DO DO DO DOGGING

Kate Bush - Hounds Of Love

For years, I thought Kate Bush was just that crazy woman who wore a white dress, danced like a nutter and sang in an…interesting…voice. Though, I’m sure I wasn’t alone in my initial impressions of this singer. Then she became the woman who originally sang ‘Hounds of Love’, when The Futureheads did a cracking cover of it, when I was about 16. I have very fond memories of singing along to it with a load of friends at a house party back then. Eventually, more than just ‘Wuthering Heights’ found its way onto my iTunes (probably down to the fact that some of my favourite musicians like Patrick Wolf and Placebo had covered some songs) and I started to listen to her properly.

‘Hounds of Love’ took a while to win me over. I found Kate’s use of ‘do do do’ where The Futureheads had filled same parts of the song with such body by using multiple vocalists, somewhat lacklustre. It felt like half a song for a while because only one person was making it. However, one day I think Kate’s version came on and with my speakers up loud, I finally grasped a huge level of appreciation for the song and her as an artist. I would certainly suggest that ‘Hounds of Love’ works better with a louder volume: it seems to give this song in particular much more power.

The tribal-like drumming and the lyrics started to jump out at me. With The Futureheads version it had been much more about the song being performed by a whole band and the clever vocal arrangements, creating optimum opportunity for sing-alongs. Whereas the words in her version created lots of interesting imagery in my head and I felt compelled to go out and take photos when hearing the song. But also, it reminded me of photographs that I had already taken. Her mention of tress, the darkness, water and the story of her fear about being followed really struck me and felt relative to my artwork.  I almost see it as a musical version of what my pictures often concern.

As someone who is constantly anxious in life and forever having nightmares about being chased, when I turn this song up loud, I feel like I can face things a bit more. I’m a Morrissey fan and sort of see her in the same light as I do him: feeling a similar kind of connection to them both. They seem to emphasise the individual and represent vulnerability. Perhaps she’s a little more surreal but I see them as equally mysterious and intelligent.

‘Hounds of Love’ just feels incredibly liberating to me. I think everyone has a song like that: a song that makes them feel like they are capable and can take things head on. It’s powerful and beautiful and has made my glass a little less ‘half empty’.

Meagan Molloy

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Meagan-Molloy-Photo-Artist/161379210570690

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