The Red Shoes - lyrics and credits

[uli@zoodle.robin.de (Ulrich Grepel)]

                            THE RED SHOES
                   

                              KATE BUSH


      1. Rubberband Girl   2. And So is Love   3. Eat the Music
      4. Moments of Pleasure   5. The Song of Solomon   6. Lily
7. The Red Shoes   8. Top of the City   9. Constellation of the Heart
10. Big Stripey Lie   11. Why Should I Love You?   12. You're the One

Written & Produced by Kate Bush

(P) 1993 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Novercia Ltd.
and is exclusively licensed to EMI Records Ltd.
(C) 1993 Novercia Ltd.

7242 8 27277 2 9 / F: PM 520 / UK: CDEMD 1047 / Printed in UK / Made in Holland

All titles published by Kate Bush Music Ltd.





Rubberband Girl

See those trees
Bend in the wind
I feel they've got a lot more sense than me
You see I try to resist

    A rubberband bouncing back to life
    A rubberband bend the beat
    If I could learn to give like a rubberband
    I'd be back on my feet
    A rubberband hold me trousers up
    A rubberband ponytails
    If I could learn to twang like a rubberband
    I'd be a rubberband girl
    A rubberband girl me
    A rubberband girl me
    Oh I wanna be a rubberband girl

When I slip out
Of my catapult
I gotta land with my feet firm on the ground
And let my body catch up

    A rubberband bouncing back to life
    A rubberband bend the heat
    If I could learn to give like a rubberband
    I'd be back on my feet
    A rubberband hold me trousers up
    A rubberband ponytails
    If I could learn to twang like a rubberband
    I'd be a rubberband girl
    A rubberband girl me
    A rubberband girl me
    Oh I wanna be a rubberband girl

Give like a rubberband
Twang like a rubberband
Snap like a rubberband

    Rub-a-dub-a-dub-a-dub
    Rub-a-dub-a-dub
    Rub-a-dub

One rubberband won't keep you up
Two rubberbands won't keep you up
Three rubberbands won't keep you up

Here I go......(adlib)
.... Yeah!

One rubberband won't keep you up
Two rubberbands won't keep you up
Three rubberbands won't keep you up



Stuart Elliot: Drums, Percussion
John Giblin: Bass
Danny McIntosh: Guitars
Nigel Hitchcock: Tenor & Baritone Saxophone
Neil Sidwell: Trombone
Paul Spong: Trumpet
Steve Sidwell: Trumpet
Kate: Keyboards, Vocals







And So Is Love

And you huh?
You do huh?

We let it in
We give it out
And in the end
What's it all about?
It must be love

I give you my
I give you my
You give me your
You give me your joy

    We used to say
    "Ah Hell, we're young"
    But now we see that life is sad
    And so is love

Ooh baby live your life for love
Ooh baby live your life for love

    We used to say
    "Ah Hell, we're young"
    But now we see that life is sad
    And so is love

Ooh baby for the sake of love
Ooh baby for the sake of love

And whatever happens
What really matters?
It's all we've got
Isn't that enough?

Life is sad and so is love

You let it slip
You let it slip
I love you more
I love you more for it

Life is sad and so is love

All for love
Just for the sake of love
You set me free
I set you free



Stuart Elliot: Drums
John Giblin: Bass
Eric Clapton: Guitar
Gary Brooker: Hammond
Kate: Keyboards







Eat The Music

Split me open
With devotion
You put your hands in
And rip my heart out
Eat the music

Does he conceal
What he really feels?
He's a woman at heart
And I love him for that
Let's split him open

Like a pomegranate
Insides out
All is revealed
Not only women bleed

Take the stone out
Of the mango
You put it in your mouth
And pull a plum out

    Take a papaya
    You like a guava?
    Grab a banana
    And a sultana
    Rip them to pieces
    With sticky fingers
    Split the banana
    Crush the sultana

Split 'em open
With devotion
You put your hands in
And rip their hearts out

Like a pomegranate
Insides out
He's a woman at heart
And love him for that

    Take a papaya
    You like a guavva?
    Grab a banana
    And a sultana
    Rip 'em to pieces
    With sticky fingers
    Split the banana
    Crush the sultana

All emotion
And with devotion
You put your hands in
What ya thinking?
What am I singing?
A song of seeds
The food of love
Eat the music



Stuart Elliott: Drums, Percussion
John Giblin: Bass
Justin Vali: Valiha, Kabossy, Vocals
Paddy Bush: Valiha, Vocals
Nigel Hitchcock: Tenor Saxophone
Neil Sidwell: Trombone
Paul Spong: Trumpet
Steve Sidwell: Trumpet
Kate: Keyboards







Moments Of Pleasure

Some moments that I've had
Some moments of pleasure

I think about us lying
Lying on a beach somewhere
I think about us diving
Diving off a rock, into another moment

The case of George the Wipe
Oh God I can't stop laughing
This sense of humour of mine
It isn't funny at all
Oh but we sit up all night
Talking about it

    Just being alive
    It can really hurt
    And these moments given
    Are a gift from time

On a balcony in New York
It's just started to snow
He meets us at the lift
Like Douglas Fairbanks
Waving his walking stick
But he isn't well at all
The buildings of New York
Look just like mountains through the snow

    Just being alive
    It can really hurt
    And these moments given
    Are a gift from time
    Just let us try
    To give these moments back
    To those we love
    To those who will survive

And I can hear my mother saying
"Every old sock meets an old shoe"
Isn't that a great saying?
"Every old sock meets an old shoe"
Here come the Hills of Time

Hey there Maureen,

Hey there Bubba,
Dancing down the aisle of a plane,

'S Murph, playing his guitar refrain,

Hey there Teddy,
Spinning in the chair at Abbey Road,

Hey there Michael,
Do you really love me?

Hey there Bill,
Could you turn the lights up?



Kate: Piano







The Song Of Solomon

The Song of Solomon
The song of everyone
Who walks the path
Of the solitary heart
The soul cries out
Hear a woman singing

    Don't want your bullshit, yeah
    Just want your sexuality
    Don't want excuses, yeah
    Write me your poetry in motion
    Write it just for me, yeah
    And sing it with a kiss

Mmm, just take any line
"Comfort me with apples
For I am sick of love
His left hand is under my head
And his right hand
Doth embrace me"
This is the Song of Solomon
Here's a woman singing

    Don't want your bullshit, yeah
    Just want your sexuality
    Don't want your excuses, yeah
    Write me your poetry in motion
    Write it just for me, yeah
    And sign it with a kiss

And I'll do it for you
I'll be the Rose of Sharon for you
I'll do it for you
I'll be the Lily of the Valley for you
I'll do it for you
I'll be Isolde or Marion for you
I'll do it for you
Ooh I'll come in a hurricane for you
I'll do it for you

A wop bam boom

    Don't want your bullshit, yeah
    Just want your sexuality



Charlie Morgan: Percussion
Stuart Elliott: Percussion
Danny McIntosh: Guitar
The Trio Bulgarka: Vocals
Kate: Piano, Keyboards, Fender Rhodes







Lily

    Oh thou, who givest sustenance to the universe
    From whom all things proceed
    To whom all things return
    Unveil to us the face of the true spiritual sun
    Hidden by a disc of golden light
    That we may know the truth
    And do our whole duty
    As we journey to thy sacret feet

Well I said
"Lily, Oh Lily I don't feel safe
I feel that life has blown a great big hole
Through me"
And she said
"Child, you must protect yourself
I'll show you how with fire"

    Gabriel before me
    Raphael behind me
    Michael to my right
    Uriel on my left side
    In the circle of fire

I said
"Lily, Oh Lily I'm so afraid
I fear I am walking in the Veil of Darkness"
And she said
"Child, take what I say
With a pinch of salt
And protect yourself with fire"

    Gabriel before me
    Raphael behind me
    Michael to my right
    Uriel on my left side
    In the circle of fire



Stuart Elliott: Drums
John Giblin: Bass
Danny McIntosh: Guitars
Paddy Bush: Fujare, Singing Bowls
Kate: Keyboards
Lily: Narration







The Red Shoes

Oh she move like the Diva do
I said "I'd love to dance like you."
She said "just take off my red shoes
Put them on and your dream'll come true
With no words, with no song
You can dance the dream with your body on
And this curve, is your smile
And this cross, is your heart
And this line, is your path

Oh it's gonna be the way you always thought it would be
But it's gonna be no illusion
Oh it's gonna be the way you always dreamt about it
But it's gonna be really happening to ya
Really happening to ya
Really happening to ya"

Oh the minute I put them on
I knew I had done something wrong
All her gifts for the dance had gone
It's the red shoes, they can't stop dancing, dancing
And this curve, is your smile
And this cross, is your heart
And this line, is your path

"Oh it's gonna be the way you always thought it would be
But it's gonna be no illusion
Oh it's gonna be the way you always dreamt about it
But it's gonna be really happening to ya"

    She gotta dance, she gotta dance
    And she can't stop 'till them shoes come off
    Thes shoes do, a kind of voodoo
    They're gonna make her dance 'till herlegs fall off

Feel your hair come tumbling down
Feel your feet start kissing the ground
Feel your arms are opening out
And see your eyes are lifted to God
With no words, with no song
I'm gonna dance the dream
And make the dream come true
I'm gonna dance the dream
And make the dream come true

    She gotta dance, she gotta dance
    And she can't stop 'till them shoes come off
    These shoes do, a kind of voodoo
    They're gonna make her dance 'till her legs fall off
    Call a doctor, call a priest
    They're gonna whip her up like a helicopter

Really happening to ya
Really happening to ya

You gotta dance....



Stuart Elliott: Drums, Percussion
Gaumont D'Olivera: Bass
Danny McIntosh: Guitars
Paddy Bush: Mandola, Whistles, Musical Bow, Vocals
Colin Lloyd-Tucker: Vocals
Justin Vali: Valiha
Kate: Keyboards







Top Of The City

One more step to the top of the city
Where just a couple of pigeons are living
Up on the angel's shoulders

I don't know if I'm closer to Heaven but
It looks like Hell down there
These streets have never been paved with gold
Welcome to the loneliest city in the world
It's no good for you baby
It's no good for you now
Keep looking up for the ladder

  I don't know if you'll love me for it
  But I don't think we should suffer this
  There's just one thing we can do about it
 

    Take me up to the top of the city
    Take me up to the top of the city
    Take me up to the top of the city
    And put me up on the angel's shoulders

See how that building there is nearly built
There's a big fire over on the north of the city
I see you walking down the street with her
I see your lights going on and off
She's no good for you baby
She's no good for you now
Look I'm here with the ladder

  I don't know if you love me or not
  But I don't think we should ever suffer
  There's just one thing we can do about this
 

    Take me up to the top of the city
    Take me up to the top of the city
    Up to the highest point of the city
    One more step to the top of the city
    Put me up on the angel's shoulders

And I don't mind if it's dangerous
I don't mind if it's raining
Take me up to the top of the city

    And put me up on the angel's shoulders
    Take me up to the top of the city
    Mmm yes, one more step to the top of the city
    And put me up on the angel's shoulders



Stuart Elliott: Drums
John Giblin: Bass
Danny McIntosh: Guitar
Nigel Kennedy: Violin, Viola
Kate: Piano, Keyboards, Fhender Rhode







Constellation Of The Heart

We take all the telescopes
And we turn them inside out
And we point them away from the big sky
Put your eye right up to the glass, now
And here we'll find the constellation of the heart

    Steer your life by these stars
    On the unconditional chance
    'Tis here where Hell and Heaven dance
    This is the constellation of the heart

We take all the telescopes
And we turn them inside out
And we point them away from the big sky
APut your eye right up to the glass, now
And here we'll find the constellation of the heart

    The constellation of the heart
    The constellation of the heart

We take all the telescopes
And we turn them inside out
And we point them away from the big sky
APut your eye right up to the glass, now
And here we'll find the constellation of the heart

    The constellation of the heart
    The constellation of the heart

Well we think you'd better wake up capt'n
There's something happen'n up ahead
We've never seen anything like it
We've never seen anything like it before
    I want a full report
That's it
    What do you mean, "That's it?"
That's all you get
You'd better do something 'bout it
    What am I supposed to do about it?
We don't know, but you can't run away from it
Maybe you'd better face it
    I can't do that
C'mon face it!
    I can't do that
C'mon, c'mon face it
    What am I gonna do?
    It is gonna hurt, it is gonna hurt me bad?
   

    Ooh here's the constellation of the heart

Who said anything about it hurting?
It's gonna be beautiful
It's gonna be wonderful
It's gonna be paradise

    (Just being alive, it can really hurt...)
    Ooh find me the man with the ladder
    And he might lift me up to the stars
   

    (Without the pain there'd be no learning
    Without the hurting we'd never change.)
   

    Oooh and if you see the woman with the key
    I hear she's opening up the doors to Heaven
    Oh and here comes the man with the stick
    He said he'd fish me out of hte moon
   

    Ohoh here's the constellation of the heart
    It is the constellation of the heart
   

    Oh yes it is the constellation of the heart



Stuart Elliott: Drums
John Giblin: Bass
Danny McIntosh: Guitar
Gary Brooker: Hammond
Paddy Bush: Vocals
Colin Lloyd-Tucker: Vocals
Nigel Hitchcock: Tenor Saxophone
Neil Sidwell: Trombone
Paul Spong: Trumpet
Steve Sidwell: Trumpet
Kate: Keyboards, Piano







Big Stripey Lie

Oh big stripey lie moving
Like a wavy line
Coming up behind

All young gentle dreams drowning
In life's grief
Can you hang on me?

    Don't want to hurt you baby
    I only want to help you
    I could be good for you

Your name is being called by sacred things
That are not addressed nor listened to
Sometimes they blow trumpets

    Only want to help you
    Never want to hurt you
    I know I could be good for you

Oh my God it's a jungle in here
You've got wild animals loose in here

    Want to help you
    Never hurt you
    Good for you

Hey all you little waves run away
Mmm run away



Gaumont D'Olivera: Drums, Percussion, FX
Nigel Kennedy: Violin
Kate: Guitar, Bass, Keyboards







Why Should I Love You

This chapter says
"Put it out of your mind"
Mmm, give it time....

The fine purple
The purest gold
The red of the Sacred Heart
The grey of a ghost
The "L" of the lips are open
To the "O" of the Host
The "V" of the velvet

    Of all of the people in the world
    Why should I love you?
    There's just something 'bout you
    There's just something 'bout you
    Of all the people in the world
    Why should I love you?

Have you ever seen a picture
Of Jesus laughing?
Mmm, do you think
He had a beautiful smile?
A smile that healed

    Of all the people in the world
    Why should I love you?
    There's just something 'bout you
    There's just something 'bout you
    Of all the people in the world
    Why should I love you?
    Of all the people in the world
    Why should I love you?

The fine purple
The purest gold
The red of the Sacred Heart
The grey of a ghost
The "L" of the lips are open
To the "O" of the Host
The "V" of the velvet
The "E" of my eye
The eye in wonder
The eye that sees
The "I" that loves you

Of all the people in the worls
Why should I love you?



Stuart Elliott: Drums
Prince: Keyboards, Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Lenny Henry: Vocals
Nigel Hitchcock: Tenor Saxophone
Neil Sidwell: Trombone
Paul Spong: Trumpet
Steve Sidwell: Trumpet & Flugel Horn
The Trio Bulgarka: Vocals
Kate: Keyboards
Arrangement by Kate and Prince







You're The One

It's alright I'll come 'round when you're not in
And I'll pick up all my things
Everything I have I bought with you
But that's alright too
It's just everything I do
We did together
And there's a little piece of you
In whatever
I've got everything I need
I've got petrol in the car
I've got some money with me
There's just one problem

    You're the only one I want
    You're the only one I want
    You're the only one I want
    You're the only one I want

It's alright I know where I'm going
I'm going to stay with my friend
Mmm, yes, he is very good looking
The only trouble is
He's not you
He can't do what you do
He can't make me laugh and cry
At the same time
Let's change things
Let's danger it up
We're crazy enough
I just can't take it

    You're the only one I want
    You're the only one I want
    You're the only one I want
    You're the only one I want

I know where I'm going
But I don't want to leave
I just have one problem
We're best friends, yeah?
We tied ourselves in knots
Doing cartwheels 'cross the floor
Just forget it alright

Sugar?...
Honey?...
Sugar?...



Stuart Elliott: Drums
John Giblin: Bass
Jeff Beck: Guitar
Gary Brooker: Hammond
The Trio Bulgarka: Vocals
Kate: Fender Rhodes, Keyboards







With Thanks To:
Ma, Pa, Paddy, John, Lily, Haydn Bendall,
Lisa Bradley, Hilary Sheffield, Stewart Arnold,
Suzy Millais, Steve Sidwell, Shirley Parks,
Phil Griffin, Laura Connor, Michael Powell,
Danny McIntosh, Ken Townsend, Jim Jones,
Anthony Yacomine, Garry Robson, Simon Quill,
Alan Cundell, Gary Briley, Michael Skipwith,
Deike Rich, Joe Boyd, Therese Stoulil, Malcolm Clark,
Joseph Campbell, Mark Wilkinson & Del


All songs written by Kate Bush

Eric Clapton appears courtesy of Reprise Records
Prince appears courtesy of Warner Brothers/Paisley Park Records
Jeff Beck appears courtesy of Epic Records
Colin Lloyd-Tucker appears courtesy of Humbug Records
The Trio Bulgarka appears courtesy of Hannibal Records


        THIS ALBUM IS DEDICATED TO THE
        MEMORY OF HANNAH, MY MOTHER





                                                        7243 8 27277 2 9
Produced by Kate Bush

Recorded and mixed by Del Palmer

Orchestral Arrangements by Michael Kamen
Recorded at Abbey Road Studio Number One
Engineered by Haydn Bendall

Trio Bulgarka Vocal Arrangements by Demetr Penev

Bulgarian Interpreter: Boromira Nedeva
French Interpreter: Sir Ali

Fairlight programmed by Del Palmer

Digital Consultant: Ian Sylvester
Maintenance: EFM

Mastered by Ian Cooper

Photograpy: John Carder Bush / Kindlight

Sleeve Design and Artwork: Peacock Marketing & Design

Lyrics reproduced by kind permission of the publisher