•
Rating: Every artist - in constant search for inspiration and the right form to express their creative flair - is potentially the most tormented human figure one can imagine. A victim of their own condition as a gifted and exceptional spokesperson, hypersensitive and often externally directed, it seems their challenging destiny is to be perpetually balanced between less glorious - if not disheartening - compromises with an audience not always receptive to their most intimate message and the often futile attempt to seal a Faustian pact of eternal quality and prolific production. Neurosis is always lurking around the corner for the composer who has gradually forgotten the humanity, fertility, and humility in simply allowing the natural flow of their inspiration. It might sound undemocratic or "politically incorrect" to claim it, but it's also true that not all artists are capable of building - to defend against these dangerous assaults on their fragile psyche - a solid defensive wall of actual expressive versatility or any distinctive talent that makes them immune - even in lean times for the aforementioned inspiration - from a complete breakdown.
It might be my imagination, but Princess Kate's vocal cords remain a formidable barrier against the pitfalls that time seemed to have reserved even for the Muse during the mediocre "The Red Shoes" (1993) - recently and finally overshadowed in memory by the delightful (albeit uneven) "Aerial" (2005). In the voice of this woman, just like in her doe-eyed gaze, one can still recognize the fairy perpetually enchanted by the world who, at sixteen, was already whispering and shouting (with four octaves of range!) gothic tales as metaphors for her own emotions and fears. And if the high whispers of that voice would have melted even the most frozen of hearts ("The Man With The Child In His Eyes"…), erotically charged even songs on social themes (the immense "Breathing"), sweetened the evident drama of certain lyrics (the splendid "Army Dreamers"), her shocking and irrational screams always characterized her not so much as a new wicked witch but as a voice, a direct and necessarily frightening contact with the most intimately tribal and primordial zone of the human soul, what Freud would call "the unconscious."
The inhuman cries of "Babooshka" (from the splendid and diverse "Never For Ever," 1980) or even more so of "Sat In Your Lap" or "Night Of The Swallow" (from the formidable and extremely challenging "The Dreaming," 1982, absolutely worth rediscovering) are a true face-to-face between Kate and her intimate weaknesses; a face-to-face that recurrently reappears - though in a more composed, studied, apparently synthetic package but capable of igniting with enduring intensity - in the fascinating perfection of "Hounds Of Love" (1985), one of the greatest masterpieces of the Eighties. The immediate proof of this is the disarming confession of powerlessness against love's onslaught in the rhythmic title track, which, through its simple metaphor, encapsulates with rare vividness the intensity and mystery of the sentiment. Even more syncopated and claustrophobic is the opening of "Running Up That Hill" (another single with an almost "dance" setting, where a double drum accompanies one of the most famous and representative melodies of her singer-songwriter work), with the significant subtitle "A Deal With God" almost suggesting that the angelic Kate made her pact in areas far from Mephistophelian. The whirlwind choral crescendo of "The Big Sky" and the dark sensuality of what intends to be a simple tribute to the maternal figure (the beautiful "Mother Stands For Comfort") pave the way for one of the greatest and most original singles of the decade, the stunning electro-Celtic dance of "Cloudbusting" (this time on the father figure, with Donald Sutherland in the famous video). The synthetic train of this great track has just finished its whistle when "The Ninth Wave" begins, the long suite that covers the entire second half of the album, which was originally supposed to be, in expanded form, its conceptual core. The red thread binding it is that of Peter Gabriel's ethno-pop experiments filtered through the spatial and hyper-produced melodies of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" era. In a crescendo of sensations marked by piano touches that burn desolate notes against the backdrop of "ambient" soundscapes on the verge of the spectral (the introductory, delicate "And Dream Of Sheep"), there is room for excerpts of ethereal and refined pop of great class ("Watching You Without Me"), choral symphonies - indeed, a Gregorian choir - of certain allure ("Hello Earth"), unforgettable declarations of love to the Celtic tradition (the enormous "Jig Of Life"), concluding lightly with the soft melodic sweetness of the brief and perfect "The Morning Fog."
What comes out is what it is.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Hounds of Love (03:03)
"It's in the trees!
It's coming!"
When I was a child:
Running in the night,
Afraid of what might be
Hiding in the dark,
Hiding in the street,
And of what was following me...
Now hounds of love are hunting.
I've always been a coward,
And I don't know what's good for me.
Here I go!
It's coming for me through the trees.
Help me, someone!
Help me, please!
Take my shoes off,
And throw them in the lake,
And I'll be
Two steps on the water.
I found a fox
Caught by dogs.
He let me take him in my hands.
His little heart,
It beats so fast,
And I'm ashamed of running away
From nothing real--
I just can't deal with this,
But I'm still afraid to be there,
Among your hounds of love,
And feel your arms surround me.
I've always been a coward,
And never know what's good for me.
Oh, here I go!
Don't let me go!
Hold me down!
It's coming for me through the trees.
Help me, darling,
Help me, please!
Take my shoes off
And throw them in the lake,
And I'll be
Two steps on the water.
I don't know what's good for me.
I don't know what's good for me.
I need your love love love love love, yeah!
Your love!
Take your shoes off
And throw them in the lake!
Do you know what I really need?
Do you know what I really need?
I need love love love love love, yeah!
03 The Big Sky (04:41)
They look down
At the ground,
Missing.
But I never go in now.
I'm looking at the Big Sky.
I'm looking at the Big Sky now.
I'm looking at the Big Sky.
You never really understood me.
You never really tried.
That cloud, that cloud--
Looks like Ireland.
C'mon and blow it a kiss now,
But quick,
'Cause it's changing in the Big Sky,
It's changing in the Big Sky now.
We're looking at the Big Sky.
You never understood me.
You never really tried.
This cloud, this cloud--
Says "Noah,
C'mon and build me an Ark."
And if you're coming, jump,
'Cause
We're leaving with the Big Sky.
We're leaving with the Big Sky.
And we pause for the jets--
hup! hup!--in the Big Sky!
You want my reply?
What was the question?
I was looking at the Big Sky.
Tell 'em, sisters!
"Rolling over like a great big cloud,
Walking out in the Big Sky!
Rolling over like a great big cloud,
Walking out in the Big Sky!"
04 Mother Stands for Comfort (03:08)
She knows that I've been doing something wrong,
But she won't say anything.
She thinks that I was with my friends yesterday,
But she won't mind me lying,
Because
Mother stands for comfort.
Mother will hide the murderer.
It breaks the cage, and fear escapes and takes possession,
Just like a crowd rioting inside.
(Make me do this, make me do that, make me do this, make me do that...)
Am I the cat that takes the bird?
To her the hunted, not the hunter.
Mother stands for comfort.
Mother will hide the murderer.
Mother hides the madman.
Mother will stay mum.
Mother stands for comfort.
Mother will hide the murderer.
Mother hides the madman.
Mother will stay mum.
05 Cloudbusting (05:10)
I still dream of Organon
I wake up crying
You're making rain
And you're just in reach
When you and sleep escape me
You're like my yo-yo
That glowed in the dark
What made it special
Made it dangerous
So I bury it
And forget.
But every time it rains
You're here in my head
Like the sun coming out
Ooh, I just know that something good is gonna happen.
And I don't know when
But just saying it could even make it happen.
On top of the world
Looking over the edge
You could see them coming.
You looked too small
In their big black car
To be a threat to the men in power.
I hid my yo-yo
In the garden.
I can't hide you
From the government.
Oh, God, Daddy
I won't forget
'Cause every time it rains
You're here in my head
Like the sun coming out
Ooh, I just know that something good is gonna to happen.
And I don't know when
But just saying it could even make it happen.
And every time it rains
You're here in my head
Like the sun coming out
Like your son's coming out
Ooh, I just know that something good is going to happen
And I don't know when
But just saying it could even make it happen
Ooh, just saying it could even make it happen
We've been cloudbusting daddy
The sun's coming out. Your son's coming out.
from the album Hounds of Love released 1985
07 Under Ice (02:21)
It's wonderful.
Everywhere, so white.
The river has frozen over.
Not a soul on the ice.
Only me skating fast.
I'm speeding past trees,
Leaving little lines in the ice,
Splitting, splitting sound,
Silver heels spitting, spitting snow.
There's something moving
Under, under the ice,
Moving under ice,
Through water,
Trying to get out of the cold water.
'It's me.'
Something, someone--help them.
'It's me.'
08 Waking the Witch (04:18)
Wake Up
A good morning ma'am, your early morning call
You must wake up
Wake up
Wake up, man
Wake up child, pay attention
C'mon, wake up
Wake up, love
You shouldn't make the night, but see your little lights alive
Stop your lying and sleeping in bed! Get up!
(C'mon! Your ma needs a shower)
little light
Can you not see that little light up there?
Where?
There?
Where?
Over here...
You still in bed?
Wake up you sleepy head
We are of the going water and gone, we are of the water, and the holy land of water...
Don't you know you've got to wake up?
Look whose hear to see you...
...listen to me...help me baby...talk to me, baby...tell them...listen to me...help me
You won't burn
Red red roses
You won't bleed
Pinks and posies
Confess to me girl
Red red roses
Go down
Spiritus sanctus in nomine...
Spiritus sanctus in nomine...
Spiritus sanctus in nomine...
Spiritus sanctus in nomine...
Poor little thing
Red red roses
The blackbird
Pinks and posies
Wings in the water
Red red roses
Go down
Pinks and posies
Deus et dei domino...
Deus et dei domino...
Deus et dei domino...
Deus et dei domino...
What is it child?
Bless me father, bless me father, for I have sinned...ugh
red red roses
Help me baby, listen to me, listen to me, tell them baby
red whole rose
Help me baby
Don't you know?
I question your innocence
This black bird...
...is a stone around my neck
HA! Damn you woman..AH! Ugh!
This black bird...
...is a stone around my neck
What say you good people?
Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!
This black bird....
I am responsible for your actions!
Whoa....
Not guilty!
...help this black bird.
Wake of the Witch
Get out of the waves. Get out of the water.
09 Watching You Without Me (04:07)
("What's that?")
("It's four, five, six, seven...")
You can't hear me.
You can't hear me.
You can't hear what I'm saying.
You can't hear what I'm saying to you.
You watch the clock
Move the slow hand.
I should have been home
Hours ago,
But I'm not here.
But I'm not here.
You can't hear me.
You can't hear me.
You can't feel me
Here in the room with you now.
You can't hear what I'm saying.
You don't hear what I'm saying, do you?
Can't let you know
What's been happening.
There's a ghost in our home,
Just watching you without me.
I'm not here.
("You don't hear me.") [backwards]
But I'm not here.
(You can't hear me.)
But I'm not here.
(You don't hear what I'm saying.)
"Don't ignore, don't ignore me,
Let me...[indecipherable]"*
"Don't ignore, don't ignore me,
Let me...[indecipherable]"
"Don't ignore, don't ignore me,
Let me...[indecipherable]"
"We see you here." [backwards]
"We see you here."
"We see you here."
"We see you here."
"We see you here."
"We see you here."
"We see you here."
"We see you here."
You don't hear me come in.
"Help me, baby! Help me, baby! Talk to me! Listen to me,
listen to me! Talk to me! Help--"
("You can't hear me.") [backwards]
"Listen, baby! Listen to me, baby! Help me, help me, baby!
Talk to me! Talk to me! Please, baby, talk to me!"
("You can't hear me.") [backwards]
You won't hear me leaving.
10 Jig of Life (04:04)
Hello, old lady.
I know your face well.
I know it well.
She says,
"Ooh-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na!
I'll be sitting in your mirror.
Now is the place where the crossroads meet.
Will you look into the future?
"Never, never say goodbye
To my part of your life.
No, no, no, no, no!
Oh, oh, oh,
"Let me live!"
She said.
"C'mon and let me live, girl!"
She said,
"C'mon and let me live, girl!"
("C'mon and let me live!")
"This moment in time,"
(She said.)
It doesn't belong to you,"
(She said,)
It belongs to me,
"And to your little boy and to your little girl,
And the one hand clapping:
Where on your palm is my little line,
When you're written in mine
As an old memory?
Ooh, na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-
"Never, never say goodbye
To my part of your life.
Oh no, no, no, no, no!
Never, never, never!
Never, never let me go!"
She said,
"C'mon and let me live, girl!'
("C'mon and let me live!")
She said,
"C'mon and let me live, girl!"
("C'mon and let me live!")
I put this
moment..............................................here.
I put this moment.........................here.
I put this moment--
"Over here!
"Over here!
Can't you see where memories are kept bright?
Tripping on the water like a laughing girl.
Time in her eyes is spawning past life,
One with the ocean and the woman unfurled,
Holding all the love that waits for you here.
Catch us now for I am your future.
A kiss on the wind and we'll make the land.
Come over here to where When lingers,
Waiting in this empty world,
Waiting for Then, when the lifespray cools.
For Now does ride in on the curl of the wave,
And you will dance with me in the sunlit pools.
We are of the going water and the gone.
We are of water in the holy land of water
And all that's to come runs in
With the thrust on the strand."
11 Hello Earth (06:13)
"Columbia now nine times the speed of sound."
"Roger that, Dan, I've got a solid TACAN
locked on, uh, TACAN twenty-three."
"The, uh, tracking data, map data and pre-planned
trajectory are all one line on the block"
"Roger (?) your (?) block (?) decoded (? recorded?)"
Hello, Earth.
Hello, Earth.
With just one hand held up high
I can blot you out,
Out of sight.
Peek-a-boo,
Peek-a-boo, little Earth.
With just my heart and my mind
I can be driving,
Driving home,
And you asleep
On the seat.
I get out of my car,
Step into the night
And look up at the sky.
And there's something bright,
Travelling fast.
Look at it go!
Look at it go!
[A men's choral passage in either Czekh or Russian is sung here.]
("Listen!")
Watching storms
Start to form
Over America.
Can't do anything.
Just watch them swing
With the wind
Out to sea.
All you sailors,
("Get out of the waves! Get out of the water!")
All life-savers,
("Get out of the waves! Get out of the water!")
All you cruisers,
("Get out of the waves! Get out of the water!")
All you fishermen,
Head for home.
Go to sleep, little Earth.
I was there at the birth,
Out of the cloudburst,
The head of the tempest.
Murderer!
Murder of calm.
Why did I go?
Why did I go?
[The men's choral passage is sung again several times here.]
"Tiefer, tiefer.
Irgendwo in der Tiefe
gibt es ein Licht."
Go to sleep little Earth.
12 The Morning Fog (02:34)
The light
Begin to bleed,
Begin to breathe,
Begin to speak.
D'you know what?
I love you better now.
I am falling
Like a stone,
Like a storm,
Being born again
Into the sweet morning fog.
D'you know what?
I love you better now.
I'm falling,
And I'd love to hold you know.
I'll kiss the ground.
I'll tell my mother,
I'll tell my father,
I'll tell my loved one,
I'll tell my brothers
How much I love them
Loading comments slowly
