Rocket's Tail

Album: The Sensual World (1989)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song features backing vocals by Trio Bulgarka, a traditional Bulgarian vocal ensemble that appears throughout The Sensual World. "Rocket's actually my cat, but it was written for the Bulgarian girls," Bush explained to NME. "Ridiculous collection of images, nothing to do with Rocket really, he just started it all off. At the time the only song I could think of that mentioned rockets was 'Rocket Man' but since then there has been about three of them. I feel a bit like the Python sketch with that guy making eight-millimetre films saying 'Hitchcock had his Rear Window out while mine was still at the chemists.'"

    Bush actually recorded "Rocket Man" a couple of years later for the tribute album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin. Her reggae-inflected cover was a commercial success, peaking at #12 on the UK singles chart. In 2007 it won The Observer readers' award for Greatest Cover of all time.
  • The song features guitar by Bush's early music mentor, Pink Floyd's Dave Gilmour.

Comments: 1

  • Paul from Rothesay, Nb, NbThis song is absolutely magical. I can still remember listening to it for the first time and getting totally swept up when the song takes off after the acapella intro. David Gilmour's performance is spot on. One of my all-time faves from Kate!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Emmylou Harris

Emmylou HarrisSongwriter Interviews

She thinks of herself as a "song interpreter," but back in the '80s another country star convinced Emmylou to take a crack at songwriting.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

The Untold Story Of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine

The Untold Story Of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary MachineSong Writing

Fiona's highly-anticipated third album almost didn't make it. Here's how it finally came together after two years and a leak.

Steve Morse of Deep Purple

Steve Morse of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple's guitarist since 1994, Steve talks about writing songs with the band and how he puts his own spin on "Smoke On The Water."

Dwight Twilley

Dwight TwilleySongwriter Interviews

Since his debut single "I'm On Fire" in 1975, Dwight has been providing Spinal-Tap moments and misadventure.

Sugarland

SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Meet the "sassy basket" with the biggest voice in country music.