WOW / FULLHOUSE

There had been two singles taken from Kate Bush's debut album The Kick Inside (released in February 1978), both containing album tracks only, and the same procedure continued with Lionheart, the slightly weaker econd album that was maybe pushed out a bit too quickly. In November 1978, one month before Lionheart, came Hammer Horror / Coffee Homeground. Neither of the songs among my favourites of the album, nor did the single reach top 40 in the charts.

Wow / Fullhouse was released in March 1979 and 'Wow' was a top 20 hit in the UK. Bush has said the song was her attempt at writing something spacey in the Pink Floyd style. Spacey it may be, but quite far from Floydian atmospheres. It's a mellow and very sensual song about show business. I still enjoy it.

'Fullhouse' was one of the three newly composed songs of Lionheart. It is pretty mellow too but gets a bit edgier on the chorus, which I find less pleasant than the wonderful, moody melodies before it.

In the beginning of 1978, Kate Bush released her debut, The Kick Inside, and at the end of '78, Lionheart. To me, this is a testament of her prodigious wealth of songcraft from her earliest years, from even her teens. "Wow" was released as Lionheart's second single, following "Hammer Horror".

As I've been glad to do here thus far, I also watched its official music video, with less interpretive dancing and more of Kate just standing on some steps ("on the stage tonight", perhaps?), singing passionately and looking wide-eyed into the camera. "Wow" is a classic, haunting number. It features piano, beautifully reverb'd vocals from Kate, and somewhat jazzy bass playing. As to its true appeal to your average Prog fan, I'm not sure I can say, but it's a great song. Always loved the ending.

"Wow" was backed with one of my all-time favorite Kate Bush songs, "Full House". Absolutely fantastic. Eerie chords and yet triumphant use of overall instrumentation. Love the electric key stabs (actually reminiscent to me of Gentle Giant's Kerry Minnear), the softer guitar touches, and the drumming and bass here. Big time frisson country for me. Huge chorus with just an amazing melody (like the rest of the song). It's just plain fantastic song-craft. And essential Kate.

True Rate: 4.5/5.0