20) "Little Adam"
From her first full album ("Little Eve"), this tale of a young man enjoying himself and being told off by God is still a crowd favourite today. The quiet pizzicato violin line during the verses and the explosion of the band in the chorus give this song some epic qualities. In the end, though, it's Kate's almost motherly tone she adopts throughout that elevate this song into the list
If Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" had a slightly creepier older sister, this would be it. This song from "Nightflight" has a suitably dark video (NSFW). The jaunty melody and arrangement hide the real menace underneath.
18) "Out and In"
The opening track of the "Circular Breathing" EP is a deeply moving ode to heartbreak (a recurrent theme in Kate's earlier work before settling down with her co-writer and now husband, Keir Nuttall). This song, all played on the black keys of the piano, stays barely conscious and never really takes off- and for good reason. It's melancholic lyric is the kind that resonates with anyone who has a freshly broken heart.
17) "Shoebox"
"Little Eve" has a fair share of gems on it, but this one has a particularly nice feel to it. The clever lyric goes from talking about the shoebox of a cramped apartment to feeling shoeboxed in a relationship in the space of a few minutes. The clever arrangement (like "Little Adam") masks a slightly edgier lyric.
16) "The Devil Wears A Suit"
The dark tone of the "Nightflight" album reaches its peak with this song. Nuttall's guitar playing is superb here- sounding like a minstrel from Elizabethan times. This whole song has a sense of menace that underlines the lyrics about the creepy people in your town. The production values really shine on this track.
15) "Career Advice"
Kate's ultra-rare second EP "Comikaze" contains this bright gem about the perils of being a young singer with a modicum of talent and the perennial comment that gets dished out- to appear on a certain singing program. Whilst the EP version is perfectly fine, it was live that this song really shone. Following this performance, Julia Zemiro remarked that she loved any song that concluded with the line "shove it up your a**"
14) "Drama"
"O Vertigo" is a staggering swing in feel from "Nightflight". Proving that Kate has not lost any of her wonderful sense of humour that endears her to concert audiences worldwide, this song- about one of those difficult actors you always hear about- is about as rocky as Kate gets. Guest performer Drapht adds to this as the frustrated director of this tale.
13) "Words"
The first single off of "Little Eve" is incredibly catchy and would fit perfectly well on a Kate Bush album. There's an element of frustration from the subject as she struggles to put into words to her lover what is going wrong with their relationship. Again, superb production make this essential in
any Kate collection.
12) "Are You Ready?"
From the "Fatty Gets A Stylist" project, this little ditty shows that Kate is every bit as good at writing a catchy, hummable tune, so much so that this gained airplay in America as well as other parts of the globe. There's an element of old-school production here that gives the song a more timeless quality than it might otherwise have....
11) "Sarah"
Another haunting number, based on a true life experience, from the "Nightflight" album. The lyrics have little depth, but they don't need it. The story is scary enough.Another crowd favourite.
10) "Blah Blah"
One day I hope Kate will resurrect this number from her first EP. It's a hilarious tale of a bad date where the man does nothing but talk about himself all night long. The irony is that words of the singer come out at a million miles an hour as if she's been bottling it in all this time.
9) "O Vertigo"
A modern-day "Queen of the night" aria. If there was ever any doubt the Kate is one of our finest vocalists, then this song will dispel the naysayers. I love the vibe of this song and the general warm fuzzy it creates (although more than one person has described it as vocal hiccups...). Years of opera training and performance pays off in four glorious minutes....
8) "Can't Shake It"
Another humorous gem- this time from the "Curiouser" album. Although Keir tries his best to accompany this song on his acoustic guitar, this really needs the full band to truly set this off. This song contains probably my favourite Kate lyric- "I execute the moonwalk like I stepped in shit". Of course, in pure Kate fashion, the song is eminently danceable....
7) "Ghost"
The dream pairing of Megan Washington with Kate is an amazing experience that crowns the "O Vertigo" album. Who is the ghost? Is it Kate, is it Megan? The answer is both and neither but their spirit hangs over their relationship with the same man. These two are remarkable in selling this song and it would fit just as comfortably on one of Washington's outstanding albums as seamlessly as it does here. (sorry- can't seem to find a video of this one!)
6) "Nightflight"
My absolute favourite song from the "Nightflight" album. Anyone that has been on a long haul flight or train journey will relate to this song. There is a weariness in the vocals that almost breaks your heart. The sparse arrangement adds to the brooding feel of the song.
5) "The Last Day on Earth"
The unexpected biggest hit of Kate's career to date. As musically powerful as the subject matter. What will you see as the world burns in your final moments? For the singer the answer is obvious. Probably as serious as the "Curiouser" album gets..,
4) "Space They Cannot Touch"
The first version (from the "Telegram" EP) is a little rough, but the edges are smoothed over on the "Little Eve" album version. Lying in bed with your sleeping partner has never sounded so darn inviting. The absolute highlight is the use of the guitar to emulate the sun poking through the curtains as the day begins near the end of the song. It is still performed in her shows to this day.
3) "Politics in Space"
Those darn hippies!! One of the funnest tracks on "Curiouser". Kate expresses her disgust at the previous generation and their way of life. As she sings- "the sixties were fifty years ago, you know. Get over it!". The song dissolves into an almost sixties-style rabble of noise while Kate calmly says "It's ok....it'll be fine!"
2) "Are You F*****g Kidding Me?"
A throwaway song written when Facebook was still relatively new. This became the absolute highlight of her concerts as the females in the audience related to the tale of the desperate ex who wants to be friends with them on Facebook. It was never recorded officially in the studio and the live version can be found on the "Live at the Hi-Fi" album. Again....NSFW!!!
1) "Caught in the Crowd"
This beautiful song about bullying and how we can live a life of regret is one of the most important songs Kate has ever written. It has spawned many a classroom discussion on bullying and how others respond to it. Kate has the ability to connect with her lyrics and sell them like no other and this is a prime example of that.
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