S05E04 – Mother Stands for Comfort

Hounds of Love produced four hit singles, all of them from the first side. The only song not released to radio was Mother Stands for Comfort, the fourth track from Hounds of Love, and an often overlooked song, even by our host. It’s also one of the most skeletal songs on this album. With only an upright electric bass, broken glass à la Babooshka, some tinkling piano, ghostly backing vocals (of course!), and a rather subdued and low lead vocal, Kate paints a rather creepy story about a mother’s love for a child who’s doing bad things. To discuss the only Side One song to not be released as a single, Cecilee will be talking with Paul Tate, a friend of the show who was last on the title track episode, and a new guest, Shana Britnall. Paul breaks down the chord progression and the melody to explain why this song sounds so moody and sad, while Shana talks about how this song has changed meaning for her over time and her favorite lyrics and what they mean to her. Patreon Plug! Strange Phenomena now has a Patreon page. If you’d like to support the show, visit www.patreon.com/katebushpodcast and become a subscriber today! Song clips used: Mother Stands for Comfort (album version) Jane Birkin – Mother Stands for Comfort Lilie and Akatomie – Mother Stands for Comfort Interview clips used: Classic Albums: Hounds of Love, BBC, 1992