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The Sensual World Lyrics
Mmh, yes.
Then I'd taken the kiss of seedcake back from his mouth
Going deep South, go down. mmh, yes,
Took six big wheels and rolled our bodies
Off of Howth Head and into the flesh, mmh, yes,
He said I was a flower of the mountain, yes,
But now I` ve powers o'er a woman's body - yes.
Stepping out of the page into the sensual world.
Stepping out................
To where the water and the earth caress
And the down of a peach says mmh, yes.
Do I look for those millionaires
Like a Machiavellan girl would?
When I could wear a sunset, mmh, yes.
And how we'd wished to live in the sensual world.
You don't need words - just one kiss, then another.
Stepping out of the page into the sensual world.
Stepping out, off the page into the sensual world.
And then our arrows of desire rewrite the speech, mmh, yes.
And then he whispered would I, mmh, yes,
Be safe, mmh, yes.from mountain flowers?
And at first with the charm around him, mmh. yes.
He loosened it so if it slipped between my breasts
He'd rescued it, mmh, yes.
And his spark took life in my hand and, mmh, yes,
I said, mmh, yes,
But not yet, mmh, yes.
Mmh, yes.
Then I'd taken the kiss of seedcake back from his mouth
Going deep South, go down. mmh, yes,
Took six big wheels and rolled our bodies
Off of Howth Head and into the flesh, mmh, yes,
He said I was a flower of the mountain, yes,
But now I` ve powers o'er a woman's body - yes.
Stepping out................
To where the water and the earth caress
And the down of a peach says mmh, yes.
Do I look for those millionaires
Like a Machiavellan girl would?
When I could wear a sunset, mmh, yes.
And how we'd wished to live in the sensual world.
You don't need words - just one kiss, then another.
Stepping out of the page into the sensual world.
Stepping out, off the page into the sensual world.
And then our arrows of desire rewrite the speech, mmh, yes.
And then he whispered would I, mmh, yes,
Be safe, mmh, yes.from mountain flowers?
And at first with the charm around him, mmh. yes.
He loosened it so if it slipped between my breasts
He'd rescued it, mmh, yes.
And his spark took life in my hand and, mmh, yes,
I said, mmh, yes,
But not yet, mmh, yes.
Mmh, yes.
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I think this song embodies all that is sensual -- you can imagine being immersed in something surreal and sexual yet innocent because its all being experienced for the first time.
If you look at this without knowing the final monolouge of james joyce's ulysses or the context of the whole book then it could be viewed as 'playful teasing within the joyful bells of blessed union'.
But Molly cheats on her husband (around the time he jerks off on a beach) and at this point has been woken by her husband coming to bed and is thinking of her previous lovers and the first time she had sex with her husband. There is a distinct possibility she is masturbating at this point in the book as well (hence the repition of yes-though its not obvious as there is not narration, just the inner workings of her mind)
I think Kate bush captures this strongdesire for the sensual very well indeed and the song is indeed very sexy but ambiguous too just like the book. so joyful union? no, but this is the point where she realises she loves her husband so it is also a little touching too but by no means as clean and christian as some comments see it as!
@kitcat.1488 you got it kitcat.1488, it took kate 20 years to get the rights. Can you imagine? If she'd just done it the way she wanted in the first place...oh, I forgot....this is England. She wouldn't have done it, and anyway she wouldn't have gotten away with it! Bravo, Kate, kitcat from Catpower.... I said, mmh, yes But not yet, mmh, yes Mmh, yes Mmh, yes
@kitcat.1488 you got it kitcat.1488, it took kate 20 years to get the rights. Can you imagine? If she'd just done it the way she wanted in the first place...oh, I forgot....this is England. She wouldn't have done it, and anyway she wouldn't have gotten away with it! Bravo, Kate, kitcat from Catpower.... I said, mmh, yes But not yet, mmh, yes Mmh, yes Mmh, yes
Like everyone has said, the song is based on Molly's monologue. Kate wanted to make the lyrics the monologue but they wouldn't release the rights, so she wrote this song, trying to encapture the monologue's meaning
One of the top songs appropriately fit in the background, when two people are enjoying intimacy.
I love this song, if not just for the repetition of "mmh, yes." It's based on Molly Bloom's Monologue, the last bit of James Joyce's novel Ulysses. Such a sensual song.
pure sensuality of sexual love...playful teasing within the joyful bells of blessed union
also the bells at the begginning are the bells molly hears as she lies in bed...i think...
I dont think shes trying to so much capture the meaning of the monolouge as using it to express her own love of everything sensuous.
This is just a bit of hearsay that I read a while ago on the internet concerning this song, so I'm not sure whether it's really true...but there was a recording of Molly Bloom's monologue done by an irish actress in the late 1950's that Kate really liked and had wanted to do something similar to it, and she had prepared and created music to accompany the monologue. Unfortunately she was unable to use the rights and instead wrote a song for the music-hence the inclusion of an instrumental version on the single.
http://underseacommunity.com/2008/06/12/the-kate-bush-james-joyce-connection/
article about what I mentioned.
@ambriel rats I can't get to that site. what a shock it's 10 years since you posted.
How about the song "Don't want your bullshit...just want your sexuality"? from The Red Shoes....The Song of Solomon. Amen, but it never got played on US radio, I can flipping guarantee you that.....but she didn't care apparently and IMO why should she? That's what makes her great...and still does!
@ambriel rats I can't get to that site. what a shock it's 10 years since you posted.
How about the song "Don't want your bullshit...just want your sexuality"? from The Red Shoes....The Song of Solomon. Amen, but it never got played on US radio, I can flipping guarantee you that.....but she didn't care apparently and IMO why should she? That's what makes her great...and still does!