Deeper Understanding

Kate Bush explained that the song is about how people are replacing human relationships with technology:{{cite web|url=http://gaffa.org/cloud/music/deeper_understanding.html |title=In her own words: Deeper Understanding |website=Gaffa.org |accessdate=2012-09-01}}

"This is about people... well, about the modern situation, where more and more people are having less contact with human beings. We spend all day with machines; all night with machines. You know, all day, you're on the phone, all night you're watching telly. Press a button, this happens. [...] And this is the idea of someone who spends all their time with their computer and, like a lot of people, they spend an obsessive amount of time with their computer. People really build up heavy relationships with their computers!"{{cite web|url=http://gaffa.org/reaching/ir89_r1.html |title=1989 Radio One Interview with Roger Scott |website=Gaffa.org |date=1989-10-14 |accessdate=2012-09-01}}

The Director's Cut version of the song is almost two minutes longer than the original recording on The Sensual World, and features re-recorded vocals{{cite web|last=Cragg |first=Michael |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2011/apr/05/kate-bush-deeper-understanding |title=Kate Bush – Deeper Understanding |website=Guardian.co.uk |date=2011-04-05 |accessdate=2012-09-01}} and a harmonica solo at the end.{{cite web|last1=Neyland|first1=Nick|title=The Playlist: Kate Bush - Deeper Understanding|url=http://pitchfork.tv/reviews/tracks/12164-deeper-understanding/|website=Pitchfork|date=7 April 2011|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110411133643/http://pitchfork.tv/reviews/tracks/12164-deeper-understanding/|archivedate=11 April 2011}} The later version features the voice of her son, Albert, on the chorus, performing the role of the computer.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12970141 |title=BBC News Kate Bush 'delight' over James Joyce track |website=Bbc.co.uk |date=2011-04-05 |accessdate=2012-09-01}}

For the original recording, the chorus vocals were distorted using a very basic vocoder, and needed backing vocals just to make the words audible. For the Director's Cut version, Bush was able to present it as a solitary computerized voice, as was her original intention.{{cite web|last1=Dombal|first1=Ryan|title=The elusive art-rock originator on her time-traveling new LP, Director's Cut|url=http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/7968-kate-bush/|website=Pitchfork|accessdate=5 November 2014|date=16 May 2011|archive-date=10 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151110151633/http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/7968-kate-bush/|url-status=dead}} This is not the first time Bush worked with her son; he makes a brief spoken word appearance on her previous album Aerial on Disc 2, "A Sky of Honey".{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/8426915/Kate-Bush-can-use-words-of-James-Joyce-for-new-song.html |title=Kate Bush can use words of James Joyce for new song |work=The Telegraph|date=4 April 2011 |location=London|accessdate=2012-09-01}}

A short film to accompany the track premiered on Kate Bush's official YouTube channel{{cite web|author=door Kate Bush Official Channel |url=https://www.youtube.com/katebushmusic |title=Kate Bush channel |via=YouTube |date=2010-12-02 |accessdate=2012-09-01}} on Monday, 25 April 2011. It is directed by Bush herself and stars Robbie Coltrane, Frances Barber, Noel Fielding, and the voice of her son Albert, who plays the role of the computer program.{{cite web |url=http://exploremusic.com/uncategorized/kate-bush-releases-directors-cut-single/ |title=Kate Bush Releases "Director's Cut" Single |website=ExploreMusic.com |date=2011-04-04 |accessdate=2012-09-01}} Music website Consequence of Sound reviewed the video and briefly explained it:

The video adapts the song's core plot – a person becoming addicted to a program called Voice Console deeply, emotionally attaching themselves to it to the point of separation with friends and family. Robbie Coltrane, best known for his work in Harry Potter as Hagrid, plays the computer junkie who leaves behind his wife and two sons to escape with the program. In the video, Voice Console is a pair of feminine lips on a screen (Bush's son Albert) with an eerie inhuman blackness behind them [...]. The program spouts hallucinogenic wave forms that cast Coltrane into a state of euphoria. When the family finally steps in to disable the sinister program, Coltrane turns on them and in his withdrawal things get very dark and strange.{{cite news|url=https://consequence.net/2011/04/watch-kate-bush-deeper-understanding/|title=Watch: Kate Bush — "Deeper Understanding"|date=26 April 2011|last=Blackard|first=Cap|work=Consequence of Sound}}

Credits are adapted from The Sensual World liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|title=The Sensual World|others=Kate Bush|year=1989|publisher=EMI Records|type=CD booklet}}

• Kate Bush – vocals, keyboards
• Del Palmer – Fairlight CMI percussion
• Charlie Morgan – drums
• Bill Whelan – arranger ("The Irish sessions")
• Paddy Bush – tupan
• John Giblin – bass guitar
• Michael Nyman – string arrangement (Balanescu Quartet)
• Trio Bulgarka – vocals
• Yanka Rupkina (of Trio Bulgarka) – solo vocalist
• Dimitar Penev – arranger (Trio Bulgarka)

The song premiered on BBC Radio 2 on Monday 4 April 2011 on The Ken Bruce Show{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00zxpw0 |title=BBC Radio 2 Programmes – Ken Bruce, 04/04/2011 |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=2011-04-04 |accessdate=2012-09-01}} and was made available for streaming on Kate Bush's official YouTube channel after the radio premiere. "Deeper Understanding" was released as a digital download single on Tuesday 5 April. The song was the Record of the Week on Radio 2 and was played each day Bruce's show and Alex Lester's programme.{{cite web|url=http://www.katebushnews.com/index.php/2011/03/bbc-radio2-world-single-premier-exclusive-video-clip/ |title=BBC Radio 2 world single premiere! Exclusive audio clip! |publisher=Katebushnews.com |date=2011-03-30 |accessdate=2012-09-01}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.katebush.com/ Kate Bush Official Website]
• {{YouTube|nzqF_gBpS84|Deeper Understanding (video)}}.

{{Kate Bush songs}}

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Category:2011 singles

Category:Kate Bush songs

Category:Songs written by Kate Bush

Category:EMI Records singles

Category:1989 songs