On January 20th 1978, one of the most iconic, interesting and entirely entertaining pop singles of all time was created. Kate Bush released ‘Wuthering Heights’ 40-years-ago today and we thought we’d jump at the chance to celebrate a piece of pop music history.

The track, undoubtedly inspired by the novel written by Emily Bronte of the same name, was written in the leafy South London suburb in the summer of ’77. As London was swollen with the vicious angst of punk, Kate Bush was creating a masterful pop record: “There was a full moon, the curtains were open and it came quite easily,” Bush told her fan club in 1979.

[MORE] REMEMBERING KATE BUSH’S DELIGHTFUL APPEARANCE ON 1970S JAPANESE TV

It wasn’t only the subject matter of the song, a ghoulish rendition of dry-ice filled moors and written from the point of view of a deceased Cathy Earnshaw’s longing for Heathcliffe. It was the world’s introduction to Kate Bush. Her employment of dance, mime, theatricality began to herald in a new era for pop music.

Her iconography only grew from this moment.

Still, nobody could have predicted, least of all Kate herself, how successful the song would become. That people like you and I would be still so enchanted by its whimsical nature, high octave notes and the sheer fantasy it inspires.

Bush was a trailblazer from the start having begun singing at 11 she worked her way though the mundanely areas of middle-class Britain to spread her wings and top the charts. The charts, in 1978, having run for 25 years was still heavily male-dominated, Bush broke the mould when she became the first female to top the charts with a self-penned song.

Her strength of artistic direction deployed by Bush has left her strong in the heart of so many of her fans. She inspired a generation with her pursuit to never be boring or feel tiresome, Bush always pushed the envelop, and indeed continues to, and her credibility has always, always rested on her daring. Daring which ‘Wuthering Heights’ is testament to.

Happy Birthday WH.

Lyrics

Out on the wiley, windy moors

We’d roll and fall in green

You had a temper like my jealousy

Too hot, too greedy

How could you leave me

When I needed to possess you?

I hated you, I loved you, too Bad dreams in the night

They told me I was going to lose the fight

Leave behind my wuthering, wuthering

Wuthering Heights Heathcliff, it’s me, I’m Cathy

I’ve come home, I’m so cold

Let me in through your window Heathcliff, it’s me, I’m Cathy

I’ve come home, I’m so cold

Let me in through your window Ooh, it gets dark, it gets lonely

On the other side from you

I pine a lot, I find the lot

Falls through without you

I’m coming back, love

Cruel Heathcliff, my one dream

My only master