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 Handsome Cabin Boy
Kate Bush Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As you may understand
Her mind being bent for rambling
Unto some foreign land
She dressed herself in sailor's clothes
Or so it does appear
And she hired with a captain
To serve him for a year
And her hair rolled in a curl
The sailors often smiled and said
He looked just like a girl
But eating of the captain's biscuit
Her colour did destroy
And the waist did swell of pretty Nell
The handsome cabin boy
'Twas in the bay of Biscay
Our gallant ship did plow
One night among the sailors
Was a fearful flurry and row.
They tumbled from their hammocks
For their sleep it did destroy
And they sworn about the groaning
Of the handsome cabin boy
"Oh doctor, dear, oh doctor,"
The cabin boy did cry
"My time has come, I am undone
And I will surely die."
The doctor come a-runnin'
And a-smilin' at the fun
To think a sailor lad should have
A daughter or a son
The sailors when they saw the joke
They all did stand and stare
The child belonged to none of them
They solemnly did swear
The captain's wife, she says to him
"My dear, I wish you joy
For 'tis either you or me's betrayed
The handsome cabin boy!"
The Handsome Cabin Boy tells a story of a woman who disguises herself as a man to join a ship and sail to a foreign land, but ends up getting pregnant. The lyrics describe how the woman, Nell, dressed in sailor's clothes and hired to serve a captain for a year. Even though the sailors noticed her girlish features, they were amused by her presence onboard. Eventually, Nell's health began to decline after eating the ship's biscuit, and her waist swelled due to the pregnancy, revealing her identity.
In the second verse, the ship is crossing the Bay of Biscay and a commotion arises among the sailors, who have just discovered Nell's condition. They dragged themselves from their hammocks and shared jokes about the cabin boy's misfortune. Nell cries out for the doctor as it seems that the baby is about to be born, and the doctor comes just in time. The sailors, upon seeing the baby, swear that it does not belong to any of them. The captain's wife suspects that her husband might have had an affair with Nell, resulting in the baby's birth.
Line by Line Meaning
Tis of a pretty female
The story is about a young and attractive woman
As you may understand
An introduction to the plot
Her mind being bent for rambling
She had a desire to travel
Unto some foreign land
To a different country
She dressed herself in sailor's clothes
To blend in on the ship
Or so it does appear
It's not entirely clear
And she hired with a captain
She joined the crew
To serve him for a year
For a set period of time
Her cheeks - they were like roses
She had rosy cheeks
And her hair rolled in a curl
Her hair was curly
The sailors often smiled and said
The crew remarked
He looked just like a girl
She appeared feminine
But eating of the captain's biscuit
Eating the captain's food
Her colour did destroy
It made her ill
And the waist did swell of pretty Nell
Her belly grew
The handsome cabin boy
Refers to the young woman disguised as a man
Twas in the bay of Biscay
The location of the ship
Our gallant ship did plow
The journey of the ship
One night among the sailors
A specific event onboard
Was a fearful flurry and row.
A commotion and disturbance occurred
They tumbled from their hammocks
The sailors fell from their sleeping quarters
For their sleep it did destroy
The commotion disrupted their rest
And they sworn about the groaning
They complained about the noise
Of the handsome cabin boy
The young woman disguised as a man made a noise
Oh doctor, dear, oh doctor,
The young woman needed medical attention
The cabin boy did cry
She cried in pain
My time has come, I am undone
She believed she was dying
And I will surely die.
She thought she was going to pass away
The doctor come a-runnin'
The medical professional rushed over
And a-smilin' at the fun
The doctor found the situation amusing
To think a sailor lad should have
It was surprising to see a young woman disguised as a man
A daughter or a son
The disguised woman was having a baby
The sailors when they saw the joke
The crew realized what had happened
They all did stand and stare
They were in shock
The child belonged to none of them
None of the sailors were the father
They solemnly did swear
They made a solemn promise
The captain's wife, she says to him
The captain's wife spoke to him
My dear, I wish you joy
Congratulations on the birth of the baby
For 'tis either you or me's betrayed
Someone onboard had broken their trust
The handsome cabin boy!
Referring again to the young woman disguised as a man
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KATE BUSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stephen Jeter
This song is beautiful.
Caledonian
Haunting and fantastic; I have the vinyl somewhere ! Thanks for posting.
Eloísa García
Kate is a fairy!!! My fairy queen!!! I love you so much, Kate!!!
Mike Peckett
A great traditional song with a few parts missing, but a good version all the same. This was also done by the Irish trio Sweeneys Men in the 60s, and sung by the great Johnny Moynihan.
AugustusLarch
Ewan McColl is old time. Kate Rusby is the only English traditional singer that I can handle, and not for very long. Kate Bush is the closest thing to a divine creature that this world can offer. Consider that.
Jerry Hayes
She has so many layers, like an onion. Peel away one layer, a surprising one surfaces. A different texture, fresh and new. And she can make me cry; there's that, too.
Reese Morgan
Sandy Denny is the greatest traditional English singer - though she is of Scottish descent. I have spoken! p.s. you're right about Kate Bush's (near) divinity.
Penzanceman
I adore Kate. She has left out a verse or two but I don't care. This is an amazing song.
WalkingBlues
I can't believe I didn't listen to this before.
Paul Clark
Last verse, which wraps it nicely, with a very funny line at the end... So each man took his drop of rum and he drunk success to trade, And likewise to the cabin boy who was neither man nor maid. It's hoping the wars don't rise again, us sailors to destroy, And here's hoping for a jolly lot more like the handsome cabin boy.