“I loved it so much”: The Elton John song Kate Bush had on repeat
Elton John is an undisputed pop icon. With kooky sunglasses and catchy tunes, the latter coming courtesy of his songwriting partnership with Bernie Taupin, he lived up to the title of ‘Rocket Man’ and launched himself to the top of the charts. His discography contains countless pop hits and karaoke classics – from a dazzling debut in the endlessly covered ‘Your Song’ to his iconic duet with Kiki Dee, ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ – he’s an absolute stalwart of the genre.
Kate Bush is also an undisputed pop icon, though in a completely different way than Elton John. Instead of powerful piano lines and flamboyant stage outfits, she preferred flowing crimson dresses and a more experimental approach to the genre. Pairing literary references with deliberately wavering vocals and ethereal synths, she established herself as a pioneer of art-pop through tracks like ‘Wuthering Heights’ and ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)’.
Though their approaches to songwriting were quite different, Bush harbours a real admiration for her pop predecessor and for one of his songs in particular. In the early 1990s, the art-pop aficionado paid tribute to the sunglass-wearing superstar when she provided her own take on his classic hit, ‘Rocket Man’, a song she had on repeat when she first got hold of it.
Released in 1972, ‘Rocket Man’ would go on to become one of John’s most famous tracks, even giving its name to a 2019 biopic about the pop star. The track shows off his signature style, with potent piano lines and sincere delivery as John sings, “I’m not the man they think I am at home, oh no, no, no, I’m a rocket man.” It endeared itself to countless listeners, including Bush.
“I remember buying this when it came out as a single by Elton John,” the singer once recalled during a conversation with NME, “I couldn’t stop playing it – I loved it so much.” Bush found herself particularly taken by John’s instrument of choice. “Most artists in the mid-70s played guitar,” she explained, “but Elton played piano and I dreamed of being able to play like him.”
In 1991, she looked to live out that dream when she covered the track for a tribute album titled Two Rooms. Rather than delivering a straightforward cover of ‘Rocket Man’, bending her voice to John’s original style in a cheap imitation of the original track, she made the song into something else entirely. The opening verse shows off her impeccable vocal control before the cover leans into reggae influences.
“I wanted to make it different from the original and thought it could be fun to turn it into a reggae version,” Bush explained. It certainly is starkly different from the original. In fact, it’s starkly different from Bush’s own style, too. It’s not quite as catchy as John’s recording, but it’s an interesting ode to a pop classic nonetheless. It also further demonstrates Bush’s endless commitment to sonic experimentation and reinvention.
Despite the differences between John and Bush, which extend beyond their versions of ‘Rocket Man’, there are also some similarities between the two artists. From their appreciation for accompanying visuals to their real talent for pop songwriting, they have each earned each other’s admiration, as well as their places as pop giants.