February 02, 2007

Another Day (1979) video by Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel

Writing about web page http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKknfE4wGmM

I think this is something really special. Discovered recently on YouTube, a special performance by Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel of the song by Roy Harper, with a powerful undercurrent of emotional tension. I was only 8 when this was recorded. I have a vague childhood memory of Kate Bush being quite scary. Which I think was probably true, despite the vegetarianism (cue Hitler reference). She is now, of course, entirely child friendly.

Note the use of a pre-recorded video on the screen behind the kitchen table. Quite an innovation in 1979. It mirrors the live performance, but with subtle differences – they are for example wearing smart clothes in the video. This gives the sense of the domestic reality being doubled somehow. Is that doubling the past? The future? Memory? Fantasy? Reality? Whose reality? Whose fantasy?

And then there’s the line in the song, sung by the male character, about the female character being entombed and inaccessible. Metaphor? It’s such a dark and powerful lyric. Very Kate Bush.


Robert O'Toole : 02 Feb 2007 12:49 |  Tags:     |  Comments (1) |  Report a problem

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  1. Anthony

    Kate Bush – what a genius. Love her. Watching this, I for some reason began thinking that she would probably have made an excellent stage actress… I don’t particularly know what makes me think that. Anyway, enjoyable video. Thanks.

    03 Feb 2007, 13:16

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