The Red Shoes (song)

"The Red Shoes" is a song by British singer-songwriter Kate Bush. It was released as the third single from her 1993 album of the same name. The song is inspired by the 1845 Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale "The Red Shoes," and the 1948 film adaptation directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.

The lyrics of the song explore themes of temptation, compulsion, and the loss of control. The protagonist is drawn to the allure of the red shoes, which represent worldly desires and artistic ambition. Once worn, however, the shoes force her to dance uncontrollably, leading to exhaustion and ultimately, destruction. The song is often interpreted as a metaphor for the dangers of unchecked ambition and the sacrifices required to achieve artistic success.

Musically, "The Red Shoes" is characterized by its driving, percussive rhythm and its blend of traditional Irish instruments (like the uilleann pipes played by Davy Spillane) with more modern electronic elements. Bush's vocal performance is powerful and dramatic, capturing the protagonist's conflicting emotions of exhilaration and despair.

The single release of "The Red Shoes" featured a music video directed by Bush herself, further elaborating on the themes of the song and drawing heavily from the visual imagery of the Powell and Pressburger film. The video includes appearances by Lindsay Kemp, Miranda Richardson, and French mime artist Carlos Clarens.