Yeah, an amazing opening track! Looking forward to the rest of the record. Also I hope you weren’t overly bothered by that comment about the Propaganda tune. Again, I try to engage with all comments, but I did enjoy the tune a lot. Cheers 😎👍
This came out as a single in 1981, prior to the actual album, and with a slightly different mix from the LP version. The 7' may be sort of hard to find for this reason.😊
Her most lyrically and sonically dense album. It manages to be as ridiculous as it is heartbreaking and as comic as it is dark. Many great songs ahead, especially near the end. Notably, it the first album that she entirely produced on her own (as she was a co-producer on Never For Ever). From this point on, Kate is fully in control of every aspect of her music. She was only 23 when she made it.
OMG I'm really looking forward to you hearing this album! This was released as a single in 1981, about a year before the album came out. It talks about the knowledge, how people want it but don't really want to do the work involved but also the more you learn the more you realise how ignorant you are, Then you have the King/Fool who think they have wisdom but don't. I'm sure I read somewhere that Kate took some inspiration from the amazing Public Image Ltd track Flowers of Romance which has a big thumping drum sound. It's a great introduction to the album where she sings in more voices than the demon in The Exorcist . I bought this on 7" single at the time and played it to death. Amazing.
Ah, I see. And yes, going through college and grad school was a constant experience of learning more, but in the process, learning just how much more could be known. So your total knowledge level rises, but in proportion to what you might know, the ratio seemingly only goes down. Also I really need to get back to Public Image Ltd. Thanks as always for the info, Mark!
Another excellent reaction, this song is about the quest for knowledge but particularly focuses in on the people who aren't willing to be efforts in, in order to gain knowledge. This was the first single that was released from the album by EMI, however it was released over a year before the actual release of the album itself, there's a very likely reason for this large gap between the first single and the album release, but I won't go into that until the end of the album. A few things I can say is this was the first studio album that Kate was the sole producer and at this point she had mastered the Fairlight CMI, also part of the music video (Kate's music videos are always well worth a look) was filmed at studio two at the iconic Abbey Road studios. Now, over to Kate for the genesis of the song, then the meaning. "I already had the piano patterns, but they didn't turn into a song until the night after I'd been to see a Stevie Wonder gig. Inspired by the feeling of his music, I set a rhythm on the Roland and worked in the piano riff to the high-hat and snare. I now had a verse and a tune to go over it but only a few lyrics like "I see the people working", "I want to be a lawyer,'' and "I want to be a scholar,'' so the rest of the lyrics became "na-na-na"' or words that happened to come into my head. I had some chords for the chorus with the idea of a vocal being ad-libbed later. The rhythm box and piano were put down, and then we recorded the backing vocals. "Some say that knowledge is...'' Next we put down the lead vocal in the verses and spent a few minutes getting some lines worked out before recording the chorus voice. I saw this vocal being sung from high on a hill on a windy day. The fool on the hill, the king of the castle... "I must admit, just when I think I'm king." The idea of the demos was to try and put everything down as quickly as possible. Next came the brass. The CS80 is still my favourite synthesizer next to the Fairlight, and as it was all that was available at the time, I started to find a brass sound. In minutes I found a brass section starting to happen, and I worked out an arrangement. We put the brass down and we were ready to mix the demo. I was never to get that CS80 brass to sound the same again - it's always the way. At The Townhouse the same approach was taken to record the master of the track. We put down a track of the rhythm box to be replaced by drums, recording the piano at the same time. As I was producing, I would ask the engineer to put the piano sound on tape so I could refer to that for required changes. This was the quickest of all the tracks to be completed, and was also one of the few songs to remain contained on one twenty-four track tape instead of two! (Kate Bush Club newsletter, October 1982) " "Sat In Your Lap' is very much a search for knowledge. And about the kind of people who really want to have knowledge but can't be bothered to do the things that they should in order to get it. So they're sitting there saying how nice it would be to have this or to do that without really desiring to do the things it takes you to get it. And also the more you learn the more ignorant you realize you are and that you get over one wall to find an even bigger one. [Laughs] (Interview by J.J. Jackson for MTV, 1985)" Finally, here are lyrics: I see the people working, And see it working for them And so I want to join in, But then I find it hurts me Some say that knowledge is something sat in your lap Some say that knowledge is something that you never have I see the people happy, So can it happen for me? 'Cause when I am unhappy, There's nothing that can move me Some say that knowledge is something that you never have Some say that knowledge is something sat in your lap Some say that heaven is hell Some say that hell is heaven I must admit, just when I think I'm king, (I just begin.) Just when I think I'm king, I must admit, (I just begin.) Just when I think I'm king, (I just begin.) I've been doing it for years My goal is moving near It says, "Look! I'm over here" Then it up and disappears Some say that knowledge is something sat in your lap Some say that knowledge is ho-ho-ho-ho I want to be a lawyer I want to be a scholar But I really can't be bothered Ooh, just gimme it quick, gimme it, gimme gimme gimme gimme! Some say that knowledge is ho ho ho Some say that knowledge is ho ho ho Some say that heaven is hell Some say that hell is heaven I must admit, just when I think I'm king, (I just begin.) Just when I think I'm king, I must admit, (I just begin.) Just when I think I'm king, (I just begin.) I've been doing it for years My goal is moving near It says, "Look! I'm over here" Then it up and disappears Some say that knowledge is something sat in your lap Some say that knowledge is ho-ho-ho-ho I want to be a lawyer I want to be a scholar But I really can't be bothered Ooh, just gimme it quick, gimme it, gimme gimme gimme gimme! Some say that knowledge is ho ho ho Some say that knowledge is ho ho ho Some say that heaven is hell Some say that hell is heaven I must admit, just when I think I'm king, (I just begin.) Just when I think I'm king, I must admit, (I just begin.) Just when I think everything's going great, (I just begin,) Hey, I get the break, Hey, I'm gonna take it all-- (I just begin.) When I'm king-- (just begin) In my dome of ivory A home of activity I want the answers quickly But I don't have no energy I hold a cup of wisdom But there is nothing within My cup, she never overfloweth And 'tis I that moan- and groaneth Some grey and white matter "Give me the karma, mama!" I'm coming up the ladder, "A jet to Mecca," I'm coming up the ladder, "Tibet or Jeddah, Up the ladder... "To Salisbury, A monastery, The longest journey, Across the desert, Across the weather, Across the elements, Across the water!"
@@ap8eioul1 thank you for your very kind words, your feedback is very much appreciated. BTW just in case you (and others) aren't aware, Kate has been nominated (for a 4th time) for the Roll and Roll Hall of Fame #RockHall2023 and the fan vote is now open. I've already voted for Kate hopefully this time she will be inducted.
@@leslieturner8276 yes I already voted for her too💯.. I think this time she has good chances because of Ruth.. Either way she'll be our Queen forever 😊🎶
Welcome to Kate’s experimental “non-commercial” album. You are in for an exciting but bumpy ride. One review in acknowledging that described ‘Sat In Your Lap’ as turning on the ignition. Wait until you see the crazy music video that goes with this single, which was released a whole year before the album was released.
Make sure to listen to the track Be kind to my mistakes which is a real hidden gem in her back catalogue and one of my favourite Kate tracks. It was a bside written for the soundtrack of Nicholas Roegs 1986 movie Castaway and never appeared on any of Kates albums.
I remember very little of Kate Bush on the 80s and a few years ago I started to get into her music. This is suppose to be one of her best or most popular albums. The music video for this song is crazy. I love how creative and experimental she was!
Sat.........! comes out of the expression.. "fell into your lap".....ie achieved or recieved with zero effort/ input. it just was given to you. Hence once recieved its just "Sat in your lap". pure genius.
I guess the first thing I would say is welcome to the mad house that Kate created for her fans to enjoy. This album needs to be listened to VERY VERY LOUD. It is the album that she described as her "she's gone mad album" and she later look back on it and talk about how very angry it seemed. Speaking personally I would place 4 of her other albums ahead of this one (and very many KB fans will disagree with me very profoundly on that). But despite that I think it might, just might be her most important album; and it contains at least 5 or 6 songs on it that are absolutely essential listening in order to get a proper picture of her music; and it includes what is for me one oher greatest compositions (Suspended in Gaffa). This is the album that John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten who is famous/notorious for not really liking anything all that much) pledged his undying love for and it is easy to see why. It is an extraordinary accomplishment. Enjoy the ride!!
If you haven't already, then please listen to the single mix of this incredible song. It was released 15 months before the album. It's the version many of us will remember when we were kids, obsessively playing the 7" record over and over again, as well as Kate's wonderfully spooky, ethereal cover of Donovan's Lord Of The Reedy River on the B-side. It's one of the clearest and happiest memories of my childhood (my happiest memories almost all involve Kate, Abba and my nana!) th-cam.com/video/puilMIQIPn0/w-d-xo.html and there's even a rare demo of the song! th-cam.com/video/DLENxSgC0xs/w-d-xo.html
In this instance 'sat in your lap' means it's right in front of you. It's on a plate for you, so you speak. Yet another track where the video is definitely worth a watch. Love the high pitch sections of this song, it has so many different dynamics. By this point Kate had some success with a few singles and I think the record company had given her some freedom to do what she wanted. What amuses me about this track is trying to vision the record execs faces when they sat down and heard this for the first time 😂
This album lived on my turntable well into the 1990s. Sure, i played other stuff but The Dreaming rarely went back into its cover. It's over 40 years old and in all that time i've never come across anything like it.
What? ANOTHER TH-cam reacting to the most distinguished album in the history of popular music?. It's heartwarming to witness Kate's music reaching new ears. Kate is considered the greatest female artist of all time in her country of birth, as famous as say, Bowie. Poor rest of the world, having been Kate-deprived for all this time. How the hell have you all coped?!.
Kate has a very strong fanbase in Europe, Asia and Australia, but until last year not so in the USA. I am glad these days people overthere are finally discovering her qualities as well.
Hi Matt, apologies for coming back with another comment, but I wanted to include this and then forgot to do so. Before you move on from "The Dreaming", the B side to this song, "Sat in Your Lap," is a song that is very worth while listening to. Kate Hasn't done many covers and to be completely honest I think a couple of her covers aren't that great, because to me she almost treats them with too much respect, and consequently doesn't give them the complete Kate Bush treatment. But the B side to this song really is something a bit special. It is a cover of Donovan's "Lord of the Reedy River" and while think it's not a great song, and think too that Donovan's original version is a bit turgid for my taste, what Kate does with it is gorgeous. She even managed to get Donovan to perform on it by way of a few background vocals and he would later say just how much he enjoyed her version of it. It is also well worth listening to since it predates "The Dreaming" album and is probably the first song on which she gives us a full introduction to what I suppose we might call her later voice. And it is a beautiful voice to listen to.
Right on, Tommy, and I think that song is in the folder I have access to? Basically, I'll make sure to react to that one (by hook or by crook!) before moving on from this album. Cheers, appreciate all the comments on the Kate videos. Your knowledge is insanely impressive!
![Shnootz - Reaction Video (Kate Bush - The Ninth Wave [part 1])](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DQw2kfyg_H4/mqdefault.jpg)
Love watching people's first reactions to Sat In Your Lap :) Never gets old. Pure genius.
Kate at her very best. This is her best album imo. Great opener.
Yeah, an amazing opening track! Looking forward to the rest of the record.
Also I hope you weren’t overly bothered by that comment about the Propaganda tune. Again, I try to engage with all comments, but I did enjoy the tune a lot. Cheers 😎👍
This came out as a single in 1981, prior to the actual album, and with a slightly different mix from the LP version. The 7' may be sort of hard to find for this reason.😊
Kate is one wild lady she will never be tamed 🤯
The video is great too!
Your face every time like: i can't!! And...what the f?? Hahaha
Her most lyrically and sonically dense album. It manages to be as ridiculous as it is heartbreaking and as comic as it is dark. Many great songs ahead, especially near the end.
Notably, it the first album that she entirely produced on her own (as she was a co-producer on Never For Ever). From this point on, Kate is fully in control of every aspect of her music. She was only 23 when she made it.
OMG I'm really looking forward to you hearing this album! This was released as a single in 1981, about a year before the album came out. It talks about the knowledge, how people want it but don't really want to do the work involved but also the more you learn the more you realise how ignorant you are, Then you have the King/Fool who think they have wisdom but don't.
I'm sure I read somewhere that Kate took some inspiration from the amazing Public Image Ltd track Flowers of Romance which has a big thumping drum sound. It's a great introduction to the album where she sings in more voices than the demon in The Exorcist . I bought this on 7" single at the time and played it to death. Amazing.
Ah, I see. And yes, going through college and grad school was a constant experience of learning more, but in the process, learning just how much more could be known. So your total knowledge level rises, but in proportion to what you might know, the ratio seemingly only goes down.
Also I really need to get back to Public Image Ltd. Thanks as always for the info, Mark!
I'm so excited you finally got to this point! Oh you are in for such a treat!
Another excellent reaction, this song is about the quest for knowledge but particularly focuses in on the people who aren't willing to be efforts in, in order to gain knowledge.
This was the first single that was released from the album by EMI, however it was released over a year before the actual release of the album itself, there's a very likely reason for this large gap between the first single and the album release, but I won't go into that until the end of the album.
A few things I can say is this was the first studio album that Kate was the sole producer and at this point she had mastered the Fairlight CMI, also part of the music video (Kate's music videos are always well worth a look) was filmed at studio two at the iconic Abbey Road studios.
Now, over to Kate for the genesis of the song, then the meaning.
"I already had the piano patterns, but they didn't turn into a song until the night after I'd been to see a Stevie Wonder gig. Inspired by the feeling of his music, I set a rhythm on the Roland and worked in the piano riff to the high-hat and snare. I now had a verse and a tune to go over it but only a few lyrics like "I see the people working", "I want to be a lawyer,'' and "I want to be a scholar,'' so the rest of the lyrics became "na-na-na"' or words that happened to come into my head. I had some chords for the chorus with the idea of a vocal being ad-libbed later. The rhythm box and piano were put down, and then we recorded the backing vocals. "Some say that knowledge is...'' Next we put down the lead vocal in the verses and spent a few minutes getting some lines worked out before recording the chorus voice. I saw this vocal being sung from high on a hill on a windy day. The fool on the hill, the king of the castle... "I must admit, just when I think I'm king."
The idea of the demos was to try and put everything down as quickly as possible. Next came the brass. The CS80 is still my favourite synthesizer next to the Fairlight, and as it was all that was available at the time, I started to find a brass sound. In minutes I found a brass section starting to happen, and I worked out an arrangement. We put the brass down and we were ready to mix the demo.
I was never to get that CS80 brass to sound the same again - it's always the way. At The Townhouse the same approach was taken to record the master of the track. We put down a track of the rhythm box to be replaced by drums, recording the piano at the same time. As I was producing, I would ask the engineer to put the piano sound on tape so I could refer to that for required changes. This was the quickest of all the tracks to be completed, and was also one of the few songs to remain contained on one twenty-four track tape instead of two! (Kate Bush Club newsletter, October 1982) "
"Sat In Your Lap' is very much a search for knowledge. And about the kind of people who really want to have knowledge but can't be bothered to do the things that they should in order to get it. So they're sitting there saying how nice it would be to have this or to do that without really desiring to do the things it takes you to get it. And also the more you learn the more ignorant you realize you are and that you get over one wall to find an even bigger one. [Laughs] (Interview by J.J. Jackson for MTV, 1985)"
Finally, here are lyrics:
I see the people working,
And see it working for them
And so I want to join in,
But then I find it hurts me
Some say that knowledge is something sat in your lap
Some say that knowledge is something that you never have
I see the people happy,
So can it happen for me?
'Cause when I am unhappy,
There's nothing that can move me
Some say that knowledge is something that you never have
Some say that knowledge is something sat in your lap
Some say that heaven is hell
Some say that hell is heaven
I must admit, just when I think I'm king,
(I just begin.)
Just when I think I'm king, I must admit,
(I just begin.)
Just when I think I'm king,
(I just begin.)
I've been doing it for years
My goal is moving near
It says, "Look! I'm over here"
Then it up and disappears
Some say that knowledge is something sat in your lap
Some say that knowledge is ho-ho-ho-ho
I want to be a lawyer
I want to be a scholar
But I really can't be bothered
Ooh, just gimme it quick, gimme it, gimme gimme gimme gimme!
Some say that knowledge is ho ho ho
Some say that knowledge is ho ho ho
Some say that heaven is hell
Some say that hell is heaven
I must admit, just when I think I'm king,
(I just begin.)
Just when I think I'm king, I must admit,
(I just begin.)
Just when I think I'm king,
(I just begin.)
I've been doing it for years
My goal is moving near
It says, "Look! I'm over here"
Then it up and disappears
Some say that knowledge is something sat in your lap
Some say that knowledge is ho-ho-ho-ho
I want to be a lawyer
I want to be a scholar
But I really can't be bothered
Ooh, just gimme it quick, gimme it, gimme gimme gimme gimme!
Some say that knowledge is ho ho ho
Some say that knowledge is ho ho ho
Some say that heaven is hell
Some say that hell is heaven
I must admit, just when I think I'm king,
(I just begin.)
Just when I think I'm king, I must admit,
(I just begin.)
Just when I think everything's going great,
(I just begin,)
Hey, I get the break,
Hey, I'm gonna take it all--
(I just begin.)
When I'm king--
(just begin)
In my dome of ivory
A home of activity
I want the answers quickly
But I don't have no energy
I hold a cup of wisdom
But there is nothing within
My cup, she never overfloweth
And 'tis I that moan- and groaneth
Some grey and white matter
"Give me the karma, mama!"
I'm coming up the ladder,
"A jet to Mecca,"
I'm coming up the ladder,
"Tibet or Jeddah,
Up the ladder...
"To Salisbury,
A monastery,
The longest journey,
Across the desert,
Across the weather,
Across the elements,
Across the water!"
Thanks for sharing your knowledge Leslie,always happy to read your comments
@@ap8eioul1 thank you for your very kind words, your feedback is very much appreciated. BTW just in case you (and others) aren't aware, Kate has been nominated (for a 4th time) for the Roll and Roll Hall of Fame #RockHall2023 and the fan vote is now open. I've already voted for Kate hopefully this time she will be inducted.
@@leslieturner8276 yes I already voted for her too💯.. I think this time she has good chances because of Ruth.. Either way she'll be our Queen forever 😊🎶
She is a musical Shakespeare !
Welcome to Kate’s experimental “non-commercial” album. You are in for an exciting but bumpy ride. One review in acknowledging that described ‘Sat In Your Lap’ as turning on the ignition. Wait until you see the crazy music video that goes with this single, which was released a whole year before the album was released.
I'm here for it 🖤🖤🖤
Glad you discovered kate what a journey you have fantastic reactions
Make sure to listen to the track Be kind to my mistakes which is a real hidden gem in her back catalogue and one of my favourite Kate tracks. It was a bside written for the soundtrack of Nicholas Roegs 1986 movie Castaway and never appeared on any of Kates albums.
Your face speaks volumes. I guess everybody who heard this song for the first time looked like this.
The use of her voice as an instrument becomes more clearly on this album. So good! Each next song will surprise you! Can't wait for it.
I remember very little of Kate Bush on the 80s and a few years ago I started to get into her music. This is suppose to be one of her best or most popular albums. The music video for this song is crazy. I love how creative and experimental she was!
We let the weirdness in! (This will make sense a few tracks down)
Sat.........! comes out of the expression.. "fell into your lap".....ie achieved or recieved with zero effort/ input. it just was given to you. Hence once recieved its just "Sat in your lap". pure genius.
I guess the first thing I would say is welcome to the mad house that Kate created for her fans to enjoy. This album needs to be listened to VERY VERY LOUD. It is the album that she described as her "she's gone mad album" and she later look back on it and talk about how very angry it seemed. Speaking personally I would place 4 of her other albums ahead of this one (and very many KB fans will disagree with me very profoundly on that). But despite that I think it might, just might be her most important album; and it contains at least 5 or 6 songs on it that are absolutely essential listening in order to get a proper picture of her music; and it includes what is for me one oher greatest compositions (Suspended in Gaffa). This is the album that John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten who is famous/notorious for not really liking anything all that much) pledged his undying love for and it is easy to see why. It is an extraordinary accomplishment.
Enjoy the ride!!
If you haven't already, then please listen to the single mix of this incredible song. It was released 15 months before the album. It's the version many of us will remember when we were kids, obsessively playing the 7" record over and over again, as well as Kate's wonderfully spooky, ethereal cover of Donovan's Lord Of The Reedy River on the B-side. It's one of the clearest and happiest memories of my childhood (my happiest memories almost all involve Kate, Abba and my nana!)
th-cam.com/video/puilMIQIPn0/w-d-xo.html
and there's even a rare demo of the song!
th-cam.com/video/DLENxSgC0xs/w-d-xo.html
You beat me to sharing the single version! I kind of like it a bit more
In this instance 'sat in your lap' means it's right in front of you. It's on a plate for you, so you speak.
Yet another track where the video is definitely worth a watch. Love the high pitch sections of this song, it has so many different dynamics.
By this point Kate had some success with a few singles and I think the record company had given her some freedom to do what she wanted. What amuses me about this track is trying to vision the record execs faces when they sat down and heard this for the first time 😂
Kate is again nominated for the Rock HOF. Go over and vote for her. You can vote once a day.
This album lived on my turntable well into the 1990s. Sure, i played other stuff but The Dreaming rarely went back into its cover. It's over 40 years old and in all that time i've never come across anything like it.
I feel like I'm saying something similar every time I react to a tune by Kate: "Well, that's basically like nothing I've ever heard."
Kate calls 'The Dreaming' she's gone mad album.
What? ANOTHER TH-cam reacting to the most distinguished album in the history of popular music?. It's heartwarming to witness Kate's music reaching new ears. Kate is considered the greatest female artist of all time in her country of birth, as famous as say, Bowie. Poor rest of the world, having been Kate-deprived for all this time. How the hell have you all coped?!.
Kate has a very strong fanbase in Europe, Asia and Australia, but until last year not so in the USA. I am glad these days people overthere are finally discovering her qualities as well.
Hi Matt, apologies for coming back with another comment, but I wanted to include this and then forgot to do so. Before you move on from "The Dreaming", the B side to this song, "Sat in Your Lap," is a song that is very worth while listening to. Kate Hasn't done many covers and to be completely honest I think a couple of her covers aren't that great, because to me she almost treats them with too much respect, and consequently doesn't give them the complete Kate Bush treatment.
But the B side to this song really is something a bit special. It is a cover of Donovan's "Lord of the Reedy River" and while think it's not a great song, and think too that Donovan's original version is a bit turgid for my taste, what Kate does with it is gorgeous. She even managed to get Donovan to perform on it by way of a few background vocals and he would later say just how much he enjoyed her version of it.
It is also well worth listening to since it predates "The Dreaming" album and is probably the first song on which she gives us a full introduction to what I suppose we might call her later voice. And it is a beautiful voice to listen to.
Right on, Tommy, and I think that song is in the folder I have access to? Basically, I'll make sure to react to that one (by hook or by crook!) before moving on from this album. Cheers, appreciate all the comments on the Kate videos. Your knowledge is insanely impressive!
@@mattsnider2667 It's in there.
Who writes today songs about "Knowledge"?
Well, I could point you in the direction of some punk bands that talk about epistemology. But your point is taken.
@@mattsnider2667 Sure, any pointers most welcome 🙂