FEATURE:
But Love's Alright Too, It's Just, Everything I Do…
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in a photo around the time of The Sensual World (1989)/PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush
Kate Bush: The Singles Collection
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I have speculated whether…
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in a The Red Shoes-era publicity photo in 1993. This is the dress she wears in the Eat the Music portion of the short film, The Line, the Cross and the Curve
we would ever see another Kate Bush greatest hits album. The 1986 album, The Whole Story, is really the only one we have. There is This Woman's Work Anthology 1978-1990. That is Kate Bush’s albums from 1978 and, I guess, it can be seen as a greatest hits selection. Apart from that, there has not been an awful lot. The Single File 1978-1983 is a box-set released in 1984, containing all of Kate Bush's 7" singles from Wuthering Heights (1978) to There Goes a Tenner (1982). I do not feel there was much of a demand or call from EMI after The Whole Story in 1986. That was released as a reaction to the success of 1985’s Hounds of Love. Bush’s albums did well after that point…but would the public have wanted another greatest hits albums after The Red Shoes in 1993? I still think there is a market and definitely place for a more extensive compilation that collates her very best tracks. What I think would be even cooler is something similar to what The Beatles did with The Singles Collection. That was released in 2019, and it is their singles with each one featuring a cool cover from different countries. A huge box containing forty-six songs, it is a real must for every Beatles fan! Bush has put out box-sets through the years. The Singles File 1978-1983 celebrated her early career, whilst the 1990 compilation misses out on the last few decades.
Remastered Part I and II joins together her albums; the second of the two also includes rarer tracks and her Before the Dawn residency live album. I guess, as they were put out in 2018, that is quite a lot of goodness for Kate Bush fans! As four years have passed, I have seen how her popularity and adoration has increased. There is definitely a lot of love out there for her. I would love to see a box-set like The Beatles one, where we get everything from Wuthering Heights (1978) to Running Up That Hill (2012 Remix). We could also include the live version of And Dream of Sheep for 2014’s Before the Dawn, in addition to the duet with Peter Gabriel, Don’t Give Up. Each single would be given their own 7”, with artwork corresponding to a different nation. There are some seriously good covers of her singles, so having it together in a great set would be something to treasure. Some might say that it would be a lot of money for such a selection. With around thirty-five songs in the box, it would not be as pricey as The Beatles’ one. Instead, it would be something that could hook in new fans – and it would be one for the collection for existing fans! Given the comparative lack of retrospection and archiving when it comes to Kate Bush releases, this would be something that could not be balked at. I am not sure whether Bush is going to release another album in her career. Let’s hope that she does!
Kate Bush: The Singles Collection could come out later this year – if there was such an intuitive –, as The Dreaming turns forty in September. It would be good to follow that anniversary with a box-set that shows how varied and incredible her singles are. It could also include a B-side on each single. That would provide amazing value if, say, the box-set was priced at under £100. Beautifully packaged with a booklet or linear notes that discuss her singles through the years and give us some photos and quotes; this cornucopia for Kate Bush fans would be a real treasure trove! I am not sure what Bush would say on the matter but, if it was released through her Fish People label, she could oversee everything and remaster the tracks if she wants. Maybe she would want to put out new material before anything that relates to her old work, but there is constant call for more when it comes to the singles, greatest hits and anything like that. I really think something will come from her this year, whether it is new material or something else. I have been thinking about Kate Bush’s singles and how many of them deserve new acclaim and attention. Having a box-set like Kate Bush: The Singles Collection would afford that opportunity. A timely reminder of why Bush is so loved and is such a genius, a lovely box-set of all of her singles would be…
SOMETHING to pass through the generations.