The iconic photograph of Kate Bush dressed as a bat is a key part of the visual storytelling for her 1980 album Never for Ever and its lead single “Breathing.” While not the main image for the single itself, it’s a powerful and memorable part of the album’s visual identity.
The photos, taken by her brother John Carder Bush, capture a key theme of the album: the interplay between light and dark, good and evil, and the beautiful and the terrifying. One of the fantastical images of Kate as a bat is on the back cover of the Never for Ever album, and it was also used for some international single releases of “Breathing,” such as the French 7-inch vinyl.
The song “Breathing” itself is a chilling and powerful track told from the perspective of a fetus in its mother’s womb, who is aware of an impending nuclear attack. The lyrics, “Outside gets inside, through her skin, I’ve never been out before, but this time it’s much safer in,” paint a haunting picture of a world on the brink of apocalypse.
The bat costume, with its dark, nocturnal, and slightly menacing connotations, is a perfect visual metaphor for the song’s themes. It represents the darkness and danger that are ever-present in the world, even as the fetus remains in the seeming safety of the womb. The image of the bat in flight on the album cover suggests a journey through this ominous landscape.
This creative decision was a conscious choice by Kate Bush to explore more political and serious themes in her music, a move that went against some critics’ expectations at the time. The theatricality and use of costume, as seen in the bat photo and other visuals from the era, were crucial to conveying these complex and layered narratives. It’s a prime example of how Kate Bush and her brother John Carder Bush worked together to create a multi-sensory experience that went far beyond just the music.
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