8 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A
Kashka from Baghdad Lyrics
Kashka from Baghdad lives in sin they say
With another man
But no one knows who
Old friends never call there
Some wonder if life's inside at all
If there's life inside at all
But we know the lady who rents the room
She catches them calling à la lune
At night they're seen
Laughing, loving
They know the way
To be happy
They never go for walks
Maybe it's because the moon's not bright enough
There's light in love you see
I watch their shadows
Tall and slim in the window opposite
I long to be with them
Because when all the alley-cats come out
You can hear music from Kashka's house
At night they're seen
Laughing, loving
They know the way
To be happy
With another man
But no one knows who
Old friends never call there
Some wonder if life's inside at all
If there's life inside at all
But we know the lady who rents the room
She catches them calling à la lune
Laughing, loving
They know the way
To be happy
Maybe it's because the moon's not bright enough
There's light in love you see
I watch their shadows
Tall and slim in the window opposite
I long to be with them
Because when all the alley-cats come out
You can hear music from Kashka's house
Laughing, loving
They know the way
To be happy
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
Kate is so cool...isn't this the first song about a gay male couple???
Indeed this song is about a gay male couple. Kate sings as Kashka's neighbor and she sees him happy with another man and she envies them because she can't have seem to have the happiness that they have. She wants to get to know them. What does "a la lune" mean?
And the neighbor feels a little guilty spying and feeling jealous.
And the neighbor feels a little guilty spying and feeling jealous.
I always found it funny and odd that poeple think it is about gay couple - Kashka is a female name.
Kashka is not just a female name it's more commonly used as a boys name in Muslim North African countries, it was also confirmed by Kate Bush that it was about a gay couple.
Kashka is not just a female name it's more commonly used as a boys name in Muslim North African countries, it was also confirmed by Kate Bush that it was about a gay couple.
Also she says "with another man."
Also she says "with another man."
Lune is moon in french.
"A la lune" would mean "by the moon"--she only sees them visiting at night, and they never go out when they could be seen, since they'd probably be harassed (or worse) for it.
Coincidentally, I can't help but wonder if there's some influence on Kate by Susan Traynor, aka Noosha Fox of '70s British pop group Fox--they both had a high, squeaky vocal style, somewhat fantastical songs, a band of crack pop musicians playing in an unmistakably '70s style, and Fox also had a song, "Georgina Bailey," which makes reference to a pair of gay men living in France. I won't divulge more, in case you want to check out the song yourself (a Top of the Pops performance of the song can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEMmmPn-Esw).
Maybe this is about what the outside world feels and what Kate really feels. It sounds like this is about stigma "Lives in sin they say" but she clearly wants to be part of that world. I feel this song has some similar elements to wuthering heights in the mentioning of 'the window opposite' or gazing in through a window. I also thought at one point she was almost a voyeur singing this song. Oh and yes - it's about a gay couple!
i think there's an underlying theme of lonliness
the narrator is so lonely and sees them happy and wishes she could be happy with them
Definitely one of Kate Bush' finest song.