Cloudbusting -- Kate Bush In Her Own Words

Lord Of The Reedy River

It's unbelievable. He [ Donovan] was one of Britain's leading, hit-making solo stars of the sixties and a great international artist. And now it's almost as though he'd never existed.

It's ridiculous. I can't stand to see that happen to people, especially someone like him. One of my favourite albums of his is H.M.S. Donovan - which I think has been deleted now, which is even more ridiculous. And it's beautiful: fantastic illustrated cover; a double album, and each song is either a fairy story or something he's written to other people's words. He's used Blake's poems, he's used some Lewis Carroll - a big selection of fantasy stuff. And one of my favourite tracks from there, which he actually wrote himself to his own music, is ``Lord of the Reedy River.'' (1980, BBC)

A song written by donovan, the wispy folk-rock minstrel who reigned during the sixties. Originally she couldn't decide whether to cover a donovan or a captain beefheart composition, but the former won the day after a number of odd events...

Like the evening she was half-watching the crystal gayle show on telly and half-discussing the dilemma when, lo and behold, donovan appeared as crystal's guest star. It was like he was planted in my room, exclaimed kate. I couldn't believe it! (1981, What I Did On My Holidays)

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