In the book Kate Bush, A Visual Documentary, authors Kevin Cann & Sean Mayes go a bit further in explaining the lyrics: “… people working together hype each other’s spirits up with their enthusiasm and admiration. “Not just rock music but show business in general, including acting and theatre.” Fill in the blanks yourself. “‘Wow’ is about the music business,” she said at the time. On the other hand, every Kate Bush compilation contains the song “Wow”, which became her third UK top 20 hit song. “Kashka From Baghdad” is one of Kate’s forgotten early songs – overlooked in favor of all the brilliance that came after. The chorus, if you can call it that, is: At night they’re seen / Laughing, loving / They know the way / To be happyĪwfully progressive for a catholic teen writing songs in the mid-70’s British suburbs, don’t you think? Kate sings the song from the perspective of a person watching their shadows “Tall and slim in the window opposite / I long to be with them.” Kashka from Baghdad lives in sin they say / With another man / But no one knows who “Kashka From Baghdad” is not a song that needs much explanation.
Prone to obscure literary inspiration, Kate would (often reluctantly) explain the origins of her lyrics by vaguely pointing the listener in the right direction and allowing them to fill in the blanks for themselves.
Many of the songs were written by Kate throughout her teens, including “Kashka From Baghdad” and “Wow”. Lionheart may be her least-known LP, rushed out just 9 months after her acclaimed debut, The Kick Inside. Two appeared on her second LP, Lionheart, which came out 40 years ago this November – another number I can’t quite wrap my head around. Madge has garnered plenty of press upon turning 60, so I wanted to focus on Kate, specifically her early gay-centric songs. I love them for different reasons – to hold one up to the other would be like comparing apples and umami.
I have always been a fan of both of them and am not here to put down one over the other. I always have trouble reconciling this – they never seemed to exist on the same planet, let alone at the same time, but it’s true – The Material Girl and our ethereal goddess have both turned 60 this month. Here’s something for you to chew on: Madonna and Kate Bush are the same age.