From Elton John to Peter Gabriel: Kate Bush’s five best collaborations

Posted On August 12, 2024August 12, 2024

The moment she unleashed her debut single on the world, Kate Bush cemented her place as a truly singular artist. ‘Wuthering Heights’, with its wavering vocals, literary lyricism, and sparkling keys, shot straight to the top of the charts. It immediately broke a music history record, making Bush the first woman to obtain a UK number one with a song she had penned herself.

From there, Bush would continually prove herself to be one of the most innovative and impressive artists of her generation. From the bouncy ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)’ to the tender ‘This Woman’s Work’, she carved out a place for herself as an art pop pioneer, pushing the genre into new realms with strange synths and lyrical storytelling.

She adorned her unique sound with equally striking visuals, always fully realising her creative vision. From her live show to her music videos to her fashion, she infused every element of her artistry with movement and magic. Although she always had a view of her own imaginative leanings, Bush wasn’t immune to the influence of others. 

She was heavily influenced by Elton John in her youth, and later sought creative guidance from Pink Floyd songwriter David Gilmour and her movement mentor Lindsay Kemp. Though she rarely partook in duets or features, there were a few occasions where she also worked collaboratively in the studio, including with some huge names.

From Elton John To Peter Gabriel, find our list of Bush’s five greatest sonic collaborations below.

The five best Kate Bush collaborations:

‘Snowed In At Wheeler Street’ – Elton John 

Back in 2011, Kate Bush achieved something most musicians only dream of: turning one of her biggest inspirations into a close collaborator. The art-pop icon was heavily influenced by piano-playing popstar Elton John in her youth, particularly when she started making her own music. Amidst a scene full of rockers wielding guitars, John provided a guiding light from behind the keys. 

Bush had earned John’s admiration with her own take on the pop world by the early 1990s when he and Bernie Taupin recruited her to contribute a cover of ‘Rocket Man’ to a compilation. But it was only in 2011 that Bush entered the studio with her sunglass-loving hero. They duetted on ‘Snowed In At Wheeler Street’, a ghostly piano track which situates the pair as two star-crossed lovers. 

Bush’s ethereal vocals contrast John’s more powerful delivery, while their shared love for the piano is evident in the dominance of keys amidst strange electronica. It’s a pairing of pop royals.

‘My Computer’ – Prince 

John isn’t the only legend that Bush has collaborated with in the studio. A little later in the 1990s, she appeared on Prince’s 19th record, Emancipation. Their collaboration wasn’t a straightforward duet — you might have to dig a little deeper to find Bush’s contribution — but she provided backing vocals to the bouncy ninth track on the third disc, ‘My Computer’.

On the track, Prince sings of using technology in order to find a connection. “I scan my computer looking for a site,” he sings over gentle vocalisations and wavering twangs, “Somebody to talk to, funny and bright.” Somewhere in between his laments and AOL samples, Bush’s dulcet tones can be heard peeking out from below Prince’s iconic voice. 

‘The Seer’ – Big Country

Not all of Bush’s collaborative outings are with huge names in pop. In 1986, she linked up with Scottish rockers Big Country on the titular tune for their third record, The Seer. Instrumentally, the track featured echoing twangs and quiet strings. Big Country singer Stuart Adamson took on the lion’s share of the vocals, delivering a medieval-style tale through his distinctive Scottish accent.

But, occasionally, his vocals are enhanced by the presence of Bush alongside them. She yodels and sings in harmony with Adamson at will. “Even now, I wait for the coming day,” they sing together, Adamson’s voice pushed a little further back, “Even now, she waits in the dawn.” Her presence serves to soften the song, to provide the raw rocker with a certain shimmer.

‘Sister and Brother’ – Midge Ure

Midge Ure has lived many musical lives. He briefly contributed his guitar skills to Thin Lizzy in the late 1970s. He dipped his toes into new wave with Visage and Ultravox. Each year, his words soundtrack the festive season of millions across the world. In 1988, he collaborated with Bush on a song for his sophomore solo album, Answers to Nothing.

‘Sister and Brother’ began with foreboding backing vocals and powerful words from Ure. “I will stand by you, I believe in you,” he sings amidst repeated declarations of “sister”. The second verse repeats this same format, with each line kicking off with the word “brother” while Bush makes her own declarations of devotion. “I am your sister,” she sings, “if you need me near, in your doubt and fear.”

Bouncy instrumentals offset the intensity of the lyrics, while Ure and Bush’s voices unexpectedly work perfectly together.

‘Games Without Frontiers’ – Peter Gabriel

Like many of the greats, Peter Gabriel held off on releasing a self-titled album until he had established who he was as a solo artist. Peter Gabriel finally arrived in 1980, marking his third full-length offering alone, securing his place in the post-punk world and shrugging off his prog-rock roots. The record featured some impressive collaborators, including Robert Fripp, Paul Weller, and Kate Bush.

Bush provided backing vocals to two songs on the album, ‘No Self Control’ and ‘Games Without Frontiers’. On the latter, Gabriel asserts himself as a new wave vocalist over whistles and synths. He sings of war without tears and games without frontiers, while Bush provides a floaty French refrain of “Jeux sans frontières”.

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