I think that from Kate Bush's perspective this song is about a man losing his wife and not ever really opening up to her the way he knows he should have. Watch her video on youtube and I think that everyone will agree because she pretty much spells it out for you. I believe that the song is from both the husband's perspective and the ghost of the dead wife's perspective.
Pray God you can cope.
I stand outside this woman's work, this woman's world.
Ooh, it's hard on the man,
Now his part is over.
Now starts the craft of the father.
(This first part is the only real part that confuses me because I am not sure exactly who's perspective it is from. "Pray God you can cope" sounds to me like the wife's praying that her husband will be okay now that she is gone. On the other hand "I stand outside this woman's work, this woman's world" sounds like it is from the husband's perspective. This part does kind of sound like a woman having a child and a man not being able to take part in that, but the video does not make it seem like this at all. I could see why these lines might make someone think that it was about having children. The part that states "Now starts the craft of the father" is definitely about God stepping in once the wife dies. It is not about children like people were saying, at least not from Kate Bush's perspective.)
I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.
I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.
(When this part of the song starts all of a sudden the wife appears next to the husband. I believe this is the ghost of the wife trying to tell him to be strong and that he will make it.)
I should be crying, but I just can't let it show.
I should be hoping, but I can't stop thinking of all the things I should've said, that I never said.
All the things we should've done, that we never did.
All the things I should've given, but I didn't.
Oh, darling, make it go, make it go away.
Give me these moments back.
Give them back to me.
Give me that little kiss.
Give me your hand.
(This part is the man feeling remorseful over never being able to express the emotions that he knows he should have expressed. I agree with LITTLEWING13 when he mentioned men holding back from giving emotionally, or having difficulty expressing emotions. The husband knew that he did this and he felt terrible once his wife was gone, knowing that he would never be able to see her, touch her or tell her how much he loved her again.)
I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.
I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.
(Once again this is from the dead wife's perspective. Watch the video and I think you will agree with me.)
I should be crying, but I just can't let it show.
I should be hoping, but I can't stop thinking of all the things we should've said, that were never said.
All the things we should've done, that we never did.
All the things that you needed from me.
All the things that you wanted for me.
All the things that I should've given, but I didn't.
Oh, darling, make it go away.
Just make it go away now.
(Once again from the husband's perspective. He is so sad that his wife is gone and he just wants the pain to go away.)
I could be wrong about a few parts, but I believe it is pretty much correct.
I think that from Kate Bush's perspective this song is about a man losing his wife and not ever really opening up to her the way he knows he should have. Watch her video on youtube and I think that everyone will agree because she pretty much spells it out for you. I believe that the song is from both the husband's perspective and the ghost of the dead wife's perspective.
Pray God you can cope. I stand outside this woman's work, this woman's world. Ooh, it's hard on the man, Now his part is over. Now starts the craft of the father. (This first part is the only real part that confuses me because I am not sure exactly who's perspective it is from. "Pray God you can cope" sounds to me like the wife's praying that her husband will be okay now that she is gone. On the other hand "I stand outside this woman's work, this woman's world" sounds like it is from the husband's perspective. This part does kind of sound like a woman having a child and a man not being able to take part in that, but the video does not make it seem like this at all. I could see why these lines might make someone think that it was about having children. The part that states "Now starts the craft of the father" is definitely about God stepping in once the wife dies. It is not about children like people were saying, at least not from Kate Bush's perspective.)
I know you have a little life in you yet. I know you have a lot of strength left. I know you have a little life in you yet. I know you have a lot of strength left. (When this part of the song starts all of a sudden the wife appears next to the husband. I believe this is the ghost of the wife trying to tell him to be strong and that he will make it.)
I should be crying, but I just can't let it show. I should be hoping, but I can't stop thinking of all the things I should've said, that I never said. All the things we should've done, that we never did. All the things I should've given, but I didn't. Oh, darling, make it go, make it go away. Give me these moments back. Give them back to me. Give me that little kiss. Give me your hand. (This part is the man feeling remorseful over never being able to express the emotions that he knows he should have expressed. I agree with LITTLEWING13 when he mentioned men holding back from giving emotionally, or having difficulty expressing emotions. The husband knew that he did this and he felt terrible once his wife was gone, knowing that he would never be able to see her, touch her or tell her how much he loved her again.)
I know you have a little life in you yet. I know you have a lot of strength left. I know you have a little life in you yet. I know you have a lot of strength left. (Once again this is from the dead wife's perspective. Watch the video and I think you will agree with me.)
I should be crying, but I just can't let it show. I should be hoping, but I can't stop thinking of all the things we should've said, that were never said. All the things we should've done, that we never did. All the things that you needed from me. All the things that you wanted for me. All the things that I should've given, but I didn't. Oh, darling, make it go away. Just make it go away now. (Once again from the husband's perspective. He is so sad that his wife is gone and he just wants the pain to go away.)
I could be wrong about a few parts, but I believe it is pretty much correct.