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.
Constellation of the Heart
Kate Bush Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we turn them inside out
And we point them away from the big sky
Put your eye right up to the glass, now
And here we'll find the constellation of the heart
Steer your life by these stars
On the unconditional chance
This is the constellation of the heart
We take all the telescopes
And we turn them inside out
And we point them away from the big sky
Put your eye right up to the glass, now
And here we'll find the constellation of the heart
The constellation of the heart
The constellation of the heart
We take all the telescopes
And we turn them inside out
And we point them away from the big sky
Put your eye right up to the glass, now
And here we'll find the constellation of the heart
The constellation of the heart
The constellation of the heart
Well we think you'd better wake up capt'n
There's something happen'n up ahead
We've never seen anything like it
We've never seen anything like it before
I want a full report
That's it
What do you mean, "that's it?"
That's all you get
You'd better do something 'bout it
What am I supposed to do about it?
We don't know, but you can't run away from it
Maybe you'd better face it
I can't do that
C'mon face it
I can't do that
C'mon face it
What am I gonna do?
Is it gonna hurt, is it gonna hurt me bad?
Oh here's the constellation of the heart
Who said anything about it hurting
It's gonna be beautiful
It's gonna be wonderful
It's gonna be paradise
(Just being alive, it can really hurt)
Ooh find me the man with the ladder
And he might lift me up to the stars
(Without the pain there'd be no learning
Without the hurting we'd never change.)
Ooh and if you see the woman with the key
I hear she's opening up the doors to Heaven
Oh and here comes the man with the stick
He said he'd fish me out the moon
Ooh here's the constellation of the heart
It is the constellation of the heart
Oh yes it is the constellation of the heart
In Kate Bush's song Constellation of the Heart, she uses the metaphor of telescopes and constellations to describe the journey of the heart. They turn the telescopes inside out and point them away from the big sky, symbolizing a shift in perspective to focus on the inner self. When one puts their eye to the glass, they discover the constellation of the heart.
The constellation of the heart is where one can steer their life by the stars, not the stars in the sky but the stars in their heart, where Hell and Heaven dance together. It's a place of unconditional love and acceptance, a place where one can find their true self. Bush urges the captain of the ship to face his fears and go towards the unknown, where he can discover beauty, wonder, and paradise.
The lyrics are an inspiring call to discover oneself, to trust the journey of the heart despite the unknown consequences. With Bush's emotional vocals, one can feel the urgency and hope to find the constellation of the heart.
Line by Line Meaning
We take all the telescopes
We examine every possibility
And we turn them inside out
We explore them in-depth
And we point them away from the big sky
And we look closer to home
Put your eye right up to the glass, now
Pay close attention
And here we'll find the constellation of the heart
And we'll discover what really matters
Steer your life by these stars
Let these things guide you
On the unconditional chance
On the inherent risk
'Tis here where Hell and Heaven dance
It's in the midst of life's trials and pleasures
The constellation of the heart
Love and emotion
Well we think you'd better wake up capt'n
We think you need a reality check
There's something happen'n up ahead
There's something coming
We've never seen anything like it
It's unprecedented
What do you mean, "that's it?"
Don't give up
You'd better do something 'bout it
Take action
What am I supposed to do about it?
I don't know what to do
Maybe you'd better face it
Confront it
What am I gonna do?
I don't know what to do
Is it gonna hurt, is it gonna hurt me bad?
Will it be painful?
Oh here's the constellation of the heart
Here's the answer
Who said anything about it hurting
It's not necessarily going to hurt
It's gonna be beautiful
It's going to be amazing
It's gonna be wonderful
It's going to be fantastic
It's gonna be paradise
It's going to be perfect
Ooh find me the man with the ladder
Help me rise above
And he might lift me up to the stars
And find something even greater
Ooh and if you see the woman with the key
And if there is someone who holds the key
I hear she's opening up the doors to Heaven
She can bring us closer to perfection
Oh and here comes the man with the stick
New opportunities arise
He said he'd fish me out the moon
The impossible becomes possible
It is the constellation of the heart
It's all about love and emotion
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KATE BUSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind