Kate Bush – Kashka from Baghdad

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Kashka from Baghdad lives in sin they say
With another man
But no-one knows who
Old friends never call there
Some wonder if life's inside at all
If there's life inside at all
But we know the lady who rents the room
She catches them calling à la lune

[Chorus:]
At night they're seen
Laughing, loving
They know the way
To be happy

They never go for walks
Maybe it's because the moon's not bright enough
There's light in love you see
I watch their shadows
Tall and slim in the window opposite
I long to be with them
'Coz when all the alley-cats come out
You can hear music from Kashka's house

[Chorus:]

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Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery, edited by Mellow_Harsher

Track duration: 03:56

"Kashka from Baghdad" as written by Kate / Bush

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

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Kashka from Baghdad song meanings
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8 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Definitely one of Kate Bush' finest song.
    Flag mafrandon May 18, 2013   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:I always found it funny and odd that poeple think it is about gay couple - Kashka is a female name.
    Flag RaelSIon June 18, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think there's an underlying theme of lonliness

    the narrator is so lonely and sees them happy and wishes she could be happy with them
    Flag TrampVampon March 31, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:Maybe this is about what the outside world feels and what Kate really feels. It sounds like this is about stigma "Lives in sin they say" but she clearly wants to be part of that world. I feel this song has some similar elements to wuthering heights in the mentioning of 'the window opposite' or gazing in through a window. I also thought at one point she was almost a voyeur singing this song. Oh and yes - it's about a gay couple!
    Flag emilydanaheron March 31, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:"A la lune" would mean "by the moon"--she only sees them visiting at night, and they never go out when they could be seen, since they'd probably be harassed (or worse) for it.

    Coincidentally, I can't help but wonder if there's some influence on Kate by Susan Traynor, aka Noosha Fox of '70s British pop group Fox--they both had a high, squeaky vocal style, somewhat fantastical songs, a band of crack pop musicians playing in an unmistakably '70s style, and Fox also had a song, "Georgina Bailey," which makes reference to a pair of gay men living in France. I won't divulge more, in case you want to check out the song yourself (a Top of the Pops performance of the song can be found at youtube.com/…).
    Flag ProfessorKnowItAllon November 16, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Lune is moon in french.
    Flag katebushemzon July 17, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Indeed this song is about a gay male couple. Kate sings as Kashka's neighbor and she sees him happy with another man and she envies them because she can't have seem to have the happiness that they have. She wants to get to know them. What does "a la lune" mean?
    Flag rebel_hearton May 16, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Kate is so cool...isn't this the first song about a gay male couple???
    Flag Dominicano1197on June 20, 2006   Link

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