Hounds Of Love By Kate Bush ((top)) Jun 2026
When it was released on September 16, 1985, the British public had been waiting three years since The Dreaming . That previous album, a dense, clattering, and deliberately difficult work, had confused critics and alienated casual fans who still longed for the theatrical whimsy of "Wuthering Heights." Bush, burned by the financial and emotional toll of producing The Dreaming alone, did what all visionary artists do: she retreated to build her own world. She built a private 48-track studio in her barn (Wool Hall) and, for the first time, seized total creative control.
Following the success of her previous album, The Dreaming (1982), Bush felt a sense of creative liberation, which allowed her to explore new sonic landscapes and lyrical themes. Inspired by her own experiences, as well as mythology, literature, and the natural world, Bush began crafting Hounds of Love as a cohesive, conceptual work that would transport listeners on a journey of self-discovery and transformation. hounds of love by kate bush
🐺 Have you run with the Hounds of Love yet? 🌊 Or are you still floating in The Ninth Wave ? When it was released on September 16, 1985,
The first side contains some of the most iconic singles of the 1980s. It opens with Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God), a song that redefined the use of the Fairlight CMI synthesizer. The track explores the desire for emotional empathy between men and women, suggesting a literal "swap" of roles. Decades after its release, the song experienced a massive cultural resurgence in 2022 after being featured in the Netflix series Stranger Things, introduced a new generation to Bush’s genius. Following the success of her previous album, The
Other standout tracks on the first side include the title track, Hounds of Love, which uses the metaphor of a hunting pack to describe the fear of falling in love, and Cloudbusting, a cinematic anthem inspired by the relationship between psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich and his son. The side concludes with The Big Sky and Mother Stands for Comfort, grounding the album in themes of childhood, family, and emotional vulnerability. The Ninth Wave
