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Eat the Music

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"Eat the Music"
Single by Kate Bush
from the album The Red Shoes
B-side
Released
  • 7 September 1993 (1993-09-07)
  • 30 May 1994 (1994-05-30) (Australia)[1]
GenreBaila[2]
Length
  • 4:55
  • 9:19 (12" version)
LabelColumbia (US)
Songwriter(s)Kate Bush
Producer(s)Kate Bush
Kate Bush singles chronology
"Rubberband Girl"
(1993) 		"Eat the Music"
(1993) 		"Moments of Pleasure"
(1993)
Music video
"Eat the Music" on YouTube

"Eat the Music" is a song written and recorded by British singer-songwriter Kate Bush. Columbia Records released it as the lead single from Bush's seventh album, The Red Shoes (1993), in the United States, while EMI chose "Rubberband Girl" everywhere else in the world.

In the United Kingdom, a handful of 7" and promotional CD-singles were produced, but were recalled by EMI Records at the last minute. A commercial release followed in 1994 in the Netherlands and Australia, and a number of other countries. The single reached #10 in the US Modern Rock Tracks chart.[3]

Tricky included the song on his edition of the mix album series Back to Mine.

Background and release

Bush commented on the song, saying, "'Eat the Music' was inspired by Madagascan music which I was fortunate enough to hear through Paddy, who gave me some tapes that I loved listening to. The music is so joyous and full of sunshine and it's good to drive to. Justin Vali came to Paddy's attention and soon after, they were both playing valihas to a specially written 'Madagascan' song. I wanted it to feel joyous and sunny, both qualities are rife in Justin as a person – so I just had to provide the fruit I hope the result is a colourful one. Again, this was a lot of fun to work on and it features Justin's first lines of sung English which he found hilarious. We found both his singing and his reaction to it delightful."[4] Speaking of the song's lyrics, Bush told Melody Maker in 1993, "It's playing with the idea of opening people up, and the idea of the hidden femininity in a man, and the man in a woman."[5]

In April 2024, "Eat the Music" was rereleased as a 10" vinyl record as part of that year's Record Store Day.[6][7]

Critical reception

Chris Roberts from Melody Maker felt that the song was "misguided", "all ghastly, Lilt-supping, Notting Hill Carnival calypso".[8] Terry Staunton from NME declared it as "a shopping list of exotic fruit, as if Kate is pulling Carmen Miranda's hat apart looking for metaphors for love."[9] Parry Gettelman from Orlando Sentinel wrote, "The bizarre fruit metaphors on 'Eat the Music' are exceedingly pretentious, but the song has a lilting, African high-life feel."[10]

Track listings

All tracks are written by Kate Bush, except where noted

CD single (France)
No.TitleLength
1."Eat the Music" (edit radio)3:25
CD single (US)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Eat the Music" 4:55
2."Eat the Music" (12" version) 9:19
3."Big Stripey Lie" 3:32
4."Candle in the Wind"
4:26
Cassette single (US)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Eat the Music" 4:55
2."Eat the Music" (12" version) 9:19
3."Big Stripey Lie" 3:32
4."Candle in the Wind"
  • John
  • Taupin
4:26
CD single (non-US)
No.TitleLength
1."Eat the Music"5:10
2."Eat the Music" (extended mix)4:58
3."You Want Alchemy"4:22
4."Shoedance" (The Red Shoes dance mix)10:05
10" vinyl single for Record Store Day (2024)
No.TitleLength
1."Eat the Music" 
2."Lily" 
3."Big Stripey Lie" 

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1993) Peak
position
UK Airplay (ERA)[11] 49
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[12] 10
US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)[13] 31
Chart (1994) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[14] 133
Chart (2024) Peak
position
UK Singles Sales (OCC)[15] 2
UK Physical Singles (OCC)[15] 2
UK Vinyl Singles (OCC)[15] 2

References

  1. ^ "New Release Summary – Product Available from: 30/05/94 (from The ARIA Report Issue No. 224)". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  2. ^ "Baila Music from Sri Lanka: The Gypsies".
  3. ^ "Billboard > Artists / Kate Bush > Chart History > Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Letter To The Fan Club". Living In The Past.
  5. ^ Reynolds, Simon (6 November 1993). "Heaven's Kate". Melody Maker. pp. 36–37.
  6. ^ O'Connor, Roisin (28 February 2024). "Kate Bush announced as Record Store Day UK". The Independent. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  7. ^ Savage, Mark (28 February 2024). "Kate Bush says she's 'privileged' to become Record Store Day ambassador". BBC. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  8. ^ Roberts, Chris (30 October 1993). "Albums". Melody Maker. p. 32. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  9. ^ Staunton, Terry (6 November 1993). "Plimsoll Asylum". NME. p. 29. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  10. ^ Gettelman, Parry (3 December 1993). "Kate Bush". Orlando Sentinel.
  11. ^ "Airplay 100" (PDF). Hit Music. 6 November 1993. p. 21. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Kate Bush Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  13. ^ "allmusic - Kate Bush - Billboard singles". Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  14. ^ "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 2015-07-15". imgur.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  15. ^ a b c "EAT THE MUSIC". Official Charts. 28 April 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
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