Bush began writing songs at 11. She was signed to EMI Records after Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour helped produce a demo tape. Her debut album, The Kick Inside, was released in 1978. Bush slowly gained artistic independence in album production and has produced all her studio albums since The Dreaming (1982). She took a hiatus between her seventh and eighth albums, The Red Shoes (1993) and Aerial (2005). Bush drew attention again in 2014 with her concert residency Before the Dawn, her first show since 1979's The Tour of Life.
The TV series "Stranger Things" used Bush's "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" in Season 4. As a result of the resurgence of interest, in 2022 the song reached #1 on the UK charts, 37 years after its initial release, and generated 100s of millions of streams.
Bush's eclectic and experimental musical style, unconventional lyrics, performances, and literary themes have influenced a diverse range of artists. She has been nominated for 13 British Phonographic Industry accolades, winning for Best British Female Artist in 1987, and has been nominated for three Grammy Awards. In 2002, Bush was recognized with an Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. Bush was appointed a CBE in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to music. She was nominated three times for induction in the 2018, 2021, and 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Bertie
Kate Bush Lyrics
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Here comes that son of mine
Here comes the everything
Here's a song and a song for him
Sweet kisses
Three wishes
Lovely bertie
The most willful
The most beautiful
The most truly fantastic smile
I've ever seen
Sweet kisses
Three wishes
Lovely bertie
You bring me so much joy
And then you bring me
More joy
This song is a love letter to Kate Bush's son, Albert ("Bertie"). As the opening lines suggest, Bertie brings sunshine and everything into Kate's life. She sings about his smile being the most beautiful and fantastic she has ever seen, which is not a surprising sentiment as parents often see their children as the embodiment of everything good in the world. Kate uses the term "willful," which can often have negative connotations, but in this context seems to refer to Bertie's strong and independent spirit, which she seems to admire.
Throughout the song, Kate gives Bertie "sweet kisses" and three wishes, perhaps invoking classic fairy tale imagery. The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the genuine affection Kate has for her son. The song's melody is simple and cheerful, much like a lullaby or nursery rhyme, making it clear that this is a song of devotion for a beloved child.
Line by Line Meaning
Here comes the sunshine
The arrival of brightness and positivity
Here comes that son of mine
My child is approaching
Here comes the everything
With my child's arrival, everything is complete and perfect
Here's a song and a song for him
I have dedicated a special song for my child
Sweet kisses
Loving gestures of affection
Three wishes
Three hopes for my child's future
Lovely bertie
Endearing nickname given to the child
The most willful
My child is determined and strong-willed
The most beautiful
My child is stunningly attractive
The most truly fantastic smile
My child's smile is a source of pure elation
Sweet kisses
More loving gestures of affection
Three wishes
I still have three hopes for my child's future
Lovely bertie
My child is still endearingly lovely
You bring me so much joy
My child is a constant source of happiness for me
And then you bring me
In addition to the previous joy
More joy
Even more happiness and positivity because of my child
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KATE BUSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind