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 Painter's Link
Kate Bush Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What has become of my painting
All the colors are running
So all the colors run
So all the colors run
See what they've become
A wonderful sunset
Kate Bush's song The Painter's Link is a melancholic and introspective representation of the creative process of an artist. The opening lines, "It's raining, what has become of my painting, all the colors are running," imply a sense of disappointment and despair. The artist's work has been affected by circumstances beyond their control, a metaphor for life's unpredictable nature. Bush beautifully encapsulates the idea that as we go through life, we create something beautiful, only to watch it be eroded by time and external forces, and we are powerless to do anything about it.
The repeated lines "So all the colors run, see what they've become, a wonderful sunset" convey a sense of hope amid despair. A sunset is often viewed as a metaphorical representation of the end of something, which is what Bush implies in this song. As the painting is ruined by the rain, the colors run and merge, creating a new landscape. This gives the artist a new perspective on their creation and an appreciation for the beauty that emerges amidst destruction. Ultimately, the song is a reflection on the impermanence of everything, from art to life, and an acknowledgment that despite this, beauty can still flourish.
Line by Line Meaning
It's raining
The weather is currently rainy
What has become of my painting
What happened to my painting, what state is it currently in
All the colors are running
All the colors in the painting are bleeding or mixing together due to the rain
So all the colors run
The colors are running together, creating a new image
See what they've become
Observe the new image formed by the running colors
A wonderful sunset
The new image formed by the running colors resembles a beautiful sunset
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KATE BUSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind