He did a good "version"? Seriously? It's HIS song conceptually, as the songwriter. But that fact takes nothing away from Kate, who is unique, and perfect in her role as his unfailing backstop in his faltering moment of acute and searingly naked expressed male emotional vulnerability.
@@timothymarkonis3630 We're both talking about "This Woman's Work" aren't we? Kate wrote, recorded and produced it in 1988, when Maxwell was 15 years old. By the time Kate was 15, she'd already written most songs off her first two albums.
If you decide to do reactions to Kate, two suggestions: 1. Always do the official video. 2. Wuthering Heights is usually done first but don’t let it scare you off. She’s an angel sent down from Heaven.
Agreed. Wuthering Heights is an interesting one though. One is tempted to call her singing on it an acquired taste, but then you remember the song was a huge hit at the time. It would probably not even be given a chance today. It was the era before labels and A&Rs had began saying ”are you crazy?!” to their artists.
Kate is all those things and much more. Even Sir John of Rotten things she's the best thing to come out of the Uk. Apologies for jumping on to your comment, but it amazes me how great Peter Gabriel's voice was and is and that he used the great economic crash of 1929 to talk about the dust bowl and the struggle that men and women went through. We don't know how easy we have it today, insert Month Python joke for those that know, etc etc...
Back in 1985 my son passed away. A year later this song was released. I moved on to another town and was struggling. this song hit me deep in the heart & soul.
I was crying for the whole music video part....it hit the core right away when Kate Bush started to sing. I have been battling with depression for over 20 years now, and have had those thoughts myself more than I can count. And now couple of weeks ago, one of my good friends did give up. So I think I needed a good cry. "We are all proud of you" is something that I have always wanted to hear since I was a child...
Peter Gabriel supposedly wrote this song after seeing depression era photo’s of the extreme drought and squalor that people in the USA lived in, in what is commonly referred to as the dust bowl.
Such a beautiful duet of two of my idols from my youth. If you have gone through a personal crisis or depression you know how important it is that you have a person at your side that holds you and helps you through. The video with them both just hugging each other is so intimate. They are standing in front of an ongoing eclipse in the back, which is a perfect reflection of what is going on in the lyrics. Great song with a great message and a simple but effective video.
Kate Bush is a fantastic artist. If you would like to react to some of her music and unique voice I would recommend, "This woman's work" "Hounds of love," "Moments of pleasure," "The man with the child in his eyes," "Wow," "Sensual world," and of course "Wuthering Heights." to name a few.
Greetings from Scotland! WOW! This stirred up some memories for me Rosalie! 1986, I was 32 years old and lying in a hospital bed after having a heart attack (long story) and this was the first thing I heard as I woke up! I actually remember thinking how ironic and how damned funny to hear this! BUT it had the right message for me so I didn't give up and 2 weeks later I was back home with my wife and 2 children AND I'm still alive and kicking (not very high kicks though!) 😂 A couple of fabulously talented singers and a fabulous result of this unusual duet! As a side note, that heart attack took everything away from me and I thought it was so unfair! However fate has a strange way of putting you exactly where you should be and it did just that to me, It put me in the place where I belonged. I had to change everything in my working and personal life but it was a definite smart move, not by me, but by fate! Trust in your fate and always believe you will be what you were always meant to be! Great reaction to a great song Rosalie! Have a great week!
Wow that’s crazy and very special!! Thank you for sharing that. It’s amazing how different songs have a different connections and meanings for everyone in different seasons of life. I’m glad you were able to recover and get back to your wife and children and that it all worked out for good. Life is interesting indeed. Thank you for sharing :) I’m glad you enjoyed the video today
One of the best duet in my teenage ' 80's... Kate Bush was such a legend for us, with her peculiar voice, even if we were not always aware that she was a fabulous composer and lyricist, she was already a great singer
So many reactors say stuff like, “This is clearly so ‘80s”, when really it’s just the quality of the video that is “‘80s”. This piece is timeless. The vid was produced around the same time as the album “SO”. It was a mainstay in the rotation on MTV thru the late ‘80s when MTV stopped playing videos. A mind boggling amount of money was made from the records these vids promoted. If you were a struggling band, and could produce a good song and good video, you could go from opening act, to being the headliner.
One of their great collaborations. Genesis was my favourite bands for many years. Kate I loved from day 1. I have all the Genesis albums, all Kate's albums and all Peter's solo albums. What great artists they all are. Listen to a lot more Kate - you won't be disappointed. Every album is worth the price. Your interpretation spot on. A song my ex-wife has sent to me on occasions that I have been having hard times, bless her. Let's hope the woke crowd don't turn up in your comments, completely missing the point
The man behind the bass is another prog legend, Tony Levin (King Crimson and much more). Tony was also part of the prog metal project "Liquid Tension Experiment" along with parts of Dream Theater. Well worth checking out, although it's entirely instrumental music. These two, Kate and Peter, are two of my greatest musical heroes 😊 Another name on that list is David Gilmour of Pink Floyd fame, who actually helped Kate kickstart her career. As for Kate, she's had a rather varied sound throughout the years and just checking out the very popular "Wuthering Heights" would be misleading. The high-pitched voice she used early in her career were replaced with more mid-register vocals just a couple of years into her career, a switch I'd say started with the album "Never for Ever" (1980) where you find examples of both styles.
I've been a Kate Bush fan since the beginning in 1978, when her debut single "Wuthering Heights" became a worldwide smash hit (except in America), Kate has always been very popular outside of the states. So it was nice to see (because of Stranger Things) a whole new generation of people being given the opportunity to be exposed to her music for the very first time. Kate did set some new UK singles charts records due to the resurgence of "Running Up That Hill" in 2022, I won't mention them all, but the most interesting one was that Kate became the first artist to have at least one top 12 single in the UK charts in the following decades: 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s This song isn't the first time that Kate and Peter Gabriel have worked together Kate provided backing vocals on two tracks on Peter's self titled 3rd album (called "melt" because of the album cover) they were "Games Without Frontiers" and "No Self Control", working with Peter was significant for Kate because she was introduced to the Fairlight CMI which played a key role in some of her subsequent studio albums. Peter Gabriel was a special guest on the BBC Kate Bush 1979 Christmas special - "Kate". As to were you can start listening to Kate Bush songs primarily I feel that there two options, start with the commercial tracks (e.g. on side one) on her iconic "Hounds of Love" album- BTW side two entitled "The Ninth Wave" starting with "And Dream Of Sheep" is a concept piece/linked suite of songs. Then you can decide to go back to the beginning or carry on forward with even later material. Alternatively, you can sample Kate's music in chronological order starting with "Wuthering Heights", "The Man With The Child In His Eyes" and other tracks from her marvelous debut album "The Kick Inside" You csn progress to songs like "Wow" and "Hammer Horror" from her 2nd studio album "Lionheart". The advantage of listening to Kate in chronological order is that you can understand hoe she developed as an artist. Now, since I've come across so many people on RU-vid reacting to Kate Bush for the first time, I put together some summaries, here's one that gives you some background on Kate Bush: A quick background summary of Kate Bush, Kate started writing songs at about 11 years old, adding more complex lyrics from 13 onwards. By her mid-teens she had written more than a hundred songs (some reports say nearer two hundred), the family made demo recordings of about fifty, in an attempt to attract the attention of record companies without any success. Until a friend of family passed the demos to David Gilmour guitarist for pink Floyd, he was interested and ultimately paid for time at studio with session musicians to make professional recordings of three songs from Kate extensive catalogue which he selected. It was those professional recordings that he passed onto EMI executives when he was asked about new talents - when EMI listened they wanted to sign Kate up immediately, but they had to wait until she had left school, Kate signed for EMI when she was 16 years old. EMI paid Kate a retainer which she used to improve her piano playing, voice lessons and also dance & mime lessons from Lindsay Kemp (who had also taught David Bowie dance). Kate also fronted a pub band that one of her brothers had put together. Eventually EMI called Kate back to work on her debut album "The Kick Inside" although two songs were taken from the professional recordings that Davie Gilmour had paid for - one of those songs was written when she was 13. Kate's debut single "Wuthering Heights" was released in January 1978 and it was so different to everything else in the singles chart and became a massive worldwide hit, reaching number one in a number of countries around the world and charting highly in others. When it got to number 1 in the UK, Kate became the first female artist to have a self written song reach number one, the 1st of numerous records and milestones that Kate has set in the UK and album charts. When "The Kick Inside" was released later in 1978, it sold a million copies in the UK and reached number three in the album chart. Kate is multi-talented a singer/songwriter, musician, dancer, record producer, video producer and director. Kate was also heavily involved in the staging of both of her concert tours - 1979 "Tour Of Life" and the 2014 concert residency "Before The Dawn" (tickets for all 22 dates for "Before The Dawn" sold out in under 15 minutes). Kate has inspired/influenced countless numbers of artists/musicians who followed her, she is considered to be a musical icon and pioneer. Kate was credited as a co-producer on her third album "Never For Ever" and was the sole producer on her fourth album "The Dreaming" and every subsequent studio album. If you have any questions about Kate, then please ask I (and other Kate Bush fans) will be happy to assist you.
another reactor that was so caught up in the music and song you missed the total eclipse going on in the background a truly awesome song with two legends
As a 90’s kid I love the sound of 80’s music. This is such a beautiful song! The message touches me in a deep way! I am in a hard situation as we speak (with my girlfriend). A situation in which I worry a lot, about the way things go, but also I worry about the mental condition of both of us. I really don’t want to give up. But it’s so hard to continue, now we are falling apart. I have been married to her for a few years, but two years ago we have been divorced, but we decided to continue as boyfriend/girlfriend. I can’t get into details here, but we have been struggling for years now, and still we don’t want to give up on each other. But it’s getting harder now as we speak, right now I am not seeing her for a few weeks, because we need our space. But enough about that. This song comes at the right time, to encourage me in a deep way. So thanks again for sharing it with us, and for your reaction!
One of the best songs to come out of the 80's. The UK was going through high unemployment, and he was writing from what he saw around him. And Kate's biggest hit (then and now) was barely a year old. She was not his 1st choice for the female lead, but the fates stepped in and made it something spiritual.
Kate danced into our lives in 1978 with Wuthering Heights. Probably the first time modern dance was used in such a way in a pop song. Combined with that unique voice made it a hit. This video with Peter Gabriel is less energetic than usual, but it is done in one take.
Beautiful. And everyone knows friends who gave up, know friends who almost gave up, teetering on the brink, and probably know themselves, the struggles, the hell (and we are still here). It ain't easy to be a human. Ain't easy to get out of your bed. Love Kate Bush. According to my mother I was always asking; please put on the sweet witch ! And I danced and danced and danced. Later I became a metalhead but always a Kate Bush fan in heart (and to be honest; the two are the same)
Great reaction Rosalie! I've loved this song since it's release. Knew the lyrics well, as with the video - which perfectly visualized Peter's poignant, emotional lyrics (yet such a simple visual - love the idea of the eclipse in the background - when it's at its peak, things are at their darkest, but Kate's words bring the light back!). This song became personal, however, several years ago when I lost my job. I had young children at home, so the feeling of hopelessness, despair was quick to creep in. Right or wrong, the stereotype of the 'man' providing is real - but like this video, my wife was my rock! She took on extra hours while I looked for new employment, and on the day I came home with the news - she embraced me tightly, and said 'It will be alright'. Now every time I hear this, can't help but get misty eyed. Such a beautiful tune.
This song gets me every time. As a man struggling to support my family and seeing my wife have to give twice as much as me to hold the family together, I feel the desperation of the male voice in the story.
Something easy to overlook in the video is the solar eclipse happening in the background. It gets darker and darker and fully dark when he sings about standing on the bridge (thinking of jumping?) Then it lightens up again and by the end of the song it is a full sun again.
I'm the same age as Kate Bush, meaning I've been in love with her... music for 45 years. Wish you could react to her "most difficult" thus underrated album "The Dreaming", which is really one of a kind.
Notice when Peter begins singing the eclipse begins and grows darker until it's full but as Kate starts to sing it begins to pass and lighten until the sun is shining again.
This was her second contribution to one of Peter Gabriel's songs. Years earlier, she did a really cool song called Games Without Frontiers on his third album. These two hold a really special place in my musical upbrniging.
To put this song into context this was about the UKs Mining strikes. A time when coal mining as an industry in the UK was ended suddenly leaving thousands of previously hardworking men without a job and major fears for their families future. Gabriel plays the unemployed husband, Kate the reassuring wife.
"the trees had burned to the ground" is such a fine verbal image to convey the despair. Having the eclipse proceed in the background so simple and effective. Great video. Your 'ying/yang' view is very nice in relation to this song. Beautiful.
NO WOMAN Should Go Through Their Life Without Having This Beautiful Classic Being Played For Her,, SO,, I Dedicate This Song To You,, Malo "Suavecito"..R.I.P. Jorge Santana
The way i understand it, Peter wrote this song after seeing photos from the Depression era in the US. Here I see others claim it's about Thatcher's England. But I guess both could be true.
An Early,, Mid & Later Career MUST HEAR Classics By Him,, Peter Gabriel "Games Without Frontiers",, "Digging In The Dirt" & "Lovetown"..TRUST ME On ALL Of These!!
12:56 Standing ovation for you and your openness to celebrate the complementary differences between masculine and feminine energies. It is a beautiful thing and thank you for not diluting that like so many want to do these days. +1 sub!
When Peter was presented with the proposal for this video, he had the presence of mind to discuss it with his then-wife. They had already had tensions in the marriage, and he made a point of getting her approval of him spending the filming day holding this beautiful, talented younger woman closely pretty much all day. I think that shows such emotional insight, respect, and forethought. Unfortunately, they did later divorce.
Well, the "tension" was from him having a rather public live-in affair with Sinead O'Connor, and going on tour with her, and doing the love song "Blood of Eden" with her, and making the video with the 2 of them together.
Kate Bush would be a very important artist for you to explore, considering the field you work in. She is one of the most courageous and innovative artists of our time. She had written over 200 songs by the age of 16!! The themes she explores can be austere and dusturbing at times with a depth thst seems boundless. It often feels as though the hidden content of our collective unconsicous is somehow brought out into our waking awareness and we can actually hear it!! Her most extreme album was Tbe Dreaming, a very controversial release because of the exploritory nature of the material and production. It delves into darker themes with the voice tracks used with a more viscersl approach, dynamic extremes that can soothe or startle the listener from one moment to the next. It was the first self-produced album by a female singer/songwriter and EMI were so shocked that they almost refused its release. It was her 4th album and she had by then (1982) established herself as a superb innovative artist snd performer having been given 100% creative control by the record label at the age of 16 when she was signed in 1976. But 'The Dreaming' was nothing less than a merciless cauldron of Jungian dreams, nightmares, soundscapes and voices pouring forth from a fractured psyche. It is only recently that it has been heralded as a masterpiece. The follow up to The Dreaming was 'Hounds of Love', widely regarded as her greatest achievment and certainly her most successful. Please explore Kate's magnificent catalogue from her late 70s Debut 'The Kick Inside' up until her more recent such as the stunning double album 'Aerial' snd her last, the haunting '50 words for Snow'
Just to clarify, those videos from the album So are decades old. They were played on MTV in the mid 80's. They're not a creation from "10 years ago" or "6 years ago". That's just when they were uploaded to RU-vid most recently for the channel you are viewing. Or perhaps there was a long delay before releasing those videos due to legal or copyright restrictions. Many artists refused to upload their stuff on RU-vid for a very long time for those reasons. Same with the Beatles not wanting to upload their catalog of songs onto iTunes for an eternity, until they finally did. (And they lost so much revenue as a result, but oh well).
kate bush is one of the pioneers of (independant) female icons of the last and present century, with her creatability and independant mind, she has inspirred female and male artists like elton john over the last half century, you look into her personal life story and its fasinating on its own
Hi and thanks for a really interesting reaction video. It is very interesting to hear a singer/songwriters take on someone like Kate Bush. I'll admit it from the start, I have been a KB fan since her first TV appearance, but even I am willing to concede that she and her music has always divided opinion. it would be really cool to hear a proper singer/songwriter such as yourself take a dive into her music to get your take on her as a singer/songwriter. There are her official videos (I suppose I would begin with the "White dress" version of Wuthering Heights - but the album version of that song is famous in its own right for the entire performance being done in a single take) and they are probably a good starting point. But Kate has always regarded herself as more of an album artist than a singles artist and some of her album tracks might be particularly interesting for a fellow singer/songwriter. Kate is reputed to have a 4 1/2 octave vocal range (which means very little to my non singing ear). But to get a glimpse into her voice try: "My Lagan Love" (completely unaccompanied) "Moving" - the first song on her first album "Wow" "Delius" ( yes, its as weird as the day is long - but what a vocal performance!) "The Wedding list" - (There is a live version with Phil Collins on the drums and Pete Townsend from The Who on guitar) "Violin" (the album version where she hits her highest recorded note) "breathing" "Suspended in Gaffa" (about a person who sees "God") "Get Out Of My House" (inspired by the movie "The Shining") "And Dream of Sheep" "Rockets Tail" "This Woman's Work" (you might have heard the cover version of this by "Maxwell") "The Man I love" (a cover of an old 1920's Gershwin song) But once again many thanks for such an inciteful reaction video.
Rosalie, it's important to contextualize this video. Peter represents the deep despair of the working class of GB in the Thatcherite years. Coal mines were closed, and men were helpless and on the dole. It was their second industrial revolution, and it had its victims. You are right concerning roles: Men are expected to be brave, but women embody courage. Peter and Kate are representing these two complimentary poles in this song.
Hi Rosalie, very good review of this outstanding song from the 80's. Also thank you to Gerhard, again, for his recommendation. This song was written in the early 80's. A time when Britain was hit severely by an economic crises not least caused by the politics of the administration of then PM Margret Thatcher. Industrial manifacturing was going down, many workers lost their jobs and were left alone by their government. So this song could be seen as a critisism of that government as well as a cheer up for Britiish workers at that time. Obviously you disregarded me in my proposal to lay down on your couch in a quiet minute and listen to this song. But as you put it up on your channel I will graciously forgive you for that...😉💛💛💛
This song is so sad. I guess uplifting at the same time? But it really makes you feel. Really felt it in my teens in the 80's. Full circle, really feeling it again.
A very nice reaction today I really like this very much the two of them are4 just special together thanks for this ride it was special today as always your ride or die Forever Eyyyy Ooooo
As I remember this is a song about the closures of the coal mines back in the 80's. It gets me every time. There's nothing worse for a man than not being able to provide for his family.
peter und kate meine musikhelden der 70er und 80er und 90er ^^ ich hab kate früher jeden tag gehört und konnte nie genug bekommen von ihrer feenhaften stimme. ich liebe ihre geschichten die sie beim singen erzählt. sie ist für mich die beste sängerin aller zeiten. peter hat genauso viel fantasie und auch seine etwas rauhe stimme hat mich eingefangen zuerst bei genesis dann als er solo aufgetreten ist. bei diesem lied sind sie einfach nur ein traumpaar
Yes indeed. And .I like your reaction You did not interrupt every word it phrase whic someone else did so your reaction did not spoil my enjoyment of this performance. Thank you.
Both Peter Gabriel AND Kate Bush are not only singers and composers , but also artists.. Did You notice the slow solar eclipse through this whole video? ..and Kate Bush is phenominal!! This song is NOT 4/4 This song is hard to do. But She does it effortless!!! That is an accomplishment!! ..She also have been playing around with different time signatures in some of Her songs
This song often hits me hard, the whole So album is a masterpiece but this song on it hits me the hardest..sometimes i struggle and this song will bring a tear to my eye,partly wishing I had that partner to have my back but also reminding me to stay strong and keep going .My only critique to the reaction is yeah we get it ,its from the 80's, the way you kept saying it was almost apologetic like it should be shamed for being a 80's song.
And don't forget the eclipse in the background, with the sun being totally blacked out at: "When times get rough....," and then getting revealed again with the lyrics suggesting never giving up from there on.
The eclipse is full when Peter sings about possible suicide. "Got to walk out of here I can't take anymore Gonna stand on that bridge Keep my eyes down below Whatever may come And whatever may go That river's flowing That river's flowing." It's also the only time he moves away from the close embrace with Kate. Kate is the anchor that keeps him going. The symbolism is way to on point to be unintentional. A video masterpiece.
Kate Bush is always inspirational and expressional I'd say romantic tragedy. All her songs are very much like this beautiful. The best example is Wuthering Heights.
There are two songs that a person like you must hear by Peter Gabriel and they are: I Grieve and Biko (version: Biko | Peter Gabriel | Playing For Change | Song Around The World). I hope you will follow my advice and keep some tissues close by (I can't hear them without crying).
Wonderful reaction, Rosalie. They're two exceptional artists in multiple ways, all good. And I totally agree with your thoughts on men and women and appreciating differences rather than seeing them as a problem, or the ideology that we should deny our biological & psychological differences in favor of social constructs.
The song was written about the great depression, and a book of photographs called "THIS PROUD LAND." that Peter Gabriel found very moving. The original film clip did not have the eclipse symbolising his dark feelings and her breaking him out of it. The original had photographs from that book.
Reaction or no, you should watch the version with Paula Cole from the Secret World Live tour. The video for this is fun, and Kate is great, but I really, really love Paula's version during that tour.
