its anti-war sentiments.
“There Goes A Tenner”
“There Goes A Tenner”—plucked from the imagination of Bush—follows the singer as she saddles up to commit a robbery with a partner. A plucky piano line, Bush’s emphatic accent, and crooning horns add a layer of silliness to the otherwise high stakes plot. With all of its goofiness, Bush sets the scene and adds in tension with echoing backing vocals and eerie synth work.
“Oh To Be In Love”
“Oh To Be In Love” is another charming melody from The Kick Inside. The low chanting of the male vocals in the back create an internal rhythm with its emphasis on every letter in the chorus. Bush’s songbird-like voice comes swooping in as she so elegantly leads the song about the joys of love.
“Why Should I Love You”
Two legends, Bush and Prince, joined together in 1993 to create this tour de force from The Red Shoes. Bush rarely features other artists in her music, and few people may be worthy other than the purple one himself. The High Priest of Pop joined his Priestess for this funky, electric penultimate song. What starts as a staple Bush track, with its mystery and storybook-like opening lines erupts into in a gospel number, propelled by Prince, who incidentally rewrote the whole song. It’s a perfect blend of the two artists, coming from a criminally overlooked Bush era.
“Watching You Without Me”
While the A-side of Hounds Of Love forms a healthy amount of this list, “Watching You Without Me” is the one must-listen from the B-side. Here, Bush creates an atmosphere, showcasing her uncanny knack for using synthesizers such as the Fairlight CMI (her album Never For Ever was the first commercially released album to use the machine). “Watching You Without Me” is a compelling listen for a multitude of reasons, in part because it’s not as melodramatic as Bush’s usual offerings. It’s a relatively tame listen, but still rich in texture and sound.
“Them Heavy People”
The last selection from The Kick Inside on this list lands here as it enraptures the listener right from the first “Rolling the ball.” Ever a student of the world, Bush once again sings about her desire to learn all that she can in this life, taking on the teachings of Gurdjieff and Jesu. Her voice gracefully cascades down, mimicking the motion of a rolling ball. It’s cheeky, cheerful, and expertly shows off her storytelling capabilities.
“Sat In Your Lap”
Manic in its nature, “Sat In Your Lap” from The Dreaming sucks you in rather quickly. The booming of the drums and the synthesized horns give an otherworldly feel to the song as they surge in and out. Bush sings about the earthly desire for knowledge without study, and she pushes her voice to the limits, with a deep throatiness and operatic bellows. Everything reaches a fever pitch in the song’s final moments, with the horns on rapid fire and barking layered vocals.
“Rubberband Girl”
“Rubberband Girl” proves Bush could pen a straightforward pop song, fit with an electric guitar solo and the “be-bop” of a baritone saxophone, while still glimmering with her eccentric touch. In The Red Shoes single, she wishes to be a bouncy, easygoing, “rubberband” girl to move through this world with ease.