The Song of Solomon

This article is about the song. For other uses, see Song of Solomon (disambiguation).

"The Song of Solomon" is a song written by English singer Kate Bush, included as the fifth track on her 1993 album The Red Shoes. Thematically, the song deals with a lovelorn female, appealing to her lover for solace; the title of the song reflects this, coming from the book of the Old Testament known as the Song of Solomon or the Song of Songs. That Book deals with a turbulent relationship between a young man and a young woman in love.

Lyrics and arrangement

"The Song of Solomon", like many of the songs on The Red Shoes, contains heavy background vocals by the Trio Bulgarka group, amplified by the use of a Fender Rhodes. Bush herself plays the Fender Rhodes heard in the recording, as well as the piano and the keyboard. Percussion instruments and guitar were also used.

As well as the title, which refers to the Bible, Bush uses a number of literary references and allusions in the lyrics of the song. The lines in the second verse, for example, "Comfort me with apples...", are taken from the Biblical book. Additionally, Bush references figures from mythology in the third verse, among them the lovers Iseult and Marion. She also highlights the willingness of the song's protagonist to "do anything" for her lover with the reference to the Rose of Sharon, from the Bible and the John Steinbeck novel The Grapes of Wrath.