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The Sensual World (song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = The Sensual World
| cover = Kate Bush - The Sensual World.png
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Kate Bush
| album = The Sensual World
| B-side =
* "Walk Straight Down the Middle"
* "The Sensual World" (instrumental)
| released =
| recorded = 19871989
| studio =
| genre = Art rock
| length = 3:57
| label = EMI
| writer = Kate Bush
| producer = Kate Bush
| prev_title = Experiment IV
| prev_year = 1986
| next_title = This Woman's Work
| next_year = 1989
| misc =
}}
"'The Sensual World'" is a song by the English singer Kate Bush. It was the title track and first single from her album of the same name, released in September 1989. The single entered and peaked at No. 12 on the UK Single Chart. It was later re-recorded using only words taken from Molly Bloom's soliloquy from James Joyce's 1922 novel 'Ulysses', as Bush had originally intended whilst recording 'The Sensual World' album. This version, re-titled "'Flower of the Mountain'", appears on the 2011 album 'Director's Cut'.
The B-side to the original single was "Walk Straight Down the Middle", a bonus track on the CD and cassette editions of 'The Sensual World' album. The 12-inch vinyl release of the single had a double-grooved A-side so that either the song or an instrumental version of the song would be played depending on where the needle was placed.
Writing and inspiration
The song is inspired by Molly Bloom stepping out of the black and white, two-dimensional pages of James Joyce's 'Ulysses' into the real world, and is immediately struck by the sensuality of it all. It was originally supposed to be Molly Bloom's speech (from the end of 'Ulysses') set to music, but Bush could not secure the rights from the Joyce estate, so she altered it. In 2011, the Joyce estate granted license to the material, and Bush rerecorded the song as "Flower of the Mountain", released on 2011's 'Director's Cut'.
Musically, one of the main hooks in the chorus of "The Sensual World" was inspired by a traditional Macedonian piece of music called "Antice, Danam, Duice". As in the traditional version, the melody is played on bagpipes, in this case uilleann pipes played by Irish musician Davy Spillane.
Music video
The video, which features Bush dancing through an enchanted forest in a medieval dress, was co-directed by 'The Comic Strip' co-creator Peter Richardson and Bush herself.
Use in film
The song, particularly the chorus section, features prominently several times in Atom Egoyan's film 'Felicia's Journey', highlighting the main character's sense of isolation and loss as she leaves Ireland and her estranged father for England.
Track listings
All songs were written by Kate Bush.
Personnel
*Kate Bush vocals, keyboards
*Paddy Bush whip '(swished fishing rod)'
*Del Palmer bass guitar, Fairlight CMI percussion
*Charlie Morgan drums
*Dnal Lunny bouzouki
*John Sheahan fiddle
*Davy Spillane uilleann pipes
Charts
References
Category:1989 singles
Category:1989 songs
Category:EMI Records singles
Category:Kate Bush songs
Category:Music relating to James Joyce
Category:Songs written by Kate Bush
Category:Ulysses (novel)
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