Sometimes, art is the best inspiration for art. Movies have proven to be an endless muse for songwriters, spawning some of the most cinematic compositions of all time. From David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’, inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey, to Pixies’ ‘Debaser’, which borrowed from surrealist cinema, the influence of film can be found throughout music, and the catalogue of Kate Bush is no exception.

Bush’s music has an intrinsically cinematic quality. Her peculiar art-pop has the ability to create worlds and wonder, so it’s no surprise that she often took direct inspiration from worlds she had seen on the silver screen. ‘Hounds of Love’ sampled directly from the 1957 horror Night of the Demon, while ‘Get Out Of My House’ took a trip to the Overlook Hotel. 

Alongside horror, Bush has taken inspiration from cinematic depictions of revenge, as with her 1980 track, ‘The Wedding List’. Featuring on her third studio record, Never For Ever, the song was inspired by François Truffaut’s 1968 film The Bride Wore Black, which followed a widow determined to avenge her murdered husband. 

Bush was particularly interested in the “terrible power” and strength of revenge. “The idea is to show that it’s so strong that even at such a tragic time it’s all she can think about,” she told Record Mirror. Bush observed that this phenomenon was not limited to the protagonist in Truffaut’s film, nor to the persona she took on in ‘The Wedding List’. Rather, it’s a universal human experience. 

“I find the whole aggression of human beings fascinating,” she noted, “how we are suddenly whipped up to such an extent that we can’t see anything except that. The songwriter certainly managed to channel this all-consuming passion in ‘The Wedding List’, which juxtaposes a honeymoon with warm maroon, evoking bloodied imagery.

Bush immediately conveys the determination of Truffaut’s protagonist in the opening moments of the song, declaring, “No, I’ll never give the hunt up, and I won’t muck it up.” The lyrics are steeped in passion and focus, unable to look beyond the murder of her husband on a path to avenge him no matter what it takes. She even begins to “feel good” in her revenge. 

The vengeful lyrics are only enhanced by the soundscapes Bush surrounds them with, which are expectedly cinematic in style. Swirling strings give her words the gravitas and drama they desire, while Bush’s vocals swing high and low in passion, depicting the simultaneous force and futility of her feelings. It’s decidedly cinematic, even without contextualisation. 

Listen to ‘The Wedding List’ by Kate Bush below.

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