Stupid answers to dumb questions

[Doug Alan <nessus@athena.mit.edu>]

Regarding "Babooshka"...

> From: peter@xal (Peter Freeman)

> And yes, it does mean grandmother, and I also believe that it refers
> to the type of scarf that we stereotypically associate with older
> Russian women.  This opens the song back up for interpretation...it
> would seem to me that she is incognito because she is wearing a
> BA-boosh-ka.

If I remember correctly, Kate has said that she was just trying to
think of an exotic sounding name and that "Babooshka" came to mind.
(She has said the same thing about "Kashka".)  She has never, to my
knowledge, ever mentioned that its Russian meaning as "grandmother" or
"scarf worn on the head" has anything to do with the song.  I doubt
that the Babooshka is used to indicate that the woman dresses
incognito by hiding herself in a babooshka because this does not agree
with the story of the song which seems to indicate that she dresses
exoticly and sexily.  However, who knows with Kate -- you could be
right.

Regarding "Un Baiser D'enfant"...

> [Randy Smith:] So, is the other side an instrumental, or are the
> lyrics misprinted, or what?  And, of course, can that 7" be picked
> up anywhere?

"Un Baiser D'enfant" (the French version of "The Infant Kiss") is the
B-side to the "Ne T'enfuis Pas" single.  "Ne T'enfuis Pas", however,
is also the B-side to the "There Goes a Tenner" single (The Lost
Single).  "Un Baiser D'enfant" can also be found on the American-only
release, the *Kate Bush* Mini-LP.  The Canadian version of this record
is better because it also has "Ne T'enfuis Pas" on it, which is
missing from the US version.

> From: uuwest!user@apple.com (A Modem User)

> Second, I wish people would get their minds out of the gutter about
> Kate's decision for her next album title. "Sensual" does not
> necessarily mean "sexual"; actually there are a number of meanings
> but I think the one she is aiming at here is more along the lines of
> "sensory".

I wish you'd get your mind IN the gutter!  Kate has all sorts of
SEXUAL -- not just "sensory" allusions in her music -- some subtle and
some not subtle at all.  I think the fact that Kate has refered to
"Night of the Swallow" as "Nice to Swallow" should speak for itself on
where Kate thinks your mind should be!

>   :   :\
> [\:on :/runkbrain:] You know what I find interesting is that it
> sounds a hell of a lot like Kate starts to say "choice" and then
> replaced the word on the master tape with "move" but did a sloppy
> punch-in job.  I have always thought this but never mentioned it to
> anyone.

This is what it sounds like to me too...  but I doubt that it's a
mistake.  There must be some deep meaning in it -- known only to Kate.
Maybe if you play it backwards it says "I buried Paul"....  Then
again, Kate spelled Orgonon wrong by mistake....

> From: "Nick@The End of Time,,," <nkings@zaphod.axion.bt.co.uk>

> Say, what? Where does ``Reich'' come from in the lyrics to the song?
> Is he mentioned on a chunk of tape that isn't distributed in the UK?

He isn't.  (Though if I remember correctly, Peter Reich is credited in
the album credits.)  Kate does, however, mention "Orgonon" in the
song, and you have to figure it out from there.  Either that, or you
might recognize the plot if you ever read "A Book of Dreams" by Peter
Reich.

> [IED:] IED has some words of caution to all Kate Bush fans: IED must
> regretfully retract earlier statements he made indicating optimism
> that Kate would be touring in support of the new album. He is not at
> liberty to identify his source, but his present understanding is
> that there are no plans to tour at present.

Don't say I didn't tell you!  Over the years I've made bets with many
people that Kate Bush wouldn't tour by year X.  So far I've won them
all.  I think I've won about $1,000.  Unfortunately, I have yet to
receive a cent (I thought these were no lose bets!).  Where's my
f***ing dough!  (IED was never stupid enough to make such a bet,
however -- deep inside he has known the truth all along.)

> Also, another description of the new album has reached IED's ears:
> when a request was made to characterize _The_Sensual_World_ using
> sides one and two of _Hounds_of_Love_ as a gauge, the answer was
> that it veers decidedly toward the side _one_ side. Whatever this
> means is up to each reader to decide for himself.

What it means to me is DAMN!!!!  I hope your informant dude is wrong.

Regarding mules and unofficial interpretations:

>      If you take time to notice what IED said, you'll see no
> contention that your opinion about mules "made no sense". IED
> pointed out that it _has_no_validity_. Not because it is illogical
> in its own (rather warped) way, but _because_it_is_irrelevant_. This
> is clear and unequivocal. KATE BUSH SAID IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH
> THE SONG.  IED doesn't object to your having had such a notion about
> mules _before_ the interview. What he objects to is your repeated
> defense of the idea _even_afterward_. Since Kate has discredited the
> theory, it should long ago have been quietly forgotten and done
> with.

Look, Andy, I have NEVER defended it as anything other than an
interpretation that makes sense!  You have just said you make no
contention that my interpretation makes sense, so why are you so
vehemently opposed to my statements that my interpretation makes
sense.  SO WHAT if it's irrelevant?  What the momma poppin' fo does
"relevant" mean with respect to interpretation anyway?  And who the
&&^&*()# foozball are you to say what is and is not relevant anyway?

If Joe Dumbbrain thinks that God speaks to him through "Into the
Groove" and this has a profound effect on his life, then to him this
interpretation is incredibly relevant, even if it is completely
braindead.  Even if my interpretation of "Get Out of My House" made no
sense at all, if it had an effect on me, then to me it would be
relevant.  And who would you be to tell me that it isn't!

It's as if you've never even heard of more modern art criticism
(actually, Postmodern Deconstructualism) which says that what's really
irrelevant is what the artist intended.  The artists intentions don't
matter at all, they say.  All that matters is what you get out of it.
That the real artist is not the creator of the work of art, but the
viewer of the art who finds something of value in it -- he creates the
art inside of himself.  Personally, I think that this theory was
invented by a bunch of failed artists turned critics who want
something to feel proud about, but it shows that there is wide
spectrum of beliefs on the matter.  You stand on one side of the
spectrum IED, and the Deconstructionalists stand on the other.
Personally, I stand somewhere in the middle.  The artists intentions
are relevant and so are the viewers interpretations, whether they were
intended by the artist or not.  Your refusal to even recognize that
there are other reasonable positions on the matter, other than your
own very narrow one, is exceedingly myopic.

Furthermore, you contradict Kate's very own opinions on the matter,
which she has said many times.  One such time was to me:

	"I think the interpretations that people have of your songs
        afterwards are nothing to do with me anyway.  I think it's up
        to them to get what they can out of the song."

>> No, no.  It's not Kate's feeding her cats fishy wishy that's
>> hypocrititical...

> Then why did you ask her? And why have you mentioned this issue more
> than once since then with clear indications that you thought it was
> significant? Just curious.

Well, for one, I wanted to hear Kate say "Fiiiiishy wiiiiishy".  Also,
I was curious.  Also I have met people who claim to feed their cats a
vegetarian diet. They claimed to feed their cats spinach lasagna.
Now, one thing you might immediately notice from this is that it
contains dairy products (mainly cheese).  Many people who call
themselves "vegetarians" have no qualms about eating dairy products.
I am no expert on feline biology, and I have no idea whether or not
the cats tended by the people I met, went blind and died, but you will
have to do a bit more work than anyone has done so far to convince me
that the necessary amino acids a cat needs that are lacking in a
strict vegetarian diet, are not found in dairy products.

Honky With an Attitude,

|>oug