Kate Bush, "Wuthering Heights," The Video

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This is one of those primitive pre-MTV videos, like "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough," but it's really something. It's also been my introdcution to Kate Bush. Should I dig deeper, or will I only be disappointed after such a high point?

Anyway: Here it is

― Chris H. (chrisherbert), Thursday, 21 April 2005 06:42 (twenty years ago)

So, she's actually saying "WutherFORD Heights," right?

― Chris H. (chrisherbert), Thursday, 21 April 2005 06:43 (twenty years ago)

is she? it's completely based on the bronte story so that would surprise me.

that is definitely my favourite kate bush song, but i also think there are some other great ones. like running up that hill and the man with the child in his eyes

― gem (trisk), Thursday, 21 April 2005 06:46 (twenty years ago)

I bought two collections of Kate Bush videos at a flea market a few weeks ago. They're pretty unbearable.

― stephen morris (stephen morris), Thursday, 21 April 2005 06:47 (twenty years ago)

i think kate bush is best in moderation myself, can't imagine watching a 'collection' of her videos!

― gem (trisk), Thursday, 21 April 2005 06:54 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I guess that Wuthering Heights is in the public domain, so she doesn't have to do the "Dr. Skipper" thing. But it sure sounds like Wutherford. Please, do download the video though. It's awesome.

― Chris H. (chrisherbert), Thursday, 21 April 2005 06:56 (twenty years ago)

i remember it i think. it's the one where she's dancing on the moor in a red dress? 'interpretive' dance you might say...

― gem (trisk), Thursday, 21 April 2005 06:58 (twenty years ago)

Definately interpretive dance, but there's no moor. Just a fog machine and some classic Six Flags-style special effects.

― Chris H. (chrisherbert), Thursday, 21 April 2005 07:02 (twenty years ago)

But Jesus, it's only 30 megs. Download the thing. Share my joy.

― Chris H. (chrisherbert), Thursday, 21 April 2005 07:03 (twenty years ago)

oh! perhaps i have my kate bush vids mixed up. is she in black with the double bass? dude i'm at work, i don't think they appreciate me downloading kate bush vids in general.

― gem (trisk), Thursday, 21 April 2005 07:04 (twenty years ago)

Hrm, I've never seen those famous mini-movie videos that she's so famed for, but this one's pretty appealing to me.
For some reason her grabbing motions during the "let me grab your soul away" section adds a layer of creepiness to the song that I never felt prior to seeing it like this.

Also, hahaha the disco-effects where like twenty frames are shown on screen at once.
Also, I wish everything on MTV was more like this.
Also, what the hell is with the air-lassoing as she sings "wuthering"?

(am I banned for such horrible abuse of a transitive verb?)

― Øystein (Øystein), Thursday, 21 April 2005 07:19 (twenty years ago)

Our Amber loved "Wuthering Heights" when she saw it for the first time, aged four.

I got her the video collection, and she's still a fan (she so desperately wants to go to the Savacentre on the off chance). But she's keen on seeing the new stuff.

The videos suffer from dated production techniques and/or ideas, but the music still holds up for the most part.

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 21 April 2005 07:22 (twenty years ago)

Also, what the hell is with the air-lassoing as she sings "wuthering"?

She's trying to catch a moon parrot.

― NickB (NickB), Thursday, 21 April 2005 07:23 (twenty years ago)

The creepiest part for me is the "nosferatu" rising from the mist at the beginning. My favorite is the "I love you too" hand motion. You really get that she's only 17 or 18.

― Chris H. (chrisherbert), Thursday, 21 April 2005 07:24 (twenty years ago)

But really, this is a very effective video. I can't imagine a better version.

― Chris H. (chrisherbert), Thursday, 21 April 2005 07:25 (twenty years ago)

me: "So, what do you think?"
Amber (4 then) "That's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 21 April 2005 07:27 (twenty years ago)

is she in black with the double bass?

That one is Babooshka.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 21 April 2005 07:39 (twenty years ago)

oh kate. you are just so absolutely wonderful.

― milton parker (Jon L), Thursday, 21 April 2005 07:44 (twenty years ago)

This is pretty great. Kate Bush makes me think of Marissa Marchant, maybe her looks somewhat and her oddness? Though Kate Bush is like the successful, bizarro world version of Marissa Marchant. I was picturing Marissa during the video, and it made for some pretty steady roffles.

Also, Kate Bush certainly was an attractive woman back in the day.

― Lingbertt, Thursday, 21 April 2005 08:47 (twenty years ago)

"back in the day"? she ain't too shabby now either!

― my friend flicka (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 21 April 2005 12:15 (twenty years ago)

http://babooshka.free.fr/News/kate-q-awards5.jpg

― my friend flicka (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 21 April 2005 12:17 (twenty years ago)

this wins the interpretive dance award, hands down (no pun intended). it was on vh1 classics a while back, and i was totally mesmerized.

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 21 April 2005 12:24 (twenty years ago)

i LOVE this video but i still like the cloudbusting one better

― jones (actual), Thursday, 21 April 2005 12:48 (twenty years ago)

i've started memorizing her dance moves in this video!

really, though, people? it's ALL about the "sat in your lap" video. for serious.

― joseph (joseph), Thursday, 21 April 2005 13:18 (twenty years ago)

You're not wrong.

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 21 April 2005 13:19 (twenty years ago)

haven't seen the video, but just fyi she did another version of W. Heights where its twice as fast, twice as high and she sounds like a maniac - like glenn close from fatal attraction. once you hear it you can't go back to the tame version

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:23 (twenty years ago)

you're right flicka. not too shabby at all (though I still prefer younger kate to older kate).

― Lingbertt, Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:47 (twenty years ago)

re-up please!!

― g e o f f (gcannon), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:54 (twenty years ago)

The Cloudbusting video is awesome. And I'm not attacking the music, I lurve Kate Bush, but there's no way I could sit through that entire video collection. Her facial expressions are just completely unnerving.

― stephen morris (stephen morris), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:24 (twenty years ago)

That said, I still have a huge crush on her.

― stephen morris (stephen morris), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:26 (twenty years ago)

me too

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Thursday, 21 April 2005 18:49 (twenty years ago)

Isn't Donald Sutherland in the "Cloudbusting" video?

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 21 April 2005 19:39 (twenty years ago)

Yes, he is. Playing her father, as I remember.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 21 April 2005 19:52 (twenty years ago)

dude i'm at work, i don't think they appreciate me downloading kate bush vids in general.

I'd like to see a test case employment tribunal.

Yeah, I guess that Wuthering Heights is in the public domain, so she doesn't have to do the "Dr. Skipper" thing. But it sure sounds like Wutherford.

Maybe she just got it wrong, and the literary child prodigy thing was all just a pose.

― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 21 April 2005 20:48 (twenty years ago)

Do english people all pronounce "ing" as "ford"?

― Chris H. (chrisherbert), Thursday, 21 April 2005 20:53 (twenty years ago)

No, but maybe they did in the 70s. I can't remember.

― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 21 April 2005 20:56 (twenty years ago)

she doesn't sing "ford"

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 21 April 2005 21:37 (twenty years ago)

i know, i'm totally confused

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Thursday, 21 April 2005 21:38 (twenty years ago)

Her eyes are kind of scary.

And she totally sings "Wuthering", like very clearly. WTF?

― Sundar (sundar), Friday, 22 April 2005 00:58 (twenty years ago)

dude i'm at work, i don't think they appreciate me downloading kate bush vids in general.
I'd like to see a test case employment tribunal.

more to the point, such downloads are blocked so i couldn't access it

― gem (trisk), Friday, 22 April 2005 02:26 (twenty years ago)

You guys are fuckford crazy.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 22 April 2005 02:27 (twenty years ago)

yeah i listened to it last night, i dunno where the 'ford' thing came from, it fully sounds like 'wutherING' to me

― gem (trisk), Friday, 22 April 2005 02:29 (twenty years ago)

Video is gone.

― Sasha (sgh), Friday, 22 April 2005 04:20 (twenty years ago)

Still sounds like wutherford to me.

Here it is again: http://s34.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=18FWKIFYRQ3ON1HBB32WWZ9SHC

― Chris H. (chrisherbert), Friday, 22 April 2005 05:03 (twenty years ago)

HOLY SHIT. HOLY SHIT.

Ok so The Whole Story won't be leaving my stereo all weekend.

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 22 April 2005 05:15 (twenty years ago)

HOLY SHIT.

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 22 April 2005 05:16 (twenty years ago)

That wouls explain why someone was shouting "ing Cortina" the other decade.

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 22 April 2005 07:19 (twenty years ago)

Oh God. Kate Bush -- SO f***ing perfect, still. I loves me some Kate.

What is that amazing B-side she did where she sings in the opening line " I fell in love /with a swaaan..."? Sublime.

― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Friday, 22 April 2005 07:48 (twenty years ago)

"Lord of the Reedy River" sounds likely. Cover of a Donovan song.

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 22 April 2005 07:51 (twenty years ago)

Yes, that's it. It's lovely, particularly the Fairlight reed sounds made out of her voice.

― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Friday, 22 April 2005 08:16 (twenty years ago)

She re-recorded the vocal for "The Whole Story" -- I think the later vocal is better, less squeaky.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Friday, 22 April 2005 08:56 (twenty years ago)

that is true - its pretty different, lower-pitched and lower speed too. but i still like the orig grating, coked up version best

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Friday, 22 April 2005 15:50 (twenty years ago)

I'm particularly fond of those cartwheels. The whole thing has an adorable talent show histrionics about it.

― chris breitenbach (Chris808), Friday, 22 April 2005 15:57 (twenty years ago)

the chopper-blade thing she does with her arm on "wuthering wuthering wuthering HEIGHTS!" = SO CLASSIC

― joseph (joseph), Friday, 22 April 2005 17:06 (twenty years ago)

I'm a big fan of Kate, as I'm sure has been documented here enough, but I can't say I've played the Whole Story video in a long, long time. Many of those videos weren't too extraordinary, but I do like those "grabbing motions" in this one, too. The Cloudbusting one does stick out in my mind, though and her haircut in that one especially for some reason. Seems like she got it just the perfect length to play a young boy. When I first heard Wuthering Heights and her earliest material, the sheer high-pitched nature of her voice was rather startling. For that reason I can see why some people might prefer the re-recorded version of the song, though I don't.

As far as B-sides go though - The Empty Bullring is king for me - still hear it in my head from time to time. It's a pity she never finished that Ninth Wave video project she was working on - I think that would have gone over really well.

― The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Saturday, 23 April 2005 04:24 (twenty years ago)

Not that "Under The Ivy" isn't a fine contender for best Kate B-side. In fact, anyone who might think it's the best one can feel free to clobber me with a giant billy club as I should have at least considered it.

― The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Saturday, 23 April 2005 04:39 (twenty years ago)

be kind to my mistakes

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 23 April 2005 05:54 (twenty years ago)

BE KIND TO MY MISTAKES RULES!

― The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Saturday, 23 April 2005 06:03 (twenty years ago)

Has everybody truly gone through their lives without noticing that the chorus of this song is basically identical to Barry Manilow's "Mandy"?

― Marcel Post (Marcel Post), Saturday, 23 April 2005 11:39 (twenty years ago)

i ashamedly haven't heard many of her b-sides, but "december will be magic again" got a LOT of play around these parts during last xmas

― joseph (joseph), Saturday, 23 April 2005 14:04 (twenty years ago)

Has everybody truly gone through their lives without noticing that the chorus of this song is basically identical to Barry Manilow's "Mandy"?

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 23 April 2005 15:43 (twenty years ago)

GET BEHIND ME SATAN

― miccio (miccio), Saturday, 23 April 2005 15:44 (twenty years ago)

"Cloudbusting", "Hounds Of Love", and "Experiment IV" are classics. Is it just me, or are there others who can't hear Tori Amos without thinking "Damn, girl done gone & ripped off Miss Bush"???

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Saturday, 23 April 2005 17:05 (twenty years ago)

I was just thinking about that while spinning The Whole Story today (they've got The Dreaming used at the local store - I should pick it up).

― miccio (miccio), Saturday, 23 April 2005 17:07 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I'll never forget the time I was doing a radio show dedicated to Kate and some guy called me up and asked if I liked Tori Amos. I wanted to reach through the phone and strangle him.

― The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Saturday, 23 April 2005 17:11 (twenty years ago)

to be fair Tori's stuff often has more of a Joni Mitchell-style earthbound cockiness I haven't heard in Bush's stuff. Probably part of why I prefer Kate!

― miccio (miccio), Saturday, 23 April 2005 17:14 (twenty years ago)

I thought everyone thought that. The Dreaming is the only full-length I own. I'd say it's worth picking up.

I don't really know what to make of this video though. "Talent-show histrionics" was pretty much how I felt initially (and not totally in a good way). It just reminded me of drama/musical theatre kids from my high school. I could get past that and start to appreciate some of the acting-out and big-eye gestures in sort of a Bharata Natyam way. But I'm not totally sure I get what she's doing, maybe because I don't know that much about dance. She starts out by pretty much acting out each line literally, right? Then she loosens it up a bit and just mixes that with movements that look good, starting with the chopper-blade thing, yes? Or is that like her summoning the ghosts of the moors?

2xpost Well, no, she's not a carbon copy of course.

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 23 April 2005 17:23 (twenty years ago)

I love the video, the moves and big-eye shit are creepily absurd, a weird mix of bewitching and threatening. Fits the song. Hard time imagining any singer today making something visually fascinating out of so little material.

― miccio (miccio), Saturday, 23 April 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)

I guess there's an even mix of literal acting and looser dance stuff from the beginning, looking at it again. The "hated you/loved you too" part is my favourite.

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 23 April 2005 17:54 (twenty years ago)

xpost: No, Tori isn't a total clone, and I actually enjoy some of her stuff. It's just that Kate Bush has, over time, become an archetype for a certain kind of female performer, and Tori totally fits that archetype.

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Saturday, 23 April 2005 18:03 (twenty years ago)

my favorite Tori song is "Hey Jupiter," which is probably as Kate as she gets.

― miccio (miccio), Saturday, 23 April 2005 18:05 (twenty years ago)

i LOVE the "hated you/loved you too". i also love whenever she sings so sweetly about older men - all the songs about her father etc.

re: to histrionics-she's the only person (besides maybe one other who doesn't deserve my PR) who can get away with the theatrics she gets aways with. the juvenile corny theatrics - somehow its 7 times out of 10 it works. but i remember in interview once she said at beginning her voice was insane and people told her to tone it down. i guess it had a much more melodramatic gothic hi-pitched edge. and the songs she said were insufferable-not sure how. i'd probably have loved them.

i agree that tori was influenced by her but tori is a weak fat yellow jackhammer and kate is a strong green flower pistil. and i don't think tori understand her own lyrics. plus kate would not play the piano with her vagina or sing "whyche tower". Ah! i really hate tori.

superxpost - chris H - all the old stuff is really good. its better than you think it could be. and still sounds totally unique. i think her music resonates best with young people during that really imaginative dreamy period where life on its own seems magical and exotic etc. but even as you sadly lose touch with that, coming back to her still can kinda rev it up.

and once you get the cds, if yer so inclined you can drool over her pics as she's fucking beautiful

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Saturday, 23 April 2005 22:18 (twenty years ago)

Has everybody truly gone through their lives without noticing that the chorus of this song is basically identical to Barry Manilow's "Mandy"?

Holy fucking bloody Erection.....HE'S RIGHT!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 23 April 2005 22:29 (twenty years ago)

Re: drooling over the pictures. The booklet of The Red Shoes practically makes up for the disappointing music. Wow!

If I were to have music posters on my walls, I certainly wouldn't mind having this:
http://eil.com/newgallery/Kate-Bush-The-Red-Shoes-313215.jpg
Creepy little tyke that I am.

Incidentally, did anyone else laugh out loud the first time they saw the "Eat the music" single cover? It looks pretty much exactly like the first Carcass album cover. Best cover connection ever, in fact.

― Øystein (Øystein), Saturday, 23 April 2005 22:34 (twenty years ago)

can you post them? i don't think i've seen/remember either?
its hard not to get creepily into kate. i have my own stories, but i'll spare you

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Saturday, 23 April 2005 22:56 (twenty years ago)

http://www.mynetcologne.de/~nc-waltergu/Kate/Liedertexte/The_Red_Shoes/Eat_The_Music.jpg
http://www.earacherecords.org/news_stories/earache/Reek_Cover.jpg
(not showing the Carcass cover directly, as it's pretty disgusting and not something everyone who opens a Kate Bush thread might want to see)

― Øystein (Øystein), Sunday, 24 April 2005 00:16 (twenty years ago)

i ashamedly haven't heard many of her b-sides, but "december will be magic again" got a LOT of play around these parts during last xmas

kate bush b-sides ahoy:
http://www.kate-bush.org/mp3/mp3.html

― Lingbertt, Sunday, 24 April 2005 00:26 (twenty years ago)

yeow!! good tip lingbertt!

― jones (actual), Sunday, 24 April 2005 00:53 (twenty years ago)

i guess it had a much more melodramatic gothic hi-pitched edge. and the songs she said were insufferable-not sure how. i'd probably have loved them

Are you talking about the Cathy Demos kind of stuff? Sure, it was primitive and not always of great quality, but it did have a certain charm here and there. Definitely not "insufferable". Did she really feel that way about it? "Playing Canasta/In Cold Rooms" - do you know that one? Man, I haven't heard that stuff in a long time. I used to have a CD of all of it but a motherfucker stole it from me. Now I just have half of it on 7"es.

Oystein's photo is fabulous!

I've been watching her site from time to time in hopes of new album news but you know...I'm less optimistic now than I was at Christmastime.

Okay okay, the chorus for Wuthering Heights is SIMILAR to the chorus for Barry Manilow's "Mandy". That is not the same thing as "basically identical". Witness the way the tune cycle of Manilow's ends on "and I sent you away" vs. the amazing feat of tunery that takes place as Kate sings "let me into your window-oh-oh-oh" Notice that Kate's is the more complex melody, squeezing in more notes for your money.

― The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Sunday, 24 April 2005 01:30 (twenty years ago)

She's a Kiling Joke fan, you know.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 24 April 2005 01:38 (twenty years ago)

it was a long time ago - years ago and i'd bought with a friend an audio recording of an interview she did (he bought off the internet ((wich didn't really exist)) from some person in england I think - so at the time, this was hi-tech desperate fandom) -- i remember we'd anticipated its arrival for weeks and hoped it was an actual video - cause we were both perving on her being hot at the time, we'd seen the pictures and wanted her animated! but unfortunately it was just audio. damn! if i remember correctly i think she was talking about when she was living at home just starting to make music and her family's reaction to it. how she would write these pained gothic (my word) songs on her piano and something or other about the way she's sing it all everyone thought was horrible. maybe it was too depressing or too frenetic. i always imagined it was over the top in one way or another - kinda like the original version of Wuthering. and during this interview her speaking voice alone was not to be believed. i mean it was really that weird-i could not stop laughing. i haven't heard cathy demos.

don't think i've heard "playing canasta/in cold rooms" - its good. what are your faves in general?

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Sunday, 24 April 2005 01:51 (twenty years ago)

xpost - that is shocking!

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Sunday, 24 April 2005 01:52 (twenty years ago)

In the words of Jane's Addiction, Nothing's...

― The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Sunday, 24 April 2005 02:03 (twenty years ago)

Well..faves...hmm...I shant speak of faves with her, it's dangerous. Might leave things out like Under The Ivy...It's difficult to make Kate an everyday thing in a person's life as we haven't heard from her for in over a quadrillion years.

But I will say this: even if her last album seems to get a bad rap, I remain surprised when people won't look deeper into that album and see that emotional powerhouses like "Moments Of Pleasure", "And So Is Love" or what's that one where she says "take me up to the top of the city"?!?!?!?!

Good lord, people, there are BRILLLLIANT parts of that album. What's that last track "petrol in the car...I've got some money with me...I just can't take it..."? If that track alone doesn't leave you weak in the knees you can go kiss a multicoloured parrot at the nearest pet shop.

― The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Sunday, 24 April 2005 02:13 (twenty years ago)

hmmm now i wish i had some new kate to listen to

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Sunday, 24 April 2005 02:18 (twenty years ago)

http://gaffa.org/wow/k360.jpg

― The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Sunday, 24 April 2005 04:04 (twenty years ago)

http://fusionanomaly.net/katebushrunningupthathill7inch.jpg

― The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Sunday, 24 April 2005 04:04 (twenty years ago)

xpost - "December Will Be Magic Again "bongo version" o_0

― fandango (fandango), Sunday, 24 April 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

i've now bought a killing joke cd and think i hate it.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Sunday, 24 April 2005 23:14 (twenty years ago)

eight years pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnG5iLR9g9k

― |$̲̅(̲̅ιοο̲̅)̲̅$̲̅| (gr8080), Friday, 10 January 2014 18:51 (twelve years ago)

...while rocking the t-shirt Stiles wears in Teen Wolf, no less.

― erry red flag (f. hazel), Friday, 10 January 2014 20:38 (twelve years ago)

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