La primera cançó de Kate Bush va sortir, i va arribar al numero 1 de les llistes, quan ella encara tenia 19 anys. Repetim, 19 anys! Evidentment és basat en la novel·la Wuthering Heights, que ella acabava d'escriure. Veure-la cantant amb aquesta veu tan espectacular, i aquests balls, i dient no-sé-que sobre una novel·la... pos, en aquest moment em va impactar moltissime i encara avui en dia trobo que és una de les cançons més impressionants de l'historia, una joia que no cansaré d'escoltar mai!
Jo en tenia 11 anys quan ho vaig sentir, en a les 14 o 15 quan vaig comprar el meu primer toca-discs, aquest va ser un dels primers singles que vaig comprar. També per aquell edad vaig llegir la novel·la per primer cop, i ha acabat sent el llibre que més cops he llegit (4). És una meravella i Kate ho encerta de ple amb la seva lletra i musica.
Tot aixo em vé al cap ara perque, aquest passat mes desetembre Kate ha decidit a tocar en directe, despres d'uns 30 anys sense fer-ho. La gent que ha tingut la sort de veure-la diuen que és un concert excel·lent, com no podria ser d'altra manera amb una de les cantants més originals d'Anglaterra.
....
Kate Bush is back in the news. First concerts in 30 years, and to make up for not going, we're having a mini Kate-revival at home; CDs, singles, Youtube videos galore.
So, remember when her first single came out, Wuthering Heights*? Just seeing, and hearing, it on Top of the Pops blew my mind back then, and it still blows it now. How can a song written in an hour by an 18-year-old be so impressive, reaching the listener on so many levels? Beautiful, and original - have you ever heard anything else like it?
A few years later, when I bought my own first turntable, this was one of the first singles I bought. Around the same time (15 years old?), I read the book Wuthering Heights for the first time, humming the words as I read... a book which would go on to become the book I've read most times (4). So, to cut a long story short, I love the book, love the films, love the moors, and love the song! And I love our extremely-English excentric singer, Kate Bush :)
So, I'll post this song again (it originally formed part of my successful series of posts on songs-related-to-literature a couple of years back).
So, I'll post this song again (it originally formed part of my successful series of posts on songs-related-to-literature a couple of years back).
*Footnote: I have to confess, for years I was amazed by the song and her singing but mis-understood half the lyrics. The most blatant confusion being the "Wuthering, Wuthering, Wuthering Heights" she sings at 0:44s As I'm pretty sure that Yorkshire folk like myself pronounce the name with a clear U, Kate's "English" pronunciation threw me into thinking she was singing, "want to be, wanna be...."! Not knowing, originally, that the heroine's name was Cathy, Kate's peculiar way of pronouncing it also threw me - "can't be"?
I must admit that I am rather puzzled by Kate Bush's new-found cult status. Her recent concert tickets sold like hotcakes and my mate Tony has fallen under her strange spell. He was there. I think it's witchcraft.
ResponEliminaProbably is! I've just posted part 2 with a brief look at my rollercoaster relationship with Kate (that she doesn't know about). And I too am bewitched by her and this time won't let go! The more I listen to her work (been on constant play now at home for 3 weeks!), the more I love it!
Elimina