Strange Phenomena: The Music of Kate Bush

Even if the thrill and the hurting will never be yours, this episode can be! This week, we're talking about the lovely, yearning Never Be Mine, with long-time Kate fan Craig Houston from Ohio. And we have another top 10 favorite form our host in this week's song! For this episode, Craig and Cecilee talk about the imagery-laden lyrics and how they touch each of them, as well as the music (of course...

Welcome to another episode of the show this week! This week, it's just Cecilee and we're going into the seventh song on The Sensual World, called Between a Man and a Woman! Listen as we talk about the movie reference that led to this song's genesis (hint: family saga) and talk about the lyrics and, of course, the musical structure! If you're familiar with the song, you know the structure is pretty...

Happy New Year 2021 (even if it's a month late!) Time to flip over the record and begin side two of The Sensual World. This week, we get to talk about one of Kate's most thought-provoking tracks, especially when listening to it in 2021 as a worldwide pandemic rages on: Deeper Understanding, the sixth song from The Sensual World. And also the first audible appearance of the lovely Trio Bulgarka! We...

Merry Christmas to all you loyal listeners of the Strange Phenomena podcast!! We have here a VERY special episode: a discussion AND commentary for the Kate Bush Christmas Special, first broadcast in December 1979. Never released officially on DVD (or even video for that matter), but now it can be widely seen on YouTube these days! And thank goodness for that! A few weeks ago, Zoey and Cecilee got...

This week, we're going back to '39, before the music started, to a night that someone would rather forget, a night when they danced with the devil: Hitler. Heads We're Dancing is the fifth track on The Sensual World, and is one of the more propulsive songs Kate has ever done. It might even be one of the darkest songs she's ever done as well. Author James di Benedetto is on the show this week to ta...

This week, we're reaching out to you through your smartphone or wherever you happen to be listening to this show, to give you an episode all about this Kate Bush album track, track four from The Sensual World, called Reaching Out! To discuss the song this week, we have our good friend Zoey, as well as a quick blurb from a Reaching Out superfan who contacted the show on Twitter! If you're enjoying...

Come and swim with us through the fog as we discuss the third track from The Sensual World, the dense, gorgeous, string-laden The Fog! On the show this week, we have friend of the show (and outside the show!) Zoey P, to discuss the gorgeous production on this song and what this song means to … Continue reading S06E03 – The Fog Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Take away the love and the anger, and what you’re left with is….. a new episode of Strange Phenomena! This week, we have a first-timer on the show, author James DiBenedetto, and young fan Diego Ortega, to talk about a song that Kate has said herself was one of the most difficult songs she’s ever … Continue reading S06E02 – Love and Anger Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic...

Who else is ready to leave the pages of real world behind and go strutting with Kate Bush through a forest as the leaves fall and the rain comes down on your face? We certainly are! So leave behind the real world and join us for a journey into the first song episode for this … Continue reading S06E01 – The Sensual World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With everything going on in the world these days, who doesn’t want to be somewhere else but here? I know! Let’s go to the Sensual World instead! This week, we start our journey into the Sensual World with a special introduction episode about Kate Bush’s sixth album, The Sensual World. Released in October 1989, The … Continue reading S06E00 – The Sensual World Album Introduction Episode Learn more...

Hello everyone! It’s been a few months, but we’re back! This week, we’re talking about songs for the upcoming season (The Sensual World) that don’t have any fans yet, and the future of the show (hint: October 2020!). If you are a fan of any of these Sensual World era tracks, feel free to e-mail, … Continue reading Special – Stepping Out of Quarantine into the Sensual World Learn more about your ad...

Oh yes we will! You may have noticed that there haven’t been any new episodes of the show in a while. This week, Cecilee talks about the season to come and why there’s been a longer break than usual. AND also calling all Sensual World fans: If you are a super fan of any of … Continue reading Special – Maybe You’ll Be Coming Back…..? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1986 was a busy year for Kate Bush! Not only was she singing with Rowan Atkinson, putting out singles from Hounds of Love and also a video and non-album track for The Whole Story, but she also got to sing with two other major artists: Big Country and Peter Gabriel! This week, we’re talking about … Continue reading S05E21 – The Seer (with Big Country) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho...

And now for an interesting little footnote in Kate Bush’s discography, her duet with comedian Rowan Atkinson, Do Bears. On April 4, 5, and 6, 1986, Kate Bush took part in the first live show for a then-new British charity event that would soon become a yearly institution: Comic Relief. She sang two songs, a … Continue reading S05E20 – Do Bears (with Rowan Atkinson) Learn more about your ad choices...

It is another episode of Strange Phenomena that brings us together! This week we’re talking about a soundtrack song, the upbeat, poppy (and VERY mid-80s sounding!) Be Kind to My Mistakes. This song has had several releases over the years, most notably more as a b-side in the Sensual World era. BUT it’s first release … Continue reading S05E19 – Be Kind to My Mistakes Learn more about your ad choice...

We were working secretly not for the military, but for you, specifically a new episode of Strange Phenomena! This week we’re going into a song that was released as a single from Kate Bush’s (to-date) only greatest hits collection The Whole Story, the spooky Experiment IV. Experiment IV was the only single released from The … Continue reading S05E18 – Experiment IV Learn more about your ad choices....

And now for a discussion of a b-side that isn’t discussed much (not even by Kate herself!!). In fact, the only way to find this song is either getting the single it’s from (The Big Sky), finding the This Woman’s Work box set, or going to YouTube! It’s not even on her most recent boxset … Continue reading S05E17 – Not This Time Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week’s episode was on a traditional song, and that’s the same thing with this week’s episode! This week, we’re talking about a cover of a sea shanty called The Handsome Cabin Boy! He may not be a Kate fan (yet!) but we have Cecilee’s good friend Andrew Martin, a fellow music enthusiast and a … Continue reading S05E16 – The Handsome Cabin Boy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...

Time to take a trip to Ireland for this week’s b-side, the lovely, a cappella My Lagan Love. This week, we’re talking about My Lagan Love, an Irish song that Kate recorded as a b-side and released as a b-side on two different singles (Cloudbusting in the UK, Hounds of Love in the US). However, … Continue reading S05E15 – My Lagan Love Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don’t worry, you won’t have to be waiting all night long for a new b-side episode! We’re indeed going to tell you all about this week’s song, Burning Bridge. Recorded specifically as a b-side and stated as such by Kate herself, Burning Bridge is a frenzied, militaristic song with tons of background vocals, a charging … Continue reading S05E14 – Burning Bridge Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

It won’t take us long to tell you how to find the next episode of Strange Phenomena: it’s right here in your feed! So when you’re done celebrating Thanksgiving and stuffing yourself full of turkey today (if you’re an American listener!), come take a moment to listen to this week’s episode of Strange Phenomena and … Continue reading S05E13 – Under the Ivy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit meg...

Are we really at the end of another album? Yes we are! Don’t worry; there are still b-sides and collaborations to come! (among many for this season: Under the Ivy! Burning Bridge! My Lagan Love! The Handsome Cabin Boy! The Seer! Don’t Give Up!) But first: The Morning Fog. After the nightmare that was the … Continue reading S05E12 – The Morning Fog Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone....

With just your heart and your mind, you could be driving driving home listening to the latest episode of the show! After an unexpected two week break, we’re back with the second to last song for the Hounds of Love album. Hello Earth is the climax of the album, a shifting, ethereal piece that was … Continue reading S05E11 – Hello Earth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello you Kate Bush fans, ready to put on your dancing shoes? Time to dance a jig of life! After the somber and thoughtful Watching You Without Me, we’re on to the next track, the energetic Jig of Life! Two fans (who are also Patreon supporters of the show!) are on board to discuss this … Continue reading S05E10 – Jig of Life Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We can let you know what’s been happening, there’s a new episode of Strange Phenomena for your listening pleasure! This week, our song is Watching You Without Me, a dreamy, spectral tune that plays with a lot of interesting sounds (are those possibly gamelans? And backwards vocals?) and contains some wonderful production techniques. Two other … Continue reading S05E09 – Watching You Without Me Lea...