50 Words For Kate: #15 - Pleasure

In early 1993 Kate Bush fans were getting twitchy, with rumours circulating that a new album was imminent. Now "imminent" in Kate-land means "anytime in the next five years", but still we began to get excited. It had been four years since The Sensual World, but we'd had a box set and Rocket Man to keep us going in the meantime. Plus we knew Kate albums arrived in the autumn, so no need to panic just yet...

Then in June we got word that Kate was going to be on TV, back to chat with her old pal Michael Aspel on his popular ITV chat show. How odd we thought, as no release dates for a single or the album had yet been set. So on that Sunday night we settled down in front of the telly, both the living room and the bedroom VCRs set to record, just in case, and waited for Kate.

It all seemed too good to be true, as along with Kate the guests were Victoria Wood and Lenny Henry. I had to check several times I was not asleep, dreaming all this. Victoria was on first, then Kate, looking happy and relaxed. Of course Kate was asked all the usual questions, but she handled it well, with a little help from Victoria...

At the end of the show it was time for Kate to sing. It is always a heartstopping moment when I get to hear a new Kate song, but nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to hear...

Moments Of Pleasure is without doubt one of Kate's greatest songs. Musically it is mainly one repeating theme that works on you like an enchantment. The lyrics are reminiscences mixed with remembrances and it holds you on the brink of melancholy before grabbing you back into a warm hug. The song's purpose slowly becomes apparent. It is a homage to those she has loved and lost - Alan Murphy, Gary Hurst, Bill Duffield and, most recently, her mother, Hannah. To say I was a weeping mess by the end of it is an understatement.

So Kate was back once more and, as always, she had brought us something truly special. Now we only had a few short months to wait for the promised album... something about shoes...



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