Say good night-night
I tuck him in tight.
But things are not right.
What is this? An infant kiss
That sends my body tingling?
I've never fallen for
A little boy before.
No control.

Just a kid and just at school.
Back home they'd call me dirty.
His little hand is on my heart.
He's got me where it hurts me.
Knock, knock. Who's there in this baby?

You know how to work me.
All my barriers are going.
It's starting to show.
Let go. Let go. Let go.
I cannot sit and let
Something happen I'll regret.
Ooh, he scares me!

There's a man behind those eyes.
I catch him when I'm bending.
Ooh, how he frightens me
When they whisper privately.
("Don't Let Go!")

Windy-wailey blows me.
Words of caress on their lips
That speak of adult love.
I want to smack but I hold back.
I only want to touch.

But I must stay and find a way
To stop before it gets too much!
All my barriers are going.
It's starting to show.
Let go. Let go. Let go.
(Don't let go!)


Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery

The Infant Kiss Lyrics as written by Kate Bush

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

The Infant Kiss song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

14 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    Lolita in reverse.

    Kate was always the one to tackle anything tabooed...

    The line "There's a man behind those eyes" is interesting, because it's sort of the opposite of the situation in her single "Then Man With the Child in His Eyes"...

    starpatrolleron September 01, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This is one of the many reasons why I adore Kate Bush - she's not afraid of writing songs like this! These lyrics are very gentle and affectionate, about a woman who falls in love with a little boy, and she sees a great maturity in him ("There's a man behind those eyes"; "Words of caress on their lips That speak of adult love"). She knows that people would "call me dirty" and she tries to "Let go" of it because of societal pressure, but her unchecked mind still tells her "Don't let go".

    I also find it interesting that while in this song Kate speaks about a child with a man behind his eyes, she also has a beautifully gentle and passionate song titled "the man with the child in his eyes". :)

    alana_kaion January 03, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    But it doesn't have to be an incest. It could be about a nanny.

    Alienoon January 08, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Awesome song. It's based on a book called 'The Turn of the Screw'. A young, naïve governess is employed by a reprehensible man to care for his son and daughter and she learns that the woman she's replaced (and that of her lover) died of suspicious circumstance and that the spirits of the lovers are possessing the children. Of course, it a horror. KT loves her horror flicks.

    trinity_tragedyon March 21, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I agree with trinity. Hasn't Kate even said it isn't refrring to paedophilia but the story about the man possessing the child?

    lizawithazon October 08, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I believe Kate has said it's not about paedophilia it relates to a film about a house where the children are possessed by the old staff or something, so the woman falls in love with the gardener who is actually in the body of the young boy which is what disturbs her, but hey I may just have made all that up.

    lizawithazon October 25, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Liz, you're right, that IS what Kate said, but I do like Alana's interpetation better. Also with all due respect, im not so sure any other response from Kate would have been accepted by the press.

    Kitten79on October 28, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Its interesting for an incest song to be woman-boy, rather than man-girl. Like you said, starpatroller, it's typical Kate to sing something like this. I love the vocals in it though, she's the queen of using back-ups in all the right spots, no matter what song.

    rikkuon November 08, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I couldn't believe this song the first time I heard it I had to replay it like five times to realize what I was hearing. It may be kinda weird but I like it a lot.

    bonnielynnon July 26, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Fair point Kitten it never occured to me she might have to say something else.

    lizawithazon November 08, 2007   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!