Tracey Thorn – Under The Ivy (Kate Bush cover)

Tracey Thorn writes:

For me, like many others, the musical highlight of the year was Kate Bush’s return to the live stage, with her show Before the Dawn. It was an incredible performance, and after I saw it I wrote a piece for the New Statesman about how much it moved me.

When I was asked to be guest editor for the Radio 4 Today programme, I realised immediately that one thing I wanted to do was pay tribute in some way to Kate. I’ve never sung any of her songs before, and I’ve chosen a lesser known one called Under the Ivy, recording it with Ben Watt on piano, and a string arrangement written by Nick Ingman. Her version of the song originally appeared as a B-side to Running up that Hill, back in the days when every record had a B-side, a place where often a great song could be semi-hidden.

That feeling of concealment is particularly relevant to this lyric, which is all about privacy and intimacy, hiding “away from the party”, meeting someone in a safe and secret place. It could be about a lover of course, but I also think it partly describes Kate Bush as an artist. In contrast to many music stars, she’s lived a proper private life, devoting much of her time and her energies to her family. And even with these amazing Before the Dawn shows, I don’t really feel that she was entering back into the public arena of the music business, more that she briefly invited us into her world, giving us a glimpse of all the things she can do. For that, and for this beautiful song, I thank her and hope I’ve done it justice.

Pulp – Born To Cry

That coat that I gave you,
All shiny and black
I’m sorry my darling,
But I’m taking it back
I don’t want to spoil the party,
But I’ve got to go home
You can stay if you want to If you want to sleep alone

Some were born to greatness,
Some were born to die
Never knowing the difference
Never knowing why
Some were born to change the world
Some never even try
But darling, you and I:
We were born to cry

Black has become your favourite colour for all the things it can conceal,
And as we’re lying here together
I know exactly how you feel
It’s time for me to leave this party,
But I’ve just got to ask you first
If you’re only trying to make things better,
How come they always turn out worse?

Some were born to greatness,
Some were born to die
Never knowing the difference
Never knowing why
Some were born to change the world
Some never even try
But darling, you and I:
We were born to cry
Oh some were born to greatness,
And some were born to die
Never knowing the difference
Never knowing why
Some were born to change the world
Some never even try
But darling, you and I:
We were born to cry
Yes darling you and I:
we were born to cry.
Born to cry.

Elvis Costello ‘She’

DUSTY SPRINGFIELD ~ Yesterday When I was Young

Roberta Flack The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

The first time, ever i saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and the stars
Were the gifts you gave
To the dark, and the endless sky

And the first time, ever i kissed your mouth
I felt the earth move in my hands
Like the trembling heart
Of a captive bird
That was there, at my command
My love