Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985) | Analysis, Fun Facts & Trivia

Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985) album front coverKate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985) album back cover

Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985)

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Kate Bush - Hounds of Love

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🎵 Kate Bush – Hounds of Love (1985) Album Review

Hounds of Love is widely regarded as Kate Bush’s magnum opus, released in September 1985. The album marked a perfect balance between pop accessibility and experimental storytelling, blending her theatrical artistry with mainstream appeal. It solidified her reputation as one of the most innovative artists of the 1980s.


📀 Album Overview

  • Artist: Kate Bush
  • Album: Hounds of Love
  • Release Date: September 16, 1985
  • Label: EMI Records
  • Producer: Kate Bush
  • Genre: Art pop, progressive pop, synth-pop
  • Length: 43:52

The album is structured in two halves:

  1. Side One: Hounds of Love – Accessible, radio-friendly tracks with emotional intensity.
  2. Side Two: The Ninth Wave – Conceptual suite telling the story of a woman adrift at sea, highlighting Bush’s cinematic storytelling.

🎶 Tracklist

Side One – Hounds of Love

  1. “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)”
  2. “Hounds of Love”
  3. “The Big Sky”
  4. “Mother Stands for Comfort”
  5. “Cloudbusting”
  6. “And Dream of Sheep”

Side Two – The Ninth Wave

  1. “Watching You Without Me”
  2. “Jig of Life”
  3. “Hello Earth”
  4. “The Morning Fog”
  5. “The Morning Fog” (continued as part of the suite)
  6. “Under Ice”
  7. “Waking the Witch”
  8. “Watching You Without Me” (reprise)
  9. “Jig of Life” (concluding track)

🔑 Highlights

  • “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” – Iconic hit about empathy and gender perspective; became a global hit again after Stranger Things (2022).
  • “Cloudbusting” – Story inspired by Peter Reich and Wilhelm Reich; imaginative narrative paired with cinematic video.
  • The Ninth Wave – Conceptual suite exploring fear, survival, and the subconscious; showcases Kate’s theatrical and narrative mastery.

📝 Background & Creation

  • Kate Bush produced the album herself, mixing synths, orchestration, and experimental techniques.
  • Took inspiration from:
    • Personal relationships
    • Dreams and subconscious themes
    • Literature and cinematic storytelling
  • Recorded over 1984–1985, Bush explored new instruments, digital sampling, and vocal layering.

🎯 Fun Facts & Trivia

  • “Running Up That Hill” became a #1 UK hit in 1985, and returned to global charts in 2022 due to Stranger Things.
  • The album cover, designed by Bush herself, features a dramatic and surreal aesthetic.
  • Hounds of Love was Bush’s most commercially successful album at the time.
  • The Ninth Wave suite demonstrates her theatrical storytelling and mastery of studio as an instrument.
  • She integrated fairy-tale imagery, psychology, and folklore into her songwriting.


Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985) back cover

Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985) front cover 2

Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985) album covers

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