This Woman's Work (song)
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| “This Woman's Work” | |||||||||||
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| Single by Kate Bush from the album The Sensual World |
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| B-side | "Be Kind to My Mistakes" "I'm Still Waiting" |
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| Released | November 20, 1989 | ||||||||||
| Format | 7" single / 7" picture disc single / 12" single / CD single / Cassette single | ||||||||||
| Recorded | 1988 | ||||||||||
| Genre | Pop | ||||||||||
| Length | 3:42 | ||||||||||
| Label | EMI | ||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Kate Bush | ||||||||||
| Producer | Kate Bush | ||||||||||
| Kate Bush singles chronology | |||||||||||
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"This Woman's Work" was the second single released from Kate Bush's sixth studio album The Sensual World (1989). The song was originally featured on the soundtrack of the American film She's Having a Baby (1988), but Bush had been persuaded to add it to the track listing of The Sensual World. Released on November 20, 1989, the song became a minor hit, reaching a peak position of #25 in the UK Singles Chart. A version of the B-side "Be Kind To My Mistakes" was featured in the film Castaway (1986). The B-side "I'm Still Waiting" features on the 12" and CD single versions only.
Japanese singer ACO covered this song on her 2001 Material.
The 1989 UK 7" single (EMI Records EM119) infamously has the phrase "UP YOUR UGLY!" engraved in the side A run-out groove.
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[edit] Song information
The lyrics of the song are about being forced to suddenly confront reality and adulthood in times of crisis. This fits perfectly with the context of the movie, especially the scene where Jake (Kevin Bacon) learns that the lives of his wife (Elizabeth McGovern) and their unborn baby are in danger.
The version of the song that was featured on The Sensual World was re-edited from the original version featured on the 1988 film soundtrack.
[edit] Music video
The music video for "This Woman's Work", which was directed by Bush herself, starts with Bush playing the song on a piano. In the next scene, an impatient man (played by Tim McInnerny) is seen in the waiting room of a hospital. It is then revealed by flashback scenes that Bush is his wife and that she had fainted while they were eating dinner at a restaurant. A nurse then appears, puts her hand on his shoulder and tells him about his wife's situation. The man stays in state of shock after hearing the news. On the last scene of the video, Bush closes the piano keyboard.
[edit] Chart performance
"This Woman's Work" was released on November 20, 1989 and reached a peak position of #25 in the UK Singles Chart. Fifteen years after its original release, in 2005, the song peaked at #3 in the UK Official Download Chart, due in no small part to its featuring in the Tamzin Outhwaite drama Walk Away and I Stumble. Probably due to the songs inclusion in the christmas episode of "Extras" the song entered the UK chart once again at 121 in the week ending 05/01/08, rising to 76 the following week.
| Year | Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | UK Singles Chart | #25 |
| 1989 | Australian ARIA Singles Chart | #89 |
| 2005 | UK Official Download Chart | #3 |
| 2008 | UK Singles Chart | #76 |
[edit] Maxwell's cover versions
In 1997, American R&B musician Maxwell covered the song for the release of his album MTV Unplugged (1997). The artist later re-recorded the song in studio for his album Now (2001). This version of the song was released as the album's second single in 2001 and peaked at #56 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and at #16 on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. This version also appeared in the movie Love & Basketball.
| Year | Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #56 |
| 2001 | U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | #16 |
[edit] Music video
The music video for "This Woman's Work", which was directed by Sanji herself, begins with pictures of Maxwell and his lover in Black & White photography. One picture reveals that his lover has passed away. In the next scene, Maxwell sees his lover in the street and proceeds to comfront her, but he falls through the street, and begins to drown. Maxwell then begans to swin across the street, and pulls himself up by holdig on to the side walk. He then enters an almost-empty diner, where every one is waiting for a loved one. Throughout the music video, Maxwell sees his lover in practically every direction. The video is noted for its compelling special effects.
[edit] Other uses
The song was also featured on the Felicity soundtrack, and has been used at key moments in episodes of Alias, Party of Five and Without a Trace. It was used to promote the season opener of the 2007-2008 season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
The 2007 Special Christmas edition of the Ricky Gervais comedy series 'Extras', which aired Dec 16th in the US on HBO and Dec 27th on BBC1 in the UK, featured two scenes using the song as a soundtrack.
Since 2006 the song has featured on a long running TV advert for the British charity the NSPCC.
In 2008, Lil B. Sure (son of R&B singer Al B. Sure) performed this song in the second episode of MTV's reality program Rock The Cradle.
In the movie Stomp the Yard, Columbus Short and Megan Good kiss for the first time, when they decide to go out. Maxwell's version of the song was played in the background.
In an August 2006 episode of So You Think You Can Dance, contestant Allison Holker danced her final solo to the Maxwell cover of the song.
In June 2008, the song was played at the beginning and end of an Emmerdale episode featuring a custody battle between two sets of parents.
