Kate Bush shares her favourite Steely Dan album
Renowned for her ethereal musical voyages and versatile artistry, Kate Bush has forged an extravagant legacy rooted in pushing boundaries and challenging societal norms. However, amid her audacious catalogue, she also veers into various musical artists and genres, celebrating each and every person who has enlightened her path to success.
In a landscape that cherishes classics like ‘Wuthering Heights’ and ‘Babooshka’, Bush’s repertoire stands as a pinnacle of iconic musical offerings. Her artistic journey spans a diverse range, from exaggerated facial expressions to pioneering dance styles and from surrealism to gothic and enigmatic explorations, captivating our imagination at every turn.
It was Bush’s excellence in the realm of experimentalism that propelled her beyond the boundaries of conventional categorisation. Her musical and visual expressions diverged significantly from traditional perceptions of the ideal female image in the music industry. Furthermore, her lyrical explorations ventured into what might be considered unconventional realms, exploring themes like unexpected encounters with historical figures and delving into the darkest depths of a woman’s inner turmoil.
When asked about her own musical preferences, it comes as no surprise that Bush celebrates the greats. From David Bowie to Steely Dan, Bush always has time to enthuse over her favourites. Of the latter, she said: “They’re wonderful musicians,” choosing ‘Peg’ when asked to pick one song to play by the band.
Bush later commented on the band’s work, explaining in a 1980 BBC Radio 1 interview that “they’re very underestimated”.
She added: “They’re the most incredible musicians. This is it. They are here – a musician’s band. I mean, all the musicians in this country just rave about them technically, and as songwriters. But you know, they’re not really played on the radio, but they’re just incredible.”
When narrowing down her favourite Steely Dan albums to just one, she picked Gaucho, the band’s seventh studio record, released in 1980. “Each album got better, and I wish they hadn’t split up,” she told KBC in 1984. Despite the troublesome process the band encountered during the album’s recording, Gaucho was the body of work most notable for marking a stylistic shift in the band’s sound.
Each track on Gaucho displays the band’s signature blend of complex songwriting, jazz-inspired chord progressions, and cryptic, often sardonic lyrics. Songs like ‘Babylon Sisters’, ‘Hey Nineteen’, and the title track are among the album’s notable compositions, showcasing the distinctive sound Steely Dan’s established for the decade ahead.
