Wuthering Heights is the Victorian love-supernatural novel of Emily Bronte where our heroine Catherine Earnshaw (Cathy) comes back as a ghost to haunt Heathcliff, her former lover who treated her cruelly for marrying another. Bush read the book before writting the song but she was inspired to write it before she did after watching the British TV adaptation when she was young. In her first years she had a very high voice that started to go down in the early mid-80's. But on purpose she stuck those high notes to make it seem a ghost was singing. Great song but no one expected that this basically unknown girl of 19 with no professional background would usher a number one song. Kate Bush was the first female solo artist to get at the top of the charts in the UK with a self-written song. She is one of the most influential artist of all times, the number of artists that admit having Kate Bush as an inspiration is staggering. The song is from her debut album, a truly fantastic record. It also has The Man with the Child in his Eyes that she wrote, believe it or not when she was 13. Moving, the opening song is also great, one of my favorite. You can't go wrong with Kate Bush, she doesn't have a 'style' her music has influence from rock, pop, music hall, classical, progressive rock, world music, Irish music etc.... Kate Bush is her own style and we love her for it.

@leslieturner8276

24 күн бұрын

Kate read only a portion of the book in order to gain an understanding of Cathy as a character before writing the song, because as Kate stated when she was singing, she was channelling Cathy. A strange thing was when Kate eventually got round to reading the entire book, she noticed that some words from a pat of the book that she hadn't originally read had ended up in the lyrics. The very high register used started out as an experiment to see if she could extend her range for the song to best represent Cathy as a ghost, and when Kate found out that she could comfortably sing in that register, the rest is history.

@nigeldepledge3790

19 күн бұрын

Oh, hell yeah! I love the entire album and it's so hard to pick a favourite. The Kick Inside (the song) blew my mind just as much as Wuthering Heights.

We literally Worship this girl in Australia, we have a Kate Bush day and we dance!

@annavaskelainen

22 күн бұрын

I had to google this!! 😂Looks soo much fun!

@binscabs

21 күн бұрын

@@annavaskelainen Love everything you're doing Anna!

@binscabs

21 күн бұрын

haha im rewatching now, you'd fit right in down here :)

Emily Bronte born 30th July 1818. Kate Bush born 30th July 1958

@bwilson5401

16 күн бұрын

Im a July baby and my Family are Kentish.Probably why i love Kate.

@johnm9845

15 күн бұрын

Were they mother and daughter?

@andybricks576

13 күн бұрын

@@johnm9845 You realise there is 140 years difference between 1818 & 1958 you dropkick! ("Wuthering Heights" is the only novel by the English author Emily Brontë, initially published in 1847 under her pen name "Ellis Bell".)

Kate Bush blew minds in the UK when this came out. She is a treasure. Thank you for reacting to this, Anna.

@steiner554

20 күн бұрын

Not just the UK. Here in the Netherlands as well. Kate was/is brilliant!

@christopherbako

18 күн бұрын

She's a light.😊

@kasperkjrsgaard1447

17 күн бұрын

And in Denmark too. I was a spotty kid more into Sex Pistols when this amazing artist appeared on the National TV. I’ve been a fan ever since.

She studied with a world renowned mime in order to express her songs physically. As well as her dance study.

This was stunning when it appeared in the aftermath of Punk.

@RevStickleback

20 күн бұрын

Perhaps even stranger was that the Sex Pistols' singer John Lydon was a fan.

@tconnolly9820

19 күн бұрын

I definitely wouldn't say in the aftermath of punk. This was recorded in 1977 and released in 1978. The Sex Pistols career went from 1975 to 1978. And punk didn't just end in 1978. It carried on and developed into the early 80's. This was pretty much concurrent with punk. Music was much more varied and creative fifty years ago than it is now. Popular music is currently at an all time creative low. Overproduced, formulaic and completely unmemorable more than even forgettable.

She was only 19 when this first album came out. A number of songs she already "wrote" many years before that: a child prodigy!!

Don't know if I love David Gilmour more for his work with Pink Floyd or for getting Kate her intro to the music industry.

@gbsailing9436

21 күн бұрын

Totally agree. TOP comment!

@sillysausage4549

17 күн бұрын

Thanks for not suggesting he played the solo (urban myth!)

@iainwolstencroft3764

9 күн бұрын

Not to mention co-producing the Kick Inside!

There is nobody in the world that sounds like Kate Bush. Nobody could sing her songs ever.

@washmabi

19 күн бұрын

Don't think I've ever heard a cover of any of her songs. It would be a very brave singer who'd try.

@that-avr-drummer

17 күн бұрын

@@washmabi kzread.info/dash/bejne/q2Wlj8uac72XhbQ.html My favorite cover that I've found.

@robertmackin7200

16 күн бұрын

@@washmabi Jenny Abrahamson does. For example kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZopltpitmLu5ZsY.html . She doesn't try to mimic Kate (nobody can), and I think it works well.

Anna, you seriously need to listen to Kate's entire library of albums and songs.

Shes singing the song from the perspective of the ghost - Catherine - form the famous novel of the same name

All these years later this track still means so much to so many , makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.Love it.

you really should deep dive Kate Bush, her vocal performances and artistic direction are all so unique

that was my first lp i ever bought and is still one of the best ever...

Hi Anna, the song I mentioned in chat was Babooshka, another great song of Kate’s, also there’s Running up that hill which is very good too. Interesting fact - Wuthering Heights was done in one take! Totally unbelievable!

@annavaskelainen

22 күн бұрын

Babooshka is at the top of my Kate Bush list atm!

"Hounds Of Love" is a whole other ball game, lower in the register and some belting. Also tremendous.

a voice that comes only once in hundret years..

Man with the child in his eyes……wow……Them heavy people…..3 other early hits… then came ….Babooshka….Dreaming…Army Dreamers ….Cloudbusting….Running up that hill….Hounds of Love ….all great hits all very different.

Vocals recorded in one single take!

Kate Bush is one of a kind... I love her music very much!

I cannot wait for your reaction to Kate... I can guarantee you, that voice is going to blow your mind. Her dancing is pure performance art at its finest. Way ahead of her time.

Thank you for reviewing this Kate Bush song. The first thing to know is that this song is nearly 50 years old. You said it was creative and progressive, just think about when she did it and she was only about 17 when she wrote it. It's a song about the book of the same name and is indeed a dead woman haunting her former lover. If you liked this I highly recommend you listen to much more Kate Bush. Starting with her first album 'The Kick Inside' which this track is from.

Kate Bush was trained as a mime. She was discovered by David Gilmour (Pink Floyd). First album at 17 years. This song is based on the novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë.

I have seen a lot of really good covers of this song, but no one has even come close to selling this song like Kate Bush. I find her style of singing and over the top dance movements just brilliant.

Kate is famous for her dancing. She introduced me and probably countless others to modern dance. In fact Moving from the same LP, the Kick Inside, is dedicated to her dance teacher Lindsay Kemp

@andybricks576

12 күн бұрын

She is the reason why my Girlfriend loves to Contemporary dance!

One of the great "pop" songs. I believe this was the first UK number 1 single written by a female artist. "Don't Give Up" - with Peter Gabriel, "Running up that Hill", "Babooshka" and "Hounds of Love" are also great tracks from her.

Kate Bush is amazing. I remember beeing in London 1978. This song whent on repeat on the jukebox in the hotelbar..I just love the guitar solo in the end...played by Ian Bairnson RIP. Kiitos Anna. Cheers from a finn in Sweden.

I’m very happy you enjoyed this…most first time reactors get scared off by Wuthering Heights. If you decide to do more reactions to Kate always do the official video. She’s an angel sent down from Heaven.

I always melt when I hear this song, the all around beauty of everything about it. 😊

Great analysis to a wonderfull song. Kate is like a unicorn, a once in a generation artist, just like Aurora and Bjork are. As a suggestion for another unicorn vocalist i’d suggest Nina Hagen, her Rockpallast version of Naturtrane is amazing, as is her Rammstein cover of Seemann she did with Apocalyptica. Both are a little weird, but the good kind of weird. J

@christianmeyer6724

25 күн бұрын

Absolutely agree ! Mentioning Aurora, Björk and Nina here also fits in my opinion 👍

It takes a hell of a lot to get me to take my eyes off Kate Bush at any time ....but when you started vibing to the song ........utterly gorgeous I could watch that all day !

I only speak English. But I love it when you talk in your language. Amazing language. 😊

@annavaskelainen

22 күн бұрын

I hope you have the subtitle on when you watch my reactions then! Happy to have you as a part of the music fam! :)

@DR-uq1fr

22 күн бұрын

@@annavaskelainen Yeah, i think they come on automatically. :)

It's a gorgeous song that still sounds fresh and always captivates me, no matter how often I've heard it. A stone cold classic!

Kate was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame this past year. Unfortunately she did not perform. She hasn't in a long time and has stage freight. I went to the ceremony and hoped she'd have a change of heart, but she didn't. I would've loved to see her live, but I'm not sure the crowd would have appreciated her genius. Anyway, I loved your reaction. You really looked like you enjoyed yourself and that's all this is about.

The song is based on the Emily Brontë book of the same name. The book was also adapted to a film too. I've heard Kate was 16 when she wrote the song. It debuted on her first album when she was 19.

@cuckoofan

24 күн бұрын

"Adapted to A film"? There were so many movies and tv adaptations worldwide, even an opera. "Wuthering Heights Is probably one of the most (if not the most) adapted litterary stories. Even Bunuel did it.

I still play the album The Kick Inside which I bought in 1978 when I was 14, my granddaughter loves it😁

Moi Anna! This song is based upon the 1847 Emily Bronte novel of the same name. Heathcliffe and Cathy are characters in the novel. The song was Kate's debut single at just the age of 18 and was rightly a massive success. On the back of the success of it and the album it came from, she toured just once in 1979 but then never toured again until just a few years ago, preferring to work in the studio. However, having captured the hearts of the world, her voice, music, songwriting and videos have ensured a continuing love for her that will be evident by other comments. Also, in 1978, there was no such thing as a female that wrote and performed her own songs and music and hit the top of the charts. EVERY SINGLE successful female artist has Kate to thank for paving the way.

"This woman's work" please next, her best song, you will love it!

Hi Anna and thanks very much for this. More Kate Bush Pleeeaaz! Her breth control in "Suspended in Gaffa" is just glorious. Her vocal on 'Breathing' is stunning. But then there are literally dozens of wonderful Kate Bush songs and vocal performances. Very few people in music are really, truly worthy of the term 'Genius.' But Kate Bush is a genius.

Classic track of the 70s she is one of the all time greats

@anthonyrichardson4761

21 күн бұрын

Thanks

The most vocally & visually mesmerising "ghost" I ever saw 👍 Great reaction!

Others have explained the backstory and inspiration from Emily Bronte's novel, Wuthering Heights, s I won't repeat that. It's interesting to see a technical analysis of Kate's singing but it is important to realise that this is not entirely typical--she has a tremendous vocal and stylistic range--here the high head voice is used to suggest the ethereal nature of Cathy and her quest. I'm sure that you will go in to listen to more of Kate's work. Kate is very much a 'national treasure'; she doesn't fit neatly into any genre other than the unique slot she has carved for herself. One thing that is worth mentioning is that, pretty much from the beginning she has maintained total artistic control, not only writing and performing but also producing the tracks and even choreographing the dance (she is a student of expressive dance). She resisted the industry management to produce new work only when she wanted to, took a very long break between live performances and touring and rarely worked the 'circuit' of interviews and promotional gigs. Nevertheless, she has maintined her iconic position and remains one of our top selling artists. For a very different, and intensely emotional performance, look for her duet with Peter Gabriel, Don't Give Up; a song that many credit with saving them from the depths of depression.

Heathcliff, it's me, I'm Cathy I've come home, I'm so cold Let me in your window

Wow, finally 😁✋!

@annavaskelainen

26 күн бұрын

Yes!

Kate was 19 years old here, plus the "unusual" choreography in her music video/s for "Wuthering Heights" was to mimic the movements of Cathy, a character in the book who was, in fact, a ghost.

The first time I heard this on the radio I went and bought the album the next day. Love every track on it. The kick inside is her best work in my opinion.

"Running up that Hill", "Don't Give Up" - with Peter Gabriel, , "Babooshka" and "Hounds of Love".

I remember seeing this on early MTV and not understanding what I was seeing or hearing but it knocked my socks off.

All my life...this is my song.❤

Anneke toured for months throughout Europe in the past couple years just singing Kate Bush songs (and she’s a wonderful match for the music). Search “Anneke sings Kate Bush” and you’ll find a treasure trove of great covers.

Many years later she used the same music track and recorded a new vocal from a more mature perspective, it's fascinating to hear them back to back, both brilliant in differing ways.

@Kainlarsen

24 күн бұрын

I wish someone would react to that version. It's like the final piece of the puzzle clicking into place, as if it was a happy ending...

The song is based on the book Wuthering Heights

Kate was a great dancer/choreographer. Also ive just re read Wuthering Heights and it really does channel the feel of the book. The dark brooding of the verses and the airy joyous freedom of the chorus.

Ooh, a Kate Bush song?! This should be exciting. 🙂

Great reaction. Kate Bush is just special. I love how you picked that low note. The guitar solo at the outro is lovely.

It's interesting that you mentioned that you're getting a progressive vibe! I definitely think that Kate at times leans towards prog, and David Gilmour of Pink Floyd actually helped Kate kickstart her music career! Kate's also worked with Peter Gabriel, who apart from having a successful solo career also was the first singer of one of the most important prog rock bands of all, Genesis. All three also happen to be among my favourite musicians of all time! 😊 It should be noted that Kate's not always used this kind of high register vocals. Starting in the early 80's, she began to prioritise mid- and low range vocals. Her range is estimated to be around 4,5 octaves. Thanks for the analysis - great as always!

@annavaskelainen

22 күн бұрын

Ahhh I totally can hear the Pink Floyd connection now that you mentioned it!!!

Hi, Anna. It's always good checking out a reaction of one of favourite and respected vocal coaches. I am now 67 but back in the day while at high school, I first saw her in television. Needless to say that already then I had this idea that she was way ahead with what we now call performance art. Wuthering Heights and Babushka? were top on my list. Still today, Kate is one of the artists whose music I still like listening to. She may not be doing any opera stuff or what you expect of your regular trained singers, but it's everything else she with her voice that is capturing, and along with her visual artistry is, like you say, hypnotic...keeps you like logged in or clawed in. What a splendid reaction, Anna. I love it. ❤

@annavaskelainen

22 күн бұрын

Ahhh thank you for your kind words Gregory! Her music seems very timeless so I definitely understand why it must be easy coming back to "Wuthering Heights" for example. :)

This is going to be a unique reaction to a unique artist. ❤

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë Get the Cambridge addition for fascinating added insight. It's amazing!

Kate studied mime as well as dance under Lindsay Kemp (who also taught David Bowie), which explains the exaggerated facial expressions in many of her early videos.

legend isn’t the word👏🏻

You should get the album this is from "The Kick Inside" it's phenomenal

This song is, if I remember correctly, inspired by Kate having seen the film 'Wuthering Hights' on a late night. When the gost of Catherine (Kate) comes to haunt Heathcliff. Her video clips were always a third dimension to the song. The first two being The lyricks and the vocal representation of the story. MOst people like to want to let your attention go to the main stream hits like 'Running up that Hill', 'Babooshka' or This Woman's Work. But the best examples in my oppinion are 'Army Dreamers' (its in the eyes) and 'The Sensual World' (where its in the movement/dance). Have fun with those, even if you dont decide to react to them.

I heard this song 1979 the first time and it's one of my favorite songs since. I never get tired of listening to this.

It was sensational at the time that such a 'celtic' (or else) song had worldwide success with an extravagant interpretation by this fantastic singer. I loved that! ☺

Kate Bush is Amazing. And your English is excellent. TY😊

Woman’s work is her best

Beautiful ❤

Superclassic, very unique and the cover from Angra is beautiful too.

Last year I spent half of the year with that music stuck and no regrets… it’s the best catchy song ever 😂!! Ty again, Anna!! Another pearl!

Great reaction video. There is a live version of this on KZread from Top of the Pops back on release. Not a perfect delivery but shows her vocal style as it was back then really well. I was about 12 when it was released and it rocked my world. The whole album, The Kick Inside, is well worth a listen. The Man With The Child In His Eyes is sublime, written when she was 13.

I love your reaction! She a wonderful artist to explore.

You look like you would enjoy Kate Bush day :))

The backing band on this track, and the subsequent LP is none other than pilot. They had hits in the seventies with songs such as January and Magic.

Love your reactions, wonderful mixture of knowledge and delight....Kate Bush at 18 took on the British Pop world amidst the Zeppelins, Pink Floyds, Abba's etc an carved her own path. She is the complete deal, writer, musician, dancer, production wizard. Her videos were completly "new". Checkout This Womans Work, Running Up the Hall and Cloudbusting

Anna, The song is about Catherine Earnshaw who dies, and haunts her former beloved, Heathcliffe. He was a foundling and was taken in by Catherine's parents Mr and Mrs Earnshaw, later he is reduced to the status of a servant and runs away when he is slighted by his love when Catherine marries another man, because marrying him would be degrading due to his position being far lower than hers, he then marries another woman Isabella Linton, she loves him, but he despises her and only marries her for her fortune and to hurt Isabella's brother, Edger Linton, who Catherine Earnshaw married. As Catherine is dying she declares her for Heathcliffe to him, and says that she will be with him from beyond the grave, he slowly comes to believe this and convinces himself that Catherine is haunting him so much so he digs up her body, it's a story of obsessive love. Other Kate Bush songs which I recommend you react to are: "The Man With the Child in His Eyes", "Breathing", "Wow", "Babooshka", "Cloudbusting", "The Big Sky", "Running up That Hill (a Deal with God)", "Hounds of Love", "This Woman's Work", "The Sensual World", "Moments of Pleasure", "Don't Give up" a Duet with Peter Gabriel. There are many more but these are good ones to continue with.

Strangely, this song by Kate Bush takes me back to waiting to take the 'Magic Bus' to Istanbul.

Think the song does a good job capturing the characters Heathcliff and Cathy from the famous novel, and her voice and dancing are amazing of course.

Kate Bush...a 80`s Superstar

Kate Bush is probably one of my all-time favorite musicians, and I'm glad I stumbled onto your channel!

Thank you for your analysis and reaction to Kate's iconic debut single that she fought against her record company to release, they had an entirely different song in mind from the album called "James and the Cold Gun". However, Kate thought that "Wuthering Heights" was a true reflection of her as an artist, and she felt that she needed to make an impact. So, in the end, EMI agreed to release it as her debut single thinking that it would flop. Instead, it turned into a worldwide smash hit. It reached number 4 in Finland. The songs worldwide chart performance was only surpassed by the unbelievable record-breaking worldwide smash hit that was "Running Up That Hill" in 2022. It's interesting that you mentioned the timing in the song, Kate had been writing songs since aged 11, adding more lyrics from 13 onwards. She was self-taught on the piano as well. She never had a formal music school education, as she was never exposed to musical theory. Kate's approach to songs is to create what sounds good to herself. This means that a characteristic of her songs tends to be very unusual chord changes and coupled (in the majority of cases) with timing changes as well. In addition, the overall song structure of "Wuthering Heights" is unlike any regular song, Kate described it as circular. This meant that "Wuthering Heights" was unique, quite unlike anything else that was in the singles charts at the time. Entire podcasts have produced that go into a deep dive into the song, regarding cord changes, timing, etc. As for suggestions for other Kate Bush, it's difficult to know where to start as Kate's catalogue is full of brilliant, high-quality material, there are some fantastic album tracks that were never released as singles that showcase her vocal performance. Anyway, after "Wuthering Heights," you could consider a song that was recorded in 1975 (sung by a 16 year old Kate Bush) that ended up on her debut album "The Kick Inside" which is "The Man With The Child In His Eyes" Other singles to consider (for starters) in chronological ordrr are: 📍Wow, Babooshka, Breathing, Sat In Your Lap, Suspended In Gaffa, The Dreaming, Running Up That Hill, The Big Sky, Don't Give Up ( with Peter Gabriel), The Sensual World, This Women's Work, Love And Anger Since I mentioned that there are fantastic album tracks, here are some to consider: 📍Violin, The Wedding List The following all feature on "The Dreaming," which is Kate's most "out there" album: 📍 Pull Out The Pin, Houdini, Get Out Of My House To give you an idea of what Kate was prepared to put her voice through for her art. Now I can't finish until I mention "The Ninth Wave" which is a concept piece, a linked suite of songs that makes up the entire 2nd side of Kate's iconic "Hounds Of Love" album. So please continue with Kate Bush, I'm sure that you will find it to be a very interesting and rewarding journey. I do believe that Kate is a genius, a word that's used far too often now, but fits Kate perfectly. Kate has been described as the female "David Bowie," which is even more interesting in that they grew up close to each other, David Bowie in Bromley and Kate Bush in Bexleyheath. Finally, a comment that someone made about both of them: "David Bowie reinvents himself on every album, Kate Bush reinvents herself on every track."

I've watched you (and subscribed) for a while because I really appreciate some artists you cover. When you reacted to Yes - Roundabout and I saw how much you liked it I thought, "OK, you're pretty cool". Now you're doing Kate Bush so I'm thinking "very cool". You then compared something in the song (I think the 4/4 and 4/6 thing) to Yes so now I'm pretty sure you're awesome! Lol Thanks, you made my day!

@annavaskelainen

22 күн бұрын

Thank you so much Jerry, you are awesome too! I'm so happy to have you in my music fam!

Kate is channelling the ghostly face and wailing voice of the deceased Cathy, begging her former beloved Heathcliff to let her in his window... because "it's so cold.... here on the other side...". Wuthering Heights is a classic of English Literature, written by Emily Bronte, one of a family of wildly imaginative and talented sisters who lived in a shabby stone vicarage on the edge of the wild Yorkshire moors.... Kate, who shares a birth date with Emily, saw part of an adaptation of the novel on TV as a teenager and so the idea for the song was born...

Best cover of this was Kate herself for her greatest hits album (from memory) as she wanted to sing it more grown up.

Kate is probably the most "complete" artist ever, a universal genius! By the way, thanks for the subtitles, otherwise I would have my difficulties. Till Lindemann (Rammstein) "Mein Herz brennt" "Frühling in Paris" and much more. btw you´re beautiful

What a wonderful informed reaction and you picked up immediately how Kate was going for ethereal in the vocal choice. It would be great to see you react to another song from her with a different vocal range because she does so many things with her voice to project information and emotion. She is a truly amazing artist and deserves much more recognition and celebration. May I also say you have a rare natural beauty, the sort of girl I would have instantly fallen for when I was younger. Great job, God bless.

I have one of her albums and she is Amazing. So glad you are getting a taste of her musical genius!

Fun reaction to an interesting song, Wonderful great work, Anna.

To British music lovers, Kate Bush is more precious than the crown jewels. I'd love to see you react to more of her songs, but it's so hard to choose a shortlist because all of her music is amazing. Here are some songs of hers that demonstrate different aspects of her huge artistic versatility: The Man With The Child In His Eyes Moving The Kick Inside Under the Ivy James and the Cold Gun Lionheart Coffee Homeground Don't Push Your Foot on the Heartbrake Dreamtime Experiment IV Cloudbusting Breathing The Hounds of Love Running Up That Hill (repopularised a year or so ago after being featured in the TV series Stranger Things) The Sensual World This Woman's Work And probably at least another dozen that I've missed.

I remember Kate disappearing for about a year, then coming back with the Album Hounds of Love.

Beautiful reaction..gorgeous Anna

Yes, Kate often uses 6/4 in her songs, and I love that. She can go a bit deeper than she does in this song, she's not all head voice ;)

great song, great reaction!

TY 🙏

Thanks. See my other comment about John Farnham. I’ve linked his song You’re the Voice, another option is his cover of the Beatles - Help, which is at the same concert and is a great interpretation of their song.

@annavaskelainen

22 күн бұрын

Thank YOU for your support! 🥰

So nice reaction!

As a drummer, I count the chorus as going back and forth between 4/4 and 2/4 whenever I play it.

Really enjoy your reactions. She has so many great songs, but I'd love to hear what you'd make of Hounds Of Love.

A very young Kate .... and rule unto herself thankfully. So many great songs but always with the drama of dance and movement. This isn't my favourite but Im not a Brontes fan either. It was for her live performances that Phillips or Pye developed the light wt radio combined headset and microphone.

Kate had some moves back then. She must be off the scale now.