The Red Shoes

About

"The Red Shoes" is the seventh studio album by English musician Kate Bush, released on 1 November 1993. It was accompanied by the short film "The Line, the Cross and the Curve" and was Bush's final album before a 12-year hiatus from releasing new studio material. The album reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). In the United State, it peaked at number 28 on the Billboard 200, becoming Bush's highest-charting album in the country at the time. In 2018, Bush included a remastered edition of "The Red Shoes" in a series of box sets featuring remastered versions of her studio album. In April 2024, the song "Eat the Music" was reissued as a 10-inch vinyl single for Record Store Day, accompanied by the B-sides "Lily" and "Big Stripey Lie". The release reached number 77 on the UK Singles Midweek Update chart. "The Red Shoes" was inspired by the 1948 film "The Red Shoes", directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, which was itself based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. The story centers on a dancer who becomes consumed by her art and is unable to remove the titular shoe. During the recording of the album, Bush experienced several personal losse, including the deaths of her mother, Hannah Bush, in 1992 and guitarist Alan Murphy. Her long-term relationship with bassist Del Palmer also ended during this period, although the two continued to collaborate professionally. The album featured several guest contributor. "Why Should I Love You?" included instrumental and vocal contributions from Prince, as well as guest vocals from comedian Lenny Henry. Trio Bulgarka appeared on the songs "You're the One", "The Song of Solomon", and "Why Should I Love You?". "And So Is Love" featured guitar work by Eric Clapton, while Gary Brooker and Jeff Beck also participated in the recording session. "The Red Shoes" was recorded digitally. Bush later expressed dissatisfaction with aspects of the digital production and revisited several songs for her 2011 album "Director's Cut", re-recording them using analogue tape technique. A remastered edition of "The Red Shoes" based on an analogue backup tape was also released in 2011. Bush indicated during production that she intended the album to have a more performance-oriented sound, with fewer studio effects than her previous three album, and suggested the possibility of a supporting tour. No tour ultimately took place. In 2014, she performed "Lily" and "Top of the City" live for the first time during her "Before the Dawn" concert residency. Prior to the album's release, Music Week reported that EMI planned a national promotional campaign in the United Kingdom, including poster, window display, television advertisement, and advance in-store play at selected retailers such as HMV. "The Line, the Cross and the Curve", written and directed by Bush and starring Bush and actress Miranda Richardson, was released in 1993. The film incorporated six songs from the album: "Rubberband Girl", "And So Is Love", "The Red Shoes", "Moments of Pleasure", "Eat the Music", and "Lily". Several of these tracks were also used in promotional music video. The film received a nomination for Best Long Form Music Video at the 1996 Grammy Award. .

via Last.fm

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