FEATURE:
December Will Be Magic Again
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush in 1979/PHOTO CREDIT: Alamy
The Kate Bush Christmas Special at Forty
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IT may sound a bit unfair to call…
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush during the filming of the 1979 Christmas Special/PHOTO CREDIT: BBC
Kate: Kate Bush Christmas Special 1979 a true Christmas special! There are a few reasons why I wanted to cover it. For one, it involves Kate Bush and I never need much of an excuse to include her! Also, on 28th December, it will be forty years since her special show went out on T.V. It was filmed at Pebble Mill Studios, Birmingham and involves Kate Bush performing songs from her first three albums – The Kick Inside (1978), Lionheart (1978) and Never for Ever (1980); she performed songs from Never for Ever months before the album itself went on sale. Peter Gabriel was her special guest for the show and, after her Tour of Life ran from 2nd April – 14th May, 1979, this was the culmination of a very busy and exciting year. I will get into more detail about the Kate: Kate Bush Christmas Special 1979 in a bit but, forty years ago, Kate Bush was in the midst of one of the busiest periods of her life! Just over a year since her debut album was released, she had put out two studio albums and embarked on a very ambitious and extraordinary stage show – one that took her to various nations and was noted for its incredible spectacle and originality. Just a matter of days before the start of the 1980s, Bush was called into action for a T.V. special.
Many notes the fact there is only one Christmas track, December Will Be Magic Again (which was released as a single on 17th November, 1980), but I think it is the sheer delight of the show compensates. Directed by Roy Norton, Bush presented a fascinating set that, like her stage show, saw her assume various guises and perform these incredibly well choreographed songs. The fact of the matter is that, until the Christmas Special, most people had not been able to see Bush perform in this way. She had done T.V. performances and standard interviews but, unless you were in attendance during her Tour of Life run, you wouldn’t have been able to see her produce such an extensive set. Also, her Tour of Life did not have December Will Be Magic Again which, I think, is the standout song from the Christmas Special. Mixing the new (The Wedding List and Violin would appear on 1980’s Never for Ever) and her classic tracks (The Man with the Child in His Eyes and Them Heavy People) with some unexpected inclusions (Ran Tan Waltz). In fact, Ran Tan Waltz was only performed the once; it concerns a young husband is left home holding the baby while the wife is out drinking and philandering. It was released as the B-side of the single, Babooshka, in June 1980. I love the fact that, despite there only being one Christmas number, there is a sense of magic and the festive throughout. It is amazing seeing Bush step into a variety of different situations and portraying various sides of herself. Alongside Peter Gabriel and some familiar faces from the Kate Bush camp, the 1979 Christmas Special is an underrated part of her cannon. There are some big Kate Bush-related anniversaries next year (in September, Never for Ever turns forty; Hounds of Love turns thirty-five), but I think Kate: Kate Bush Christmas Special 1979 is very important.
Not only did it cap off an incredibly busy and successful year for Bush; there is the fact we got to see this upcoming, popular artists in a T.V. special. I know I am a bit premature marking the fortieth anniversary, but I would urge people to watch it as it is full of terrific moments and sensational performances. At the centre of everything is Kate Bush’s vocal and dance brilliance. Not only is it worth investigating the Kate Bush Christmas Special because of the music and sense of theatre; it is also rare to see an artist given their own show. I do wonder why we do not see Christmas specials. At a time when there is virtually no music T.V. – aside from Jools Holland on the BBC -, it would be nice to see an artist, either a popular rising act or an icon, being given that space. Like Bush’s 1979 endeavour, we need not see too many Christmas songs at all. Rather, one would have a unique opportunity to see a popular musician performing a slightly scaled-down version of a live concert. Bush’s T.V. special was fort-four minutes, and I would love to see artists of today perform like Bush did in 1979. I have included a video of Kate: Kate Bush Christmas Special 1979 at the bottom, so you can see the whole thing for yourself and marvel. As we head into the news year, there is talk about what Kate Bush will do next. Five years after her Before the Dawn residency, will she take to the stage very soon? Her previous studio album, 50 Words for Snow, arrived in 2011, so there is a hankering for new material. When it comes to Bush, she needs her time to create and there is never too much rush. Kate: Kate Bush Christmas Special 1979 features drama, a sprinkle of snow and incredible performances. Nearly forty years after its original broadcast, it remains…
MAGIC indeed!