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.
You Want Alchemy
Kate Bush Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a cloudbusting kind of day.
We took our own 'Mystery Tour'
And got completely lost somewhere up in the hills.
And we came up on a bee-keeper,
And he said "Did you know they can change it all?"
They turn the roses into gold
They turn the lilac into honey
They're making love for the peaches.
And we're thinking,
"Who is this guy?"
"Is he some kind of nut or what?".
He said, "I don't meet many people..",
"I'm very busy with the hives.".
ZzzzZzzzz.. Sun's gone down..
"When's my cloud of bees coming home?".
They got alchemy.
They turn the roses into gold
They turn the lilac into honey
They're making love for the peaches.
And they'll do it,
Do it for you.
They'll do it,
Do it for you.
"And if you see them, send 'em right on home to me"
(what they gonna do...?)
They got Aaaaaaaa..
Turn the roses into gold.
And they'll do it for you
Do it for you (what they gonna do...?)
I'll tell Yaaaaaa...
Making love for the peaches. (what they gonna do...?)
Daaaaaamaaaaakiiiiindaaaaa honey.
(they do it for you)
They do it for you.
And why not...?
They bring me so much pleasure.
The song "You Want Alchemy" by Kate Bush is about a chance encounter with a beekeeper in the hills. The singer is out for a drive with a companion on a "cloudbusting kind of day." They come upon a beekeeper who is preoccupied with his bees. The beekeeper marvels at the alchemy of the bees, and he tells the singer and her companion that the bees can "turn the roses into gold" and "turn the lilac into honey." The beekeeper seems a bit of an odd character, and the singer and her companion are unsure what to make of him. But the beekeeper makes a lasting impression on them as they drive away, and they can't help but think about the alchemy of the bees.
The song is full of symbolism and metaphor. The bees represent the power of nature to transform things. The beekeeper, in turn, represents a kind of wisdom that comes from living close to nature. His preoccupation with the bees suggests that he is more in tune with nature than the average person. He marvels at the alchemy of the bees, and he seems to be suggesting that there is something magical about nature that we don't fully understand. The song invites us to appreciate the beauty and mystery of the natural world and to be open to the possibility of transformation.
Line by Line Meaning
What a lovely afternoon
The singer had a great afternoon
On a cloudbusting kind of day.
The day was beautiful with clouds in the sky
We took our own 'Mystery Tour'
The singer went on a tour without any specific destination
And got completely lost somewhere up in the hills.
The artist and others lost their way while in the hills
And we came up on a bee-keeper,
They met a person who keeps bees
And he said "Did you know they can change it all?"
The beekeeper said that bees can do alchemy
You want alchemy.
The singer is interested in alchemy
They turn the roses into gold
Bees can turn roses into gold with their alchemy
They turn the lilac into honey
Bees can turn lilacs into honey with their alchemy
They're making love for the peaches.
Bees are doing something similar to making love with peaches.
And we're thinking,
The singer and others were wondering;
"Who is this guy?"
They were wondering who the beekeeper was.
"Is he some kind of nut or what?."
They were wondering if the beekeeper was crazy or not.
He said, "I don't meet many people..",
The beekeeper said that he doesn't meet many people
"I'm very busy with the hives.".
The beekeeper said he was busy with the beehives
ZzzzZzzzz.. Sun's gone down..
It became dark and everything was quiet
"When's my cloud of bees coming home?".
The beekeeper was expecting the bees to return
They got alchemy.
Bees have the ability to perform alchemy
They'll do it,
Bees will do it
Do it for you.
Bees can do alchemy for you
"And if you see them, send 'em right on home to me"
If someone sees the bees, they should be sent back to the beekeeper
(what they gonna do...?)
Unknown, the artist is contemplating
They got Aaaaaaaa..
Bees have something
Turn the roses into gold.
Bees can turn roses into gold
And they'll do it for you
Bees can do it for you
Do it for you (what they gonna do...?)
Unknown, the singer is still thinking
I'll tell Yaaaaaa...
The singer will tell you something
Making love for the peaches. (what they gonna do...?)
Unknown, the artist is thinking
Daaaaaamaaaaakiiiiindaaaaa honey.
Bees can turn honey into something
(they do it for you)
Bees can turn something into something else for you
They do it for you.
Bees can do it for you
And why not...?
It's an easy thing to do
They bring me so much pleasure.
Bees bring the beekeeper a lot of pleasure
Contributed by Aaliyah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Victoria Racz
This is brilliant, Mr. Marrs! Would you be interested if an artist ever contacted you to create a video for them?...
pasho12now
thank you deeply mr. Marrs and Kate Bush for the alchemy in your videos... on the screen and within this heart of mine... I love bees sooooo much... much love and gratitude you both
KateBush4Ever
It was a song I didn't especially like before but after 100 listening, now it's one of my favourites. ♥️
Mark
I'd never heard this song until last night. What a pleasure!
Butch Davis
I haven't been moved by kate since the early 80's. Somehow I got away from this vibe. Tonight I lay here in tears listening to this for the first time. 🐝
Ruth Cole
I really hope Kate gets to see these. Excellent work.
Leora LaGraffe
Love this song, love the fan video. Brilliant all around, kudos.
rme2121
beautiful, thank you!!! A golden feeling of love shines in this video.
ewa maria
I💖 it!
Bravo from Częstochowa Poland.
KateBush4Ever
Bravo from Opole, Poland 😉