Expert: Lee Bastian - 1/25/2005

Question
Hi, my name is Kelly Appleby and i am a 3rd year music student from Southampton Uni. I am currently writing a dissertation on Kate Bush and the issues surrounding her and 'pop politics'. I was just wondering if you could help me narrow my choice of songs to include. I am trying to find 5 to focus on which contain social and government issues both in the music and the lyrics, I just don't know where to start, there are so many.

If you could give me any advice, i would be so greatful, thanks for your time, Kelly

Answer
    Hello Kelly and thanks for your question.Kate Bush does touch on social themes in her music quite often,but not a whole lot about government directly.
    The songs I think you should focus on are the following:
    1)The Kick Inside(from 1978 album "The Kick Inside")which deals with incest between a brother and sister.The sister commits suicide out of guilt.
    2)Army Dreamer(from 1980 album "Never For Ever") which is basically an anti-war song about mothers burying soldiers who were still children.
    3)Breathing (from 1980 album "Never For Ever) is all about the perils of the atomic age and gets into detail about what happens when an atomic weapon is unleashed.This song is very powerful in it's imagery and message.
    4)Pull Out The Pin (from 1982 album "The Dreaming")looks at the war in Vietnam from the Vietnamese viewpoint.While sounding at times anti-American I don't think that was the goal.It more than anything explains how the average American soldier in that war did not know what the fighting was about and how for the Vietnamese it was a "better him than me"situation.
    5)Experiment IV (from 1986 compilation album"The Whole Story") is about a government conducting secret experiments in sound in order to develop a weapon("a sound that could kill someone").
    6)Suspended In Gaffa (from 1982 album "The Dreaming") is about purgatory and how the narrator wonders how many hoops have to be jumped through to qualify for heaven.
    Other notable songs include Room For the Life(1978'the kick inside)about motherhood and the miracle of childbirth, The Infant Kiss(1980 never for ever)about a babysitter falling for the young boy she is watching over , and Kashka From Baghdad(1978 Lionheart)about gay lovers who live together.
    To get further insight into these songs and any other Kate Bush songs I suggest you log onto "gaffaweb.com".This site has a wealth of info about Kate and her music.Better yet log onto "Cloudbusting:Kate Bush in her own words" for fantastic explanations of the songs and lyrics in Kate's own words.
    I hope this helps you and good luck with your project.If you ever have more Kate questions please don't hesitate.It's always my pleasure helping and hearing from other fans of Kate the great.