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.
The Disbelieving Angel
Kate Bush Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They are no help to basic needs.
And all the worlds they've shown you
Just make you even greedier.
So what about divinity?
I'm further away than before.
You're like two stars colliding,
Why should I whisper in the church?
Because they say it's sacred ground?
Oh, my sacrilege would do you good.
You see, there's nothing here, I've found.
I feel so sorry for you,
Believing because they control.
And of all the guardian angels
They chose me to save your soul!
Oh, I'm just trying to explain,
I'm a disbelieving angel
Kate Bush's The Disbelieving Angel is a song that offers a sharp critique of organized religion and blind faith. The lyrics suggest that prayers and teachings offered by religion have fallen short of addressing basic needs. The choir in the song offers a contrast between the mundane realities of life, which people have to face, and the worlds that religion promises, which only make us more greedy. The line “So what about divinity? I’m further away than before” seems to point out the lack of evidence that religion provides on the existence of God or any supernatural entity.
The second verse deals more with the singer's struggles with their own identity as an angel. They are unable to offer any guidance or hope to people who believe in their divinity. Instead, they see themselves as two stars colliding, hurtling towards infinity, suggesting that they too are helpless in the face of life's many challenges.
The third verse feels like an outright rebellion against the church's authority. The singer questions the idea of sacred ground and the need for secrecy. They declare their own blasphemy to be healing and open, contrasted against the church's covert and closed nature.
The lyrics highlight the struggles and failings of religion in society, raising questions about the power of religious organizations and their authority over believers.
Line by Line Meaning
So much for all the prayers you've learned.
The prayers you've learned are of no use when it comes to addressing basic needs.
They are no help to basic needs.
Prayers are not practical solutions to basic needs.
And all the worlds they've shown you.
All the worlds they have shown you have resulted in greater greed.
Just make you even greedier.
The worlds that you have been shown have spurred you to become even more greedy.
So what about divinity?
What about divinity?
I'm further away than before.
I am even further away from the idea of divinity than I was before.
You're like two stars colliding,
You are like two stars colliding,
And you're never going to hit the floor.
but you're never going to come crashing back down to reality.
Why should I whisper in the church?
Why should I speak softly in a church?
Because they say it's sacred ground?
Is it because they say the ground is sacred?
Oh, my sacrilege would do you good.
My irreverence would be beneficial for you.
You see, there's nothing here, I've found.
You see, I've found nothing here.
I feel so sorry for you,
I am so sorry for you,
Believing because they control.
Believing because they exert control.
And of all the guardian angels
Of all the guardian angels,
They chose me to save your soul!
I was chosen to save your soul!
Oh, I'm just trying to explain,
I am simply attempting to clarify
I'm a disbelieving angel
that I am an angel who does not believe.
Contributed by David B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
TheQuietEye
Dear God! Hundreds of demos of this quality? This woman is superhuman.
MagicPants
It's incredible how naturally high her voice was when she was this age. 0:57 isn't a very low note at all and it sounds like she's just barely getting it out.
Luke Bristol
another gem
LaLaVox
This is my favorite of Kate's early demos! It's nice to see it here. :)
Nellie S
So beautiful. Her lyrics is always amazing but to me her demos have some of her best lyrics!
Cynthia Hahn
Why should I whisper in the church? / Because they say it's sacred ground? / Oh, my sacrilege would do you good. / You see, there's nothing here, I've found. / I feel so sorry for you, / Believing because they control. And of all the guardian angels / They chose me to save your soul! / Oh, I'm just trying to explain, / I'm a disbelieving angel
Tess
I could imagine this song being a solo number in a west end show along the lines of Evita.
Rea Nolan
Kind of a forerunner to Waking The Witch, in which a girl seeks refuge in a church - the place where the monster corners her. Thank you for posting.
Cynthia Hahn
So much for all the prayers you've learned./ They are no help to basic needs. / And all the worlds they've shown you / Just make you even greedier. So what about divinity? / I'm further away than before. / You're like two stars colliding, / And you're never going to hit the floor.
lunah lulah
god, these are incredible lyrics for a what, 15 year old?