Hello Earth by Kate Bush: Unraveling the Haunting Hymn to our Home Planet

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Kate Bush's Hello Earth at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

Hello earth
Hello earth

With just one hand held up high
I can blot you out
Out of sight

Peek-a-boo,
Peek-a-boo, little earth
With just my heart and my mind
I can be driving
Driving home
And you asleep
On the seat

I get out of my car
Step into the night
And look up at the sky
And there’s something bright
Traveling fast
Look at it go
Look at it go

Hello earth
Hello earth

Watching storms
Start to form
Over America
Can’t do anything
Just watch them swing
With the wind out to sea

All you sailors
(Get out of the waves, get out of the water)
All life-savers,
(Get out of the waves, get out of the water)
All you cruisers,
(Get out of the waves, get out of the water)
All you fishermen
Head for home

Go to sleep, little earth
I was there at the birth
Out of the cloudburst
The head of the tempest
Murderer
Murder of calm
Why did I go?
Why did I go?

Tiefer, tiefer
Irgendwo in der tiefe
Gibt es ein licht

Go to sleep little earth

In the grand tapestry of Kate Bush’s illustrious career, ‘Hello Earth’ stands out as a haunting meditation on humanity’s connection with its home planet. This track, nestled within the eclectic and visionary album ‘Hounds of Love’, serves as a surreal and poetic reflection on the fragility of existence as gauged from the cold expanse of space.

Bush’s ethereal vocals glide over minimalist orchestration, conjuring the vastness of the cosmos and the smallness of Earth in the face of it. The song invites fans and critics alike to ponder its depths; each listen reveals subtle layers of complexity, a testament to Bush’s prowess as a musical alchemist.

Through the Cosmos: Perception of Earth as an Astral Traveler

The opening lines, ‘With just one hand held up high, I can blot you out, Out of sight’, encapsulate the song’s overarching theme: the transcendence of perspective. Bush posits a scenario where Earth’s entire existence fits under the thumb—a humbling notion that reduces our world to a mere speck in the universe. There’s a sense of power in this perspective, but also an omnipresent vulnerability; our home is as significant as we perceive it to be.

The whimsical, ‘Peek-a-boo, Peek-a-boo, little earth’ follows, adding a childlike wonder to the solemnity. Here, Bush channels the innate human fascination with the macrocosm, viewing Earth with the same curiosity and delight as one might a hidden toy. It’s as though we, through Bush’s eyes, are celestial beings ourselves, marveling at the beauty and novelty of our own planet.

The Embrace of Earthly Elements: An Introspective Journey

‘Watching storms, Start to form, Over America’ – illustrates a detachment from the earthly tumult, watching from a perspective where we can neither influence nor be affected by it. There’s a gripping dichotomy evident throughout ‘Hello Earth’; it’s at once a lullaby to the listener and an anthem for the Earth, soothing yet highlighting its tumultuous nature.

‘All you sailors, All life-savers, All you cruisers, All you fishermen, Head for home’ – the call to return to the haven reflects a shared human instinct to seek shelter, evoking a universal longing for comfort and safety amidst chaos.

Lullaby to a Planet: The Underscore of Existential Solace

The repetition of ‘Go to sleep, little earth’ serves as a recurring refrain, allowing Bush to adopt a nurturing role toward the planet. It is a maternal command, a soothing benediction that invokes images of Earth as a child rocked gently to sleep by the darkness of space.

The expression of witnessing Earth’s birth and its confrontations with elemental storms forms an intimate and timeless bond. There’s a profound sense of caretaking, painting a picture of a celestial observer who has witnessed Earth’s eons of crescendos and quietudes.

Murderer of Calm: The Song’s Haunting Climax and its Hidden Meaning

‘Murderer, Murderer of calm, Why did I go? Why did I go?’ – this passage marks a pivotal emotional turn in the song, spiraling from an external observation to a deeply personal introspection. The repetition of the word ‘murderer’ is chilling, conveying a sense of destruction that extends beyond the physical storms to perhaps internal struggles or even humanity’s ecological impact.

The plaintive cry resonates with the recognition of the inadvertent ravages humanity may inflict on the serene face of nature. The wording prompts us to consider our own role in the so-called murder of calm, questioning the wisdom of our actions as both individuals and as a collective species.

Delving Deeper: ‘Tiefer, tiefer’ and the Quest for Illumination

The German phrase ‘Tiefer, tiefer, Irgendwo in der tiefe, Gibt es ein licht’ translates to ‘Deeper, deeper, Somewhere deep, There is a light’, morphing the song into a polyglot journey. These lines evoke the sense of plunging beneath the surface, of searching for a core truth or hope amidst darkness, a beacon of optimism within the overwhelming swathe of existence.

The idea that beneath layers of complexity and seemingly insurmountable challenges there remains a light, underscores a vital optimistic undercurrent in Bush’s work. It is as if the song itself embarks on a quest for understanding, imploring the listener to dive into the depths to find solace, purpose, or perhaps even enlightenment.