The Sensual World

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The Sensual World
Studio album by Kate Bush
Released 16 October 1989
Recorded 1987–1989
Genre Alternative rock, art rock
Length 42:10 (LP)
45:58 (CD)
Label EMI all territories except the US, Columbia (US)
Producer Kate Bush
Kate Bush chronology
The Whole Story
(1986)		 The Sensual World
(1989)		 This Woman's Work: Anthology 1978–1990
(1990)
Singles from The Sensual World
  1. "The Sensual World" b/w "Walk Straight Down the Middle"
    Released: 18 September 1989 (1989-09-18)
  2. "This Woman's Work" b/w "Be Kind To My Mistakes"
    Released: 20 November 1989 (1989-11-20)
  3. "Love and Anger" b/w "Ken"
    Released: 26 February 1990 (1990-02-26)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
BBC (Favourable)[1]
Allmusic 4.5/5 stars....[2]
Adrianndening (8/10) [3]
Chicago Tribune 3/4 stars... [4]
Los Angeles Times 4/4 stars... [5]
Robert Christgau (B) [6]
Wiki letter w.svg This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.

The Sensual World is the sixth studio album by the British singer Kate Bush. It was released in October 1989 and peaked at no.2 in the UK album charts. It has been certified Platinum by the BPI for sales of 300,000 in the UK,[7] and Gold by the RIAA in the US.[8]

Contents

[edit] Overview

Bush drew inspiration for the title track from the novel Ulysses by James Joyce. Bush realised that Molly Bloom's soliloquy, the closing passage of the novel, fitted the music she had created. When the Joyce estate refused to release the text, Bush wrote original lyrics that echo the original passage, as Molly steps from the pages of the book and revels in the real world.[9] She also alluded to "Jerusalem" by William Blake in a reference to the song's gestation ("And my arrows of desire rewrite the speech"). The song includes Irish instrumentation (uilleann pipes, fiddle, whistle) under a breathy rendering of the orgasmic 'Yes' of the original text.

The songs "Deeper Understanding," "Never Be Mine," and "Rocket's Tail" all feature backing vocals by the Bulgarian vocal ensemble Trio Bulgarka. The song "This Woman's Work" from the movie She's Having a Baby (1988) was re-edited for this album. On 27 November 2005 it was featured in the British TV drama Walk Away and I Stumble starring Tamzin Outhwaite. Due to that broadcast, the song reached #3 on the UK download chart in late 2005.[10] This song has also been used in a long-running UK television advert for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, broadcast in 2005–2008, and in the Extras Christmas Special in 2007. A version of the song was recorded by R&B artist Maxwell in 1997 for his MTV Unplugged album.

Released as CD players were becoming increasingly popular, the original LP ended with "This Woman's Work", whilst "Walk Straight Down the Middle" was included as a bonus track on the CD and cassette versions of the album. The gap between these two tracks is slightly longer to indicate the album was intended to finish with "This Woman's Work".

A video collection called The Sensual World: The Videos was also released. It contained videos for the title song, "Love and Anger", and "This Woman's Work" (all directed by Bush herself), as well as excerpts from an interview Bush gave to the music TV channel VH1.

The Sensual World received a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.[11]

In 2010, Audio Fidelity reissued The Sensual World on vinyl with new mastering by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray.[12]

In May 2011, Bush released a new album, Director's Cut which featured entirely re-conceived versions of four songs from The Sensual World, including the title song in its new incarnation, "Flower of the Mountain". Finally having received permission from the Joyce estate, Bush recorded a new vocal using Molly Bloom's soliloquy as the lyric. Additionally, she re-recorded a spare, piano-only version of "This Woman's Work". The new version of "Deeper Understanding" was released as a single, with an accompanying video.

[edit] Track listing

All songs written and composed by Kate Bush. 

Side one
No. Title Length
1. "The Sensual World"   3:57
2. "Love and Anger"   4:42
3. "The Fog"   5:04
4. "Reaching Out"   3:11
5. "Heads We're Dancing"   5:17
Side two
No. Title Length
6. "Deeper Understanding"   4:46
7. "Between a Man and a Woman"   3:29
8. "Never Be Mine"   3:43
9. "Rocket's Tail"   4:06
10. "This Woman's Work"   3:32
11. "Walk Straight Down the Middle" (CD bonus track) 3:48

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Charts

[edit] Chart positions

Chart (1989/90) Position
Australian ARIA Albums Chart[13] 30
Dutch Mega Albums Chart[14] 16
French SNEP Albums Chart [15] 38
German Media Control Albums Chart [16] 10
Italian Albums Chart[17] 14
Japanese Oricon Albums Chart[18] 18
New Zealand Albums Chart [19] 27
Norwegian VG-lista Albums Chart[20] 7
Swedish Albums Chart[21] 17
Swiss Albums Chart[22] 11
UK Albums Chart [23] 2
United States Billboard 200[24] 43

[edit] Year-end charts

Chart (1989) Position
Canadian Albums Chart[25] 93
Italian Albums Chart[17] 66
UK Albums Chart[26] 45

[edit] Certifications & Sales

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Canada (Music Canada)[27] Gold 50,000^
France (SNEP)[28] Gold 80,200[29]
Japan (Oricon Charts) 20,010[30]
United Kingdom (BPI)[31] Platinum 330,000[26]
United States (RIAA)[8] Gold 500,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

[edit] The Sensual World - The Videos

The Sensual World - The Videos
Video by Kate Bush
Released 1990
Recorded 1989 - 1990
Genre Alternative rock
Art rock
Pop rock
Length 16 minutes
Label CMV Enterprises
Director Peter Richardson, Kate Bush
Kate Bush video chronology
The Whole Story
(1987)		 The Sensual World - The Videos
(1990)		 The Line, the Cross & the Curve
(1994)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmovie 4/5 stars....[32]
Wiki letter w.svg This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.
Track listing
  1. "Interview"
  2. "The Sensual World"
  3. "Love And Anger"
  4. "This Woman's Work"

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Music - Review of Kate Bush - The Sensual World". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/vb4h. Retrieved 6 January 2012. 
  2. ^ Wilson, MacKenzie. The Sensual World - Kate Bush | AllMusic at Allmusic. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  3. ^ "Kate Bush | album reviews". adriandenning.co.uk. http://www.adriandenning.co.uk/katebush.html. Retrieved 6 January 2012. 
  4. ^ Kot, Greg (26 October 1989). "Kate Bush The Sensual World". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1989-10-26/features/8901250500_1_star-trio-bulgarka-sensual-world. Retrieved 20 October 2011. 
  5. ^ Hochman, Steve (15 November 1989). "A Grown-Up Kate Bush Veers Closer to Earth : Kate Bush "The Sensual World."". articles.latimes.com. Los Angeles Times. Record Rack. http://articles.latimes.com/1989-11-05/entertainment/ca-1338_1_kate-bush. Retrieved 31 August 2011. 
  6. ^ Christgau, Robert (13 March 1990). "Consumer Guide: Kate Bush: The Sensual World". The Village Voice. http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv290-90.php. Retrieved 7 January 2012.  Relevant portion also posted at "Kate Bush: The Sensual World > Consumer Guide Album". robertchristgau.com. Robert Christgau. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=4490. Retrieved 18 July 2011. 
  7. ^ "British album certifications – Kate Bush – Sensual World". British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx.  Enter Sensual World in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Click Go
  8. ^ a b "American album certifications – Kate Bush – The Sensual World". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22The+Sensual+World%22.  If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
  9. ^ Littlejohn, Maureen. "The Sensual Woman". Network magazine. http://gaffa.org/reaching/i90_net.html. Retrieved 3 April 2007. 
  10. ^ "Official UK Download Chart Book". DigitalStar.org.uk. Archived from the original on 6 January 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070106072642/http://www.distantstar.org.uk/DigitalDownloadChartBook.pdf. Retrieved 3 April 2007. 
  11. ^ Cromelin, Richard / Hunt Dennis (11 January 1991). "Grammys--Round 1 : Pop music: Phil Collins' 8 nominations lead the pack and Quincy Jones sets a record with his 74th nod. The winners will be revealed on Feb. 20.". articles.latimes.com. The Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1991-01-11/entertainment/ca-8578_1_phil-collins/2. Retrieved 1 September 2011. 
  12. ^ "Kate Bush : The Sensual World". audiofidelity. http://www.audiofidelity.net/content/kate-bush-sensual-world. Retrieved 6 January 2012. 
  13. ^ "australian-charts.com Kate Bush - The Sensual World". Australian Recording Industry Association. http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Kate+Bush&titel=The+Sensual+World&cat=a. Retrieved 8 August 2011. 
  14. ^ "dutchcharts.nl Kate Bush - The Sensual World". dutchcharts.nl. MegaCharts. http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Kate+Bush&titel=The+Sensual+World&cat=a. Retrieved 8 August 2011. 
  15. ^ "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste > Choisir Un Artiste Dans la Liste : Kate Bush". infodisc.fr. http://infodisc.fr/Album_B.php. Retrieved 1 August 2011. 
  16. ^ "Album Search: Kate Bush" (in German). Media Control. http://www.charts.de/search.asp?search=kate+Bush&x=0&y=0&cat=a&country=de. Retrieved 8 August 2011. 
  17. ^ a b "Hit Parade Italia - Gli album più venduti del 1989" (in Italian). hitparadeitalia.it. http://www.hitparadeitalia.it/hp_yenda/lpe1989.htm. Retrieved 3 October 2011. 
  18. ^ ケイト・ブッシュ-リリース-ORICON STYLE-ミュージック "Highest position and charting weeks of The Sensual World by Kate Bush" (in Japanese). oricon.co.jp. Oricon Style. http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/d/263356/2/ ケイト・ブッシュ-リリース-ORICON STYLE-ミュージック. Retrieved 8 August 2011. 
  19. ^ "charts.org.nz - Kate Bush - The Sensual World". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Kate+Bush&titel=The+Sensual+World&cat=a. Retrieved 8 August 2011. 
  20. ^ "norwegiancharts.com Kate Bush - The Sensual World". http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Kate+Bush&titel=The+Sensual+World&cat=a. Retrieved 8 August 2011. 
  21. ^ "swedishcharts.com Kate Bush - The Sensual World". Sverigetopplistan. http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Kate+Bush&titel=The+Sensual+World&cat=a. Retrieved 8 August 2011. 
  22. ^ "Kate Bush - The Sensual World - hitparade.ch". http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Kate+Bush&titel=The+Sensual+World&cat=a. Retrieved 8 August 2011. 
  23. ^ "Chart Stats - Kate Bush - The Sensual World". UK Albums Chart. http://www.chartstats.com/release.php?release=43151. Retrieved 7 August 2011. 
  24. ^ Allmusic - The Sensual World > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums
  25. ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1989". RPM. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.6625&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=c6btf3r8hs459qqt5ln3o3dcv5. Retrieved 3 October 2011. 
  26. ^ a b "Complete UK Year-End Album Charts". http://chartheaven.9.forumer.com/a/complete-uk-yearend-album-charts_post21.html. Retrieved 7 August 2011. 
  27. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Kate Bush – The Sensual World". Music Canada. http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=The+Sensual+World&sa=Kate+Bush&smt=0. 
  28. ^ "French album certifications – Kate Bush – The Sensual World" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. http://www.disqueenfrance.com/fr/pag-259165-CERTIFICATIONS.html&type=8. 
  29. ^ "Les Albums Or". infodisc.fr. SNEP. http://www.infodisc.fr/CDCertif_O.php?debut=400. Retrieved 31 August 2011. 
  30. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4871310779. 
  31. ^ "British album certifications – Kate Bush – The Sensual World". British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx.  Enter The Sensual World in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Click Go
  32. ^ "Kate Bush: The Sensual World (The Videos) - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi". allrovi.com. http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/kate-bush-the-sensual-world-the-videos-v26985?r=allmovie. Retrieved 12 August 2011. 
Kate Bush
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