Cloudbusting -- Kate Bush In Her Own Words

Covers Versions

: I do love singing other people's songs. I have done it. But I feel that that is in fact cheating because there are so many good singers around who sing other people's songs and there aren't as many songwriters in comparison. For me, my only reason I sing is because I write the songs and I feel because I've written them and I know what they're about, I'm the one that can convey the message the best. But, I don't really consider myself a singer. I'm a singer/songwriter, but only because I write the songs. (1978, Self Portrait)

You never cover other people's material. Why? Don't you see yourself as the interpretive singer? A touch of the ``rod stewarts''

: Actually, I love singing great songs written by other people, it can be fun discovering how beautiful some composers' work is. But I've felt happy recording my own numbers. I regard myself primarily as a songwriter and I don't want to cop out of writing. I get guilty enough as it is when I'm writing for lengths of time. (1981, RM)

Have you ever thought of doing a cover version of anybody's song at the moment, and if you did, whose would it be?

: Oh, it's such a difficult question. There're so many good songs written, and... cover versions, it's uh...it's actually very difficult to try and do something that's better than the original. Like re-makes of movies: they're very rarely better. [Pause.] I have actually done a cover version that might be out in a couple of years as a song. Uhmm...

: I don't know when it will be out. It's actually beyond my control. It's going through another project. But that's an Elton John song. ``Rocket Man''

: And uh... Well that was one of my favourite songs. And there's a good example of me never imagining when I was about twelve or thirteen- I was so into Elton John, he was just like the biggest hero ever. And ``Rocket Man'' was one of my favourite songs, it was just wonderful. So I never imagined that - how many years later? Don't mention it! [Laughing] - I'd actually get the opportunity to record it. Brilliant, isn't it? Big circle. It's wonderful. (1990 Kate Bush Con)