Them Heavy People
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2012}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Them Heavy People
| cover = Kate Bush - Them Heavy People.png
| alt =
| border = yes
| caption = Japanese single cover
| type = single
| artist = Kate Bush
| album = The Kick Inside
| B-side = The Man with the Child in His Eyes
| released = September 1978 (Japan){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Kate+Bush&titel=Them+Heavy+People&cat=s|title=Kate Bush singles}}
| recorded = 1977/79
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = * Art pop
| length = 3:05
| label = EMI
| writer = Kate Bush
| producer = Andrew Powell
| prev_title = Moving
| prev_year = 1978
| next_title = The Man with the Child in His Eyes
| next_year = 1978
| misc = {{External music video|type=single|header=Music video|1={{YouTube|qfNtPbHkp0U|"Them Heavy People"}}}}
}}
"Them Heavy People" is a song written and recorded by Kate Bush, from her debut album The Kick Inside. It was issued as a single in Japan only with the title "Rolling the Ball" reaching number 3, its only release worldwide as an A-side.
The song expresses an insistent desire to learn as much as possible, while she is still young. It includes references to religion, and the teachings of Jesus and Gurdjieff, among others.
A Seiko logo appears on the insert's back side, which makes it Bush's only commercial release featuring any kind of product endorsement. Bush also appeared in TV commercials and print ads for the brand in Japan.
A live recording of this song was the lead track on the On Stage EP which reached number 10 in the UK Singles Chart in 1979.{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/Coward%20Of%20The%20County |title=The Official Charts Company – Kate Bush – Kate Bush on Stage EP |website=Official Charts |accessdate=2009-02-02 }} In the Netherlands, the EP was listed as Them Heavy People in the Top 40 chart, making it basically an A-side. It peaked at number 17 in 1979.{{cite web |url=http://www.dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Kate+Bush&titel=Them+Heavy+People+%28On+Stage%29&cat=s |title=Chart Stats – Dutch chart position for Them Heavy People|accessdate=2012-09-28 }}
Bush performed "Them Heavy People" on several TV programmes including her only appearance on Saturday Night Live in the US and the short-lived Revolver in Britain.
The song was parodied in a performance by Pamela Stephenson in an episode of Not the Nine O'Clock News in a version titled "Oh England – My Leotard".
Charts
class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for "Them Heavy People" ! scope="col"| Chart (1979) ! scope="col"| Peak |
{{single chart|Dutch40|21|artist=Kate Bush|rowheader=true|access-date=26 January 2022}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- [http://gaffa.org/cloud/music/them_heavy_people.html Them Heavy People], Kate's words about the song
External links
- {{YouTube|qfNtPbHkp0U|Kate Bush - Them Heavy People - Official Music Video}}
{{Kate Bush songs}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Kate Bush
Category:Song recordings produced by Andrew Powell
{{1970s-single-stub}}