Kate Bush ‎– Lionheart

Kate Bush – Lionheart

Released in November 1978, Lionheart is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Kate Bush, arriving just nine months after her extraordinary debut, The Kick Inside. Produced by Andrew Powell, with Bush closely involved in the arrangements, the album develops her distinctive blend of art pop, theatrical songwriting, literary imagination and elaborate musical arrangements. Recorded at Super Bear Studios in the south of France, it captures an artist expanding her creative world through intricate melodies, vivid characters and an unmistakably individual approach to pop music. Originally released on EMI in the UK, Lionheart reached number six on the UK Albums Chart.

Where The Kick Inside introduced Bush's remarkable songwriting voice to a wider audience, Lionheart explores a broader range of moods and musical settings. Piano-led ballads sit alongside theatrical rock, ornate keyboard arrangements and more eccentric, character-driven compositions. Her expressive vocals shift effortlessly between intimacy, drama and playful exaggeration, while the arrangements draw on elements of progressive pop, art rock and baroque pop. The result is an album that rewards repeated listening, with unexpected details and imaginative storytelling woven throughout.

Opening with Symphony In Blue, the album establishes its sophisticated musical palette through jazzy piano, understated guitar and Bush's distinctive vocal phrasing. In Search Of Peter Pan turns towards a more wistful, dreamlike atmosphere, while Wow delivers one of the record's most memorable performances. Driven by an expansive, theatrical arrangement, the song became a UK Top 20 hit in 1979 and remains a standout example of Bush's ability to combine unconventional ideas with compelling pop songwriting.

Don't Push Your Foot On The Heartbrake brings a more forceful, dramatic energy, contrasting with the reflective beauty of Oh England My Lionheart. The latter reveals Bush's fascination with English imagery, romanticism and historical references, expressed through a deeply personal lyrical perspective. Across the album, she moves between dreamlike escapism, theatrical fantasy and observations of human behaviour without losing the musical coherence that makes Lionheart such a distinctive work.

The second side offers further evidence of Bush's imaginative range. Full House combines intricate songwriting with a more unsettled emotional atmosphere, while In The Warm Room provides a softer, intimate counterpoint. Kashka From Baghdad tells the story of a character living outside conventional social expectations, reflecting Bush's interest in people and perspectives often overlooked in mainstream pop. Coffee Homeground is one of the album's most eccentric moments, using darkly comic imagery and a jaunty, theatrical arrangement to create a song unlike anything else in her catalogue.

The album closes with Hammer Horror, a dramatic, heavily arranged song inspired by the atmosphere of classic horror cinema and the experience of an actor taking over a deceased colleague's role. Its theatrical intensity and layered production make it one of the record's defining tracks, demonstrating Bush's gift for turning unusual narrative ideas into memorable pop music. Released as a single shortly before the album, it helped establish the distinctive visual and musical world that would become central to her career.

For fans of Kate Bush, art pop, progressive pop and adventurous late-1970s British music, Lionheart is an essential chapter in the development of one of popular music's most original songwriters. Its combination of ornate arrangements, literary storytelling, theatrical vocals and unconventional ideas makes it especially rewarding for listeners who appreciate albums with a strong artistic identity. It also belongs in collections exploring the evolution of British art rock and the more experimental side of 1970s pop.

Tracklist

Side A
A1. Symphony In Blue — 3:34
A2. In Search Of Peter Pan — 3:46
A3. Wow — 3:58
A4. Don't Push Your Foot On The Heartbrake — 3:11
A5. Oh England My Lionheart — 3:09

Side B
B1. Full House — 3:13
B2. In The Warm Room — 3:33
B3. Kashka From Baghdad — 3:55
B4. Coffee Homeground — 3:38
B5. Hammer Horror — 4:37