The song that convinced David Gilmour that Kate Bush was a prodigy: “Already in the bag”
Before Kate Bush became Kate Bush, she was a teenager trying to turn her passion for songwriting into a profession. Fortunately, she had the perfect contact to help her achieve that aim: Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour. The classic rocker was a friend of a family friend, and he would soon become her mentor and seal of approval when it came to developing her artistry and approaching record labels. But first, she had to convince Gilmour of her talents with a microphone and a pen.
Fortunately, he didn’t take too much convincing. Gilmour’s friend, Ricky Hopper, had assured him that Bush’s talent was well worth his time, so the Pink Floyd guitarist took a trip down to Kent, Bush’s hometown, to verify this. He listened to her demos and was immediately convinced. But there was one early song, in particular, that cemented Gilmour’s belief that Bush was a prodigy worth taking a chance on.
That song was ‘The Man With the Child in His Eyes’, a stunning song that would eventually feature on her debut album, The Kick Inside, in 1978, but she had penned it when she was just a teen. “‘The Man With the Child in His Eyes’ was one of her demos at like, I mean, I think she was 14,” Gilmour remembered during a conversation with BBC Radio 2, “Maybe 15. And that was already in the bag.”
It’s easy to see why Gilmour was immediately stunned when he heard ‘The Man With the Child in His Eyes’. A stirring collage of strings and keys, each providing a background for Bush’s airy vocals, it was an impressive feat for an experienced songwriter, nevermind a young girl just starting out. “So that was the one that sold her to me,” Gilmour recalled, “I thought, ‘anyone who could write that is a major talent.’”
Gilmour was right in predicting that Bush would be a major talent. ‘The Man With the Child in His Eyes’ had proven her early capabilities in the realm of songwriting, introducing Gilmour to her wavering, wandering vocals, her love for the keys, and her innovative approach to pop, but it was just the beginning. With Gilmour’s help, she would become one of the most important and influential figures in the genre.
After hearing her earliest demos, Gilmour helped Bush to solidify her sound and she eventually landed a deal with EMI. The Pink Floyd guitarist remained an essential part of her career beyond that initial win, co-producing her debut album The Kick Inside in the late 1970s. Between his experience and her talent, Bush’s career went from strength to strength.
Bush created pop hit after pop hit, reinventing and revitalising the genre along the way. She helmed the record-breaking ‘Wuthering Heights’, which remains one of the most beloved pop songs of all time, the enduringly iconic ‘Running Up That Hill’, and the emotional ‘This Woman’s Work’. Each song improved her vocal prowess and her talent for songwriting, proving Gilmour’s early intuition right.
Now, around half a century after Gilmour first took a chance on Bush, she has joined him as one of music history’s greats. She has changed pop forever, inspiring countless others with her work and allowing her artistry to stretch beyond songwriting into new realms. Her talent was evident from her earliest recordings, and the Pink Floyd guitarist felt it.
