Lake Tahoe
Kate Bush Lyrics

Lake Tahoe.
The name of the location being referred to.

Cold mountain water. Don't ever swim there.
The water in Lake Tahoe is cold due to its high elevation, and it is advised not to swim in it.

Just stand on the edge and look in there.
It is safer to stay at the edge of the lake and admire it from there.

And you might see a woman down there.
There have been reports of a woman's apparition in the lake, possibly due to legends or myths.

They say some days, up she comes, up she rises, as if out of nowhere.
There have been claims of sightings of the woman, suggesting that she emerges from the lake on random days.

Wearing Victorian dress.
She is reported to appear in olden-day clothing, particularly from the Victorian era, possibly indicating that she's from that period.

She was calling her pet, 'Snowflake! Snowflake!'
The woman seems to be calling her dog by name, which suggests that she is still searching for it.

Tumbling like a cloud that has drowned in the lake.
The woman is seen flailing in the water like she's drowning, indicating that maybe she meets her end in the water.

Just like a poor, porcelain doll...
She looks lifeless like a puppet or doll, suggesting she's deceased and might have died tragically.

Her eyes are open but no-one's home.
The woman appears as if she's in a trance or still has her eyes open even in death.

The clock has stopped.
This line symbolizes that her time has stopped, and she cannot move on to the afterlife.

So long she's gone.
The woman has been gone for quite a long time, indicating that this haunting has been going on for years.

No-one's home.
Emphasizing that she is a lost spirit with no place to go.

Her old dog is sleeping.
Referring back to the dog she was calling, but in its natural state of sleeping.

His legs are frail now.
The dog is old and weak, just like how the woman would have been if she was still alive.

But when he dreams,
The dog still has pleasant dreams, perhaps containing memories of when they were together.

He runs...
The dog runs in a dream, indicating that he is happy and healthy in this state.

Along long beaches and sticky fields.
The dog is running through various landscapes and enjoying himself in his dreams.

Through the Spooky Wood looking for her.
The dog is searching for his owner, who might still be lost and wandering in the woods.

The beds are made. The table is laid.
These lines indicate that someone is taking care of the house and making it look presentable.

The door is open - someone is calling: It's a woman.
Someone is calling out, but not the woman who is lost. Perhaps she is at peace, and another family has taken over her home.

"Here boy, here boy! You've come home!
An unknown woman is happy to see a new dog and welcomes it into the house.

I've got an old bone and a biscuit and so much love.
The woman is showering the new dog with gifts and affection, indicating that the dog is a valuable addition to the house.

Miss me? Did you miss me?
The woman is enthusiastic and wants to make sure the new dog is happy to be there.

Here's the kitchen - There's your basket.
The woman is giving a little tour of the house to the dog so he can get familiar with his surroundings.

Here's the hall - That's where you wait for me.
The dog is being given the rules of the house and being told where to wait for his owner to come home.

Here's the bedroom - You're not allowed in there.
The woman is setting boundaries for the dog, indicating where he is and isn't allowed to go.

Here's my lap - That's where you lay your head.
This line is inviting the dog for a cuddle and some love from the woman to show that he is now part of the family.

Here boy, oh you're a good boy.
The woman is happy to have found the dog and is full of compliments of how well behaved he is.

You've come home.
The dog is safe and sound and given a new family to live out the rest of his life.