The Cars: The Cars (1978)

you've got your nuclear boots
and your drip dry glove
and when you bite your lip
it's some reaction to love 

In my small hometown, there used to be a record store and it lasted for a while. A newer one replaced the older, but eventually, it too died, but I am not sure when. There used to be lots and lots of records stores all over the place, but now they are few and very far between. I bought lots of records in that tiny record shop in my hometown, including this one. For some reason, I have a crystal clear memory of buying it. The shop was only so big, and the stock was rather provincial, so I had to make treks to urban places farther afield to find more interesting items.

The Cars appealed to a wide range of tastes, and I think the songs still sound fresh today.

The Jim Carroll Band: Catholic Boy (1980)

"Back home we were listening to Catholic Boy
And I got hung up on the people that died"

- Rock Problems, The Hold Steady 

Jim Carroll was a poet, and it showed in his song writing. Sadly, he passed away in 2009.

I'm not sure how to define his music. I guess it's part punk, part new wave. His memoir, The Basketball Diaries, was made into a film that I actually saw. This album, as the title suggest, touches on Catholicism in many places, especially in the title track, Catholic Boy:

"I make angels dance and drop to their knees
When I enter a church the feet of statues bleed
I understand the fate of all my enemies
Just like Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane"

But, for me, the song that captivated me was People Who Died. It's a tour-de-force. Carroll always made me think of Lou Reed, and if you are a fan of both, you should check out this clip or Lou and Jim. Sadly, they are two more People who Died.


Here's a vid of People who Died that was released with the movie, I think.

Captain Sensible: Captain Sensible's Women & Captains First (1982)

On the first casual listen, this might seem to be something of a light goofy album, which seems strange for a chap who was a founding member of UK punk band, The Damned. The two most recognizable tracks are probably Wot and the cover of Rogers and Hammerstein's Happy Talk, lending some credence to the idea that this is purely a quirky album. Both of the aforementioned tunes got plenty of play in my circles back in the day. I would say that there are some serious compositions here, but I still like Wot the best of the album.

Captain Beyond: Captain Beyond (1972)

Ex-members of the Johnny Winter Band, Deep Purple, and Iron Butterfly came together to construct this sort of progressive jazz-rock album with touches of heavy metal. Sadly, this record once got wet and the jacket is wavy and wonky, which is a major irritant to me. I would never buy record with water damage, though I think this was a cheap find for me, probably in the $1-$2 range, and I bought it, as the price was irresistible.

I am not sure I can adequately describe the music, so just have a listed to this live clip.

Camper Van Beethoven: Key Lime Pie (1989)

Camper Van Beethoven might be the world's best alternative rock band, back when alternative rock actually meant something. This is a US first pressing, released in 1989. I've never had a piece of key lime pie. The two tracks that your might know from this record are When I Win the Lottery (I wish) and Pictures of Matchstick Men, which is a cover version of the old Status Quo song. That cool opening guitar riff is made really interesting on the violin. While, the violin might an unusual instrument for a rock band, there are lots of precedents. Let's not forget John Cale's viola.

Some people don't seem to understand cover songs. Check out this comment on the Youtube video:

"FUCK THIS GROUP STATUS QUO IS THE NUMBER 1 ROCKER I LOVE THE QUO ONE BETTER THIS ONE IS SHIT AND PLUS THIS GROUP ARE FUCKING STEELING THE SONG }:("

You just can't beat outrage combined with grammatical failures. 

John Cale: EP: Extra Playful (2011)

These five tracks were released prior to Shifty Adventures. It's not bad, and far better than Shifty Adventures.

John Cale: Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood (2012)

I like the previous two John Cale pop records - Hobosapiens and blackAcetate - much better. On the other hand, Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood is a far better effort than Walking on Locusts, which might be Cale's second worst record. Allmusic called this record "[s]illy, savage, and willfully schizophrenic..." A review quoted in Wikpedia referred to the record as "both provocative and strange." That sums it up nicely. I will add that I hate the auto-tuning with all my being.

John Cale: Fragments of a Rainy Season (1992)

Fragments of a Rainy Season is one of my favourite John Cale releases. I received this one, the double LP from 2016, as a Christmas present. I would have loved the limited edition triple LP, but that was sold out immediately, and the shipping was extortionate. I have owned a copy of the CD since 1992 and I have kept my eyes open for the DVD, but I have never found one.

The newly remastered version has a different track order, which might make more sense. As much as I love the original versions of these songs, these stripped down, solo versions are extraordinary, managing to capture something more engaging. I suppose this could have been entitled: John Cale Unplugged.

Oh, and by the way, you can forget about all of the other cover versions of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. Cale's arrangement, upon which many later versions were based, is the only one you need. It's here, accompanied by solo piano, and it's fantastic. I'd call this the definitive cover of this tune, and people should just stop recording it, as Leonard himself once suggested.

John Cale: Words for the Dying (1989)

I think that the Allmusic review of this record is just mean-spirited. To me, this is a fantastic record. The reviewer states that this record is "...Cale's unsuccessful attempts to translate [Dylan] Thomas' imagery through song." I do not agree that the "the words lose their power in the retelling." I could go on, but you can read the review yourself which includes an insult about his hair style. To me, these are great interpretations and I also like the stripped-down versions on Fragments from a Rainy Season.

John Cale: Artifical Intelligence (1985)

 
Dying on the Vine is a brilliant Cale track, especially in later renditions. On the other hand, Satellite Walk is dreadful. Although far better than the mediocre Caribbean Sunset, Artificial Intelligence is a bit of a disappointment. Still, the album is almost worth it, just for Dying on the Vine. And, I do like the cover art. Here's an interesting live version with a string quartet.

John Cale: M:FANS (2016)

I picked up a copy of this record when it came out (Jan 22, 2016, I think). Music for a New Society is one of my all-time favourite records, so I was a little worried about what Cale might have done to it on this update. My verdict after a few spins is, I prefer the original album from 1982, but I would say that the new interpretations are engaging and interesting. I would also say that some of the tracks work better that others. If I could somehow forget the original versions, I might regard this record as one of Cale's better later efforts (maybe his best rock LP since 1992's Fragments of a Rainy Season), but it is very difficult to forget music that is so ingrained in my head.

As an aside, I have to say that I find it impossible to believe that Cale is 73! Where has the time gone?

John Cale: Satellite Walk Dance Re-Mix (1985)

Imagine a dance re-mix of a John Cale song. I bet you can't. The other two tracks are Dying on the Vine and Crash Course in Harmonics. 

John Cale: Caribbean Sunset (1984)

 
Caribbean Sunset is the other Cale record never released on CD. Many fans would probably argue that this is Cale's least impressive outing, and I am tempted to agree. Even Walking on Locusts is better.

John Cale: John Cale Comes Alive (1984)

It used to irritate me that this record was never released on CD, but now I don't care. It's one of two Cale records that were not released on CD. The other is coming up. I think we have to thank Peter Frampton for all of the live albums that use "Comes Alive" in the title. I fairly certain that Frampton's was the first usage, and there are lots of other later examples.

Allmusic's rather savage review of this live recording is probably correct. It's pales in comparison to Sabotage. But, some fans are eager to complete their collections of favourite artists, so having this on vinyl makes my Cale collection complete, even if most of the rest of my Cale releases are on CD.

John Cale: Music for a New Society (1981)

 
Roll up the history books, burn the chairs
Set fire to anything, set fire to the air

It's difficult choosing favourite songs and albums, but I think my favourite John Cale record is Music for a New Society. It's a musical masterpiece. It's spare and minimal and engaging. Paris 1919 would be a close second, but I have to give this one the edge, just based on the lyrical power and the understated music. Paris 1919 is more of a pop affair, but it's great too.

In John Cale's autobiography, he wrote that he had hoped that Frank Sinatra would cover his song, (I Keep a) Close Watch. I have to agree that this would have been cool and it's too bad it never happened. I wonder of Frank even knew who John Cale was.

John Cale: Honi Soit (1981)

 
Honi soit qui mal y pense

Growing up in rural Ontario meant that concert choices were slim to practically nonexistent. In fact, I can only remember one concert from any rock band in my town. I really didn't see any real concerts until I went to university. Once I moved to Toronto, the choices got even better. Finally, I saw John Cale in concert, but only once, during the Black Acetate tour.

I had heard the song Streets of Laredo many times at home. My dad was a big fan of Marty Robbins and he had lots of his records. I recall thinking that Big Iron was my favourite song at one point, but that changed later on. One has to overthrow the music of one's parents sooner or later. Cale's version of Streets of Laredo is creditable. I prefer most of the other songs on this record, but it's hard to chose a favourite.

John Cale & Terry Riley: Church of Anthrax (1971)

It's difficult to adequately state how much I love this record. It's brilliant. This is 2012 repress. I have a copy of the CD as well.

Cabaret Voltaire: Nag Nag Nag: 1979 Original / 2002 RHKirk #4 Mix (2002)

OK, so this 12 inch single contains the original original 1979 recording plus the less interesting, but still entertaining, 2002 remix #4 Richard Kirk.

John Cale: Helen of Troy (1975)

Part three of Cale's epic trilogy with Island records is Helen of Troy. Just kook at this cast of musicians: John Cale, Brian Eno, Chris Spedding, and Phil Collins. Hey, Phil is an excellent drummer. This record contains a song that Cale hoped Sinatra would cover. That never happened, but I see why Cale thought that is was a good idea. This is another record packed with awesomeness. He even covers Jonathan Richman's Pablo Picasso, and his version is much better than Bowie's cover.

Sadly, Cale never created any rock records quite like these again, though he released lots of music that I loved, especially Music for a New Society.

John Cale: Sabotage/Live (1979)

And now, we come to one of my favourite musicians of all time, John Cale. He was, as many people know, a member of The Velvet Underground, along with Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, and Mo Tucker. Cale was classically trained on the piano and he also plays the viola, guitar, bass, sax, and a number of other instruments. I have more that 60 John Cale and associated CDs including his Velvet Underground period, his solo work, The Dream Syndicate, numerous soundtracks, collaborations with people like Terry Riley, Brian Eno, and Lou Reed, and several live recordings. On top of that, I have a number of recordings produced by Mr. Cale.

The Allmusic Guide really has an evocative summary of this record. The guide notes that Cale "was travelling the world in the company of a band of snot-nosed youngsters raised on hard rock, shrieking himself into a frenzy, wearing a hard hat on-stage, and writing songs like Chickenshit, a real-life tale of the time he beheaded a chicken (already dead) on-stage and threw the carcass into the crowd and his whole band quit in protest, set to the most merciless music he'd been a part of since White Light/White Heat."

That really sums up the record. The CD version, which I also have, contains four extra tracks, three of which come from the Animal Justice EP.

John Cale: Slow Dazzle (1975)

It's difficult to choose the best record of the three that Cale did for Island Records. My vote goes to Fear, but only by a slim margin. They are all pretty much equal and fabulous. And, having owned that Island compilation, all of the songs meld into one long album for me anyway.

If you want an example in how to cover a song, this record offers a killer example. You have never heard Heartbreak Hotel like this before.

Naturally, I did not hear any of these three records when they were released. I went through a crazy John Cale phase and discovered these overlooked records. Sure, many people knew about these records, but Cale never got any airplay in Toronto and area, ever. I have never heard John Cale on the radio. Hearing the Velvet Underground on the radio was a rarity, and I think that is something that has only happened comparatively recently.

The only tune I am not fond of is The Jeweller, but I fell the same way about The Gift, by VU. On the other hand, I love A Dream by Cale/Reed on Songs for Drella.

John Cale: Fear (1974)

"Life and death are things we only do when we're bored"

Between October 1974 and November 1985, John Cale released three ground-breaking records. To me, they are the three best rock records he has ever released. They are also, in my ever so humble opinion, the best three post-Velvet records. I love Lou's music, but Cale had him beaten with three three gems.

They are all brilliant from start to finish. The first, Fear, from October 1975, contains some stone cold Cale classics: Fear is a Man's Best Friend, Buffalo Ballet, Barracuda, Emily, Ship of Fools, Gun, The Man Who Couldn't Afford to Orgy, You Know More than I Know, and Mamma Scuba. Oh, wait, that's the entire record! Yes, the record is that good.

All three of these records were compiled on a double CD entitled The Island Years, which contains a number of quality bonus tracks, making the package extremely valuable. This collection is a companion on most every car trip I take.

Cabaret Voltaire: Drinking Gasoline (1985)

This review is kind of funny: 

On each of the album's four tracks (one track per side), Kirk and Mallinder combine simple, repetitive keyboard riffs and basslines with jerky drumbeats, and proceed to beat them to death over the course of eight minutes or so. In typical CV fashion, eerie voices float through the mix and Mallinder doesn't sing the lyrics so much as chant them. Each of the tracks has enough juice to grab the ear for a few minutes, but they tend to wear out their welcome after a while. Still, for those few minutes at least, "Kino" and "Ghostalk" in particular rank among the Cabs' more infectious compositions. [source]

FWIW, I like it. Some versions of the EP are spread over to records, with one track on each side. I have the Canadian pressing with one piece of vinyl with two tracks on each side. 

John Cale: Animal Justice (1977)

Animal Justice is a strange name for a record (an EP, really) from a guy who once decapitated a chicken on stage, though the chicken was already dead. This disc contains three tracks: Chicken Shit (a song about the aforementioned event), Memphis (the Chuck Berry tune), and Hedda Gabbler. The only 12" version this record was a UK pressing.

Allmusic says this: "...Animal Justice can only be ranked among the true must-haves in Cale's ever-lengthening canon." While song of these tracks appear in other places (for example, two tracks appear on the Seducing Down the Door compilation, which I have), I think this EP is well worth having.

Cabaret Voltaire: Don't Argue (1987)

These are pretty good remixes. 

Cabaret Voltaire: Code (1987)

I love this band, even in this less intense era. There are a number of CV releases that I am missing, but I would love to pick them up.

John Cale: The Academy in Peril (1972)

This album might have the best jacket in my collection. I guess that makes sense, because it was designed by Andy Warhol, though the story goes that Cale, or the record label, changed the cover to colour, abandoning Warhol's original black and white design. In any case, the cover is great.

My copy is a promo with die cuts for the images. I am not sure if the commercial pressing retained these cuts. I think I have seen later issues with a plain flat cover.

The music might seem a bit strange, following on from the unusual experiments of the Velvet Underground. Cale worked with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for a couple of tracks. I think this album is fabulous.

Cabaret Voltaire: The Covenant, The Sword And The Arm Of The Lord (1985)

I think that there are better Cabaret Voltaire records, but I like everything they've done and am always on the look out for records from these guys. 

Cabaret Voltaire: Micro-Phonies (1984)

Cabaret Voltaire are pioneers of industrial music, with a sound that reminds me of early Ministry, or the other way round. Sensoria was the big song from this record, though, for some reason, I like Spires in the Wires better.

Cabaret Voltaire: The Crackdown (1983)

On Crackdown, Cabaret Voltaire move beyond its earlier noise experiments to a harder sound. There are some funk elements throughout. I'll just let the music speak for itself.

David Byrne: Sounds from True Stories (1986)

 
Sounds from True Stories is the soundtrack to the Talking Heads film True Stories, and it's full of quirky and cool pieces of music from The Talking Heads continuum and guests. It's fantastic. Once again, I have to admit to not having seen a film for which I own the soundtrack. I guess I haven't seen as many movies as I should have.

David Byrne: Songs From The Broadway Production Of "The Catherine Wheel" (1981)

Guest musicians on this record include Adrian Belew, Jerry Harrison, and Brian Eno. I really like this record, so much so that I have the CD copy, which contains some extra tracks. It's good. Take my word for it.

Buzzcocks: Parts 1-3 (1981)

I wish I had discovered this band earlier. I've liked every track I have ever heard from this band. Tis one is collection of seven tracks. Here is some background from Allmusic:

The final Buzzcocks release, Parts 1, 2, 3, is an EP collecting both sides of the band's last three singles, the results of the band's chaotic final sessions with producer Martin Hannett. Pete Shelley later admitted that most of the band, as well as the producer, were heavily involved with cocaine and heroin during this period, and the songs sound like the work of a group in the process of fragmenting, both as an entity and as individuals. Evenly divided between principal songwriters Shelley and Steve Diggle, Diggle clearly comes out ahead, with three strong tracks ("Why She's a Girl From the Chainstore," the only track with the fire and verve of the old Buzzcocks; the anthemic "Airwaves Dream"; and "Running Free") to Shelley's one, the paranoid "Strange Thing." Shelley's other two efforts, "Are Everything" and "What Do You Know," are uncharacteristically weak songs unhelped by Hannett's murky, muddled production. A poor end for a once-great band, Parts 1, 2, 3 is uneven and often frustrating, with even the best tracks in some way damaged by the overall sense of anomie. [source]

I don't think it's as bad a that. 

Buzzcocks: A Different Kind Of Tension (1979)

The third Buzcocks record was released in the UK in September 1979, but the Canadian release --which I have -- dropped in 1980. From Wikipedia:

In a contemporary review of A Different Kind of Tension, Mikal Gilmore of Rolling Stone felt that the album suffered from repetitiveness, "resulting in a catchall of reworked riffs and static, similar tempos", while nonetheless praising it as their "most formidable record yet". In a retrospective review, Rolling Stone's Jon Dolan called A Different Kind of Tension the best of the band's first three albums. In Uncut, David Cavanagh observed that the album was divided between an unsurprisingly punk-flavoured first half and an experimental second half which harkened to the future. [source]

My memory is that the Buzzcocks didn't get much airplay in North America, and far less than the UK. Or, maybe I as listening to the wring radio stations. 

Will Butler: Policy (2015)

So, I have to decide what to do with new records I acquire that are earlier in the alphabet. Perhaps I will post them and then move them back to the correct place. Anyway, I recently picked this up on sale at HMV. I probably would not have bought it at full price. Having listened to it a couple of times, I'd say that there are some strong tracks, but some tracks that do absolutely nothing for me.

Will Butler is a member of Arcade Fire and younger brother of Win Butler. This record does not sound like Arcade Fire, but there are a few moments that make me think about the band. For me, the strongest songs are Take my Side and Son of God But, Something's Coming also works too, perhaps because it sounds more like Arcade Fire than the rest of the record.

Kate Bush: 50 Words for Snow (2011)

I paid $19.95 (plus tax) for a brand new sealed copy of this record. There is a copy currently for sale on Amazon.ca for $225.18. While that might be over-priced, the cheapest copy in this condition on Discogs is a cool $100. The highest priced one is about $280, so, I got a good deal. This album is simply amazing.

Kate Bush: Director's Cut (2011)

So, Kate Bush decided that she wanted to rework some of her songs. Although the reviews seemed to have been generally positive, I think I was too attached to the original versions and these never really struck a chord with me. It's not that I hate the songs, I just get the feeling like one sometimes gets when listening to a cover version that doesn't top the original.

Kate Bush: Rubberband Girl (1993)

This is a UK 12" 45 RPM picture disc that contains three tracks: Rubberband Girl (Extended Mix),
Rubberband Girl, and Big Stripey Lie. My copy is a promo, so the plastic sleeve has a "Not for Sale" sticker on it. I don't think it's particularly valuable. I saw one for $30 recently, but that was probably over-priced. 

Rubberband Girl is the best track from The Red Shoes, which I would say is the weakest Kate Bush record.

Andrew Bird: Armchair Apocrypha (2007)

This is Andrew's fourth record. My copy is not in the best shape. I rescued it from a thrift shop (for $1.99), and it has some shelf wear and the vinyl is by no means perfect. Honestly, this is a really great record. even Allmusic likes it. 

Kate Bush: Experiment IV (1986)

This US 12" contains three tracks: Experiment IV (Long Version), which first appeared on The Whole Story, Wuthering Heights (New Vocal), and December Will Be Magic Again, which is a christmas song, but an entirely secular one, which is OK with me.

Kate Bush: The Whole Story (1986)

The Whole Story is an example of a greatest hits (or best of) collection that works well. It includes many of her best known tunes and adds a new single, Experiment IV. By the way, some delete marks are more intrusive than others. The huge drill hole is a bit much.

Kate Bush: The Red Shoes (1993)

Thank you, Kate Bush, for re-releasing some long out-of-print and hard-to-find vinyl. I am awaiting Ariel, and then I will have everything. Although I am happy to have a copy of this on vinyl, I will be honest: this record didn't really do it for me. I like some tracks (Rubberband Girl and Eat the Music, especially), but overall, it's probably the weakest Kate Bush release. Even Prince, who joined her for one song, did little to raise my opinion of this record.

Kate Bush: Remastered In Vinyl IV (2018)

I was going to let this one pass, but at 30% off a really good price to begin with, I found it difficult to resist. Plus, I had a $30 gift card for that store.

This box contains four records: 12" Mixes, The Other Side 1, The Other Side 2, and In Other's Words. This is a wonderful collection.

Kate Bush: Aerial

In 2005, I wasn't buying records, so I missed the original pressing, which now goes for insane amounts. Happily, this was repressed in 2018, just in time for Christmas. I guess you'd call it another gift for myself.

Vocal contributions from Rolf Harris, on An Architect’s Dream and The Painter’s Link, have been excised owing to his arrest and conviction on indecent assault charges. Kate's son's vocals are used instead. Oddly, I thought that I had never even heard of Rolf Harris prior to reading about the news stories surrounding this reissue. But, I discovered that I am familiar with the track, Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport.
 
I wonder if this edit will push the price up of the original pressing? Who knows? I would say that I agree with the decision to remove his voice.

Kate Bush: The Sensual World (1989)

I prefer The Hounds of Love to this record, though I think The Sensual World is brilliant. Some people might argue that this record was her best release up to this point. Parts of The Sensual World (esp. This Woman's Work) seem overly sentimental. But, perhaps that has to do with how the song has been interpreted in such places as She's Having a Baby. The title track is awesome.

Kate Bush: The Big Sky (Meteorological Mix b/w Not This Time and The Morning Fog (1986)

This is Canadian 12" single contains three tracks: The Big Sky (Meteorological Mix), Not This Time, and The Morning Fog, the first of which appears on the anniversary CD edition of The Hounds of Love. The Big Sky is one of my favourite tracks from The Hounds of Love. Since there was no video for the extended mix, some intrepid Youtube user created a video using parts of The Dreaming and the original video for The Big Sky. The sync seems to be screwed up.

Kate Bush: The Houds of Love (limited edition, pink marble vinyl) (1985)

Apparently, only 800 of these pink marble vinyl records were released in Canada. My copy of the Canadian pressing still has a factory seal, so obviously, I have never played it. I picked this up in 1985 or 1986 in a record store in downtown Kitchener, though I forget the name of the store. I assume that the store is long gone. I was a regular there, because it was the only record store I knew of in the area that carried bootlegs.

You would probably have to pay $40 to $50 to get a copy of this record, which is far more than I paid.

Kate Bush: Kate Bush (1983)

Once upon a time, I owned the cassette version of this release. I guess I should look through the box and see if I still have it. It compiles a few tracks, one of them live:

Sat In Your Lap
James And The Cold Gun (Live Version)
Ne T'Enfuis Pas
Babooshka
Suspended In Gaffa
Un Baiser D'Enfant (The Infant Kiss)

Kate Bush: The Hounds of Love (1985)

"She mouthed the words along to "Running Up That Hill"
That song got scratched into her soul
And he never heard that song before, but he still got the metaphor
Yea, he knew some people that switched places before"

Hornets! Hornets! - The Hold Steady

Without question, The Hounds of Love was my favourite album of 1985. While the Smiths did release an album that year, it was not their best work, if you ask me. Only a few other albums would rival my choice for best record of 1985: New Order's Lowlife, The Waterboys' This is the Sea, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions' Easy Pieces, and Psychocandy, by the Jesus and Mary Chain. Oh, I guess I have to add Skinny Puppy to this list. Bites is an awesome record, though a little too bizarre for some people.

I own the deluxe anniversary edition of The Hounds of Love on CD, which is interesting for the bonus material. So many Kate Bush videos feature dancing. I'll admit that I am not a fan of dance.

Kate Bush: The Dreaming (1982)

I once saw Kate Bush in person in Toronto. She was doing an interview and I was holding a position outside the venue and got to see (but not hear) part of the interview through the glass. She waved from the vehicle as it drove her away after the interview. So close, but yet so far.

The Dreaming is simply fantastic from start to finish. Of course, I also have a copy on CD. I am hard pressed to choose a favourite track. Sat in Your Lap, the first track, really gets ones attention, though the video is perplexing, at least to me. But, then again, most of her videos are unusual. I am happy that I decided not to part with the vinyl when I acquired this on CD.

Kate Bush: Never for Ever (1980)

Back in the day, I studied Russian. I was stunned to learn that Kate Bush mangled the pronunciation of babooshka in her song Babooshka. Not only that, the definition of babooshka is grandmother. If I received a scented letter from a woman calling herself Babooshka, I would call the police. But, it is, in the end, a good song, as are the others on this record.