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‘Don't let me go! Hold me down!’: inspiration, voice and image in Kate Bush's ‘Hounds of Love’

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 November 2015

Ian Cawood
Ian Cawood*
Affiliation:
Newman University, Genners Lane, Birmingham B32 3NT, UK E-mail: i.cawood@newman.ac.uk
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Abstract

Although Kate Bush's reputation as a significant musical pioneer has been accepted by most critics and academic commentators since her return to music in 2005, most readings of her work have been highly ahistoric. This paper explores how, with the release of her fifth album, Hounds of Love, in 1985, her popular appeal was widened into a genuine acceptance of her idiom by contemporary cultural commentators. In particular, the paper focuses on the rival inspirations and the shape, form and delivery of the title track, ‘Hounds of Love’ and its ‘alternative’ version, released on a 12” disc. The paper concludes by analysing the visual presentation of the song through the promotional video (directed by Bush herself) and her two mimed performances and offering a contextualised explanation for Bush's perceived ‘authenticity’ as an artist and performer.

Type
Articles
Information
Popular Music , Volume 35 , Issue 1 , January 2016 , pp. 41 - 63
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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