Kate Bush vs. Maxwell | Head 2 Head 🗣️

On the 9th edition of Head 2 Head, Kate Bush & Maxwell duke it over their respective takes on “This Woman’s Work.” 

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians singing the same song together, comparing and contrasting their performances.  Then, after much deliberation, we deliver a verdict of which performance was the best, or at least, subjectively, which performance moved us more.  For our 9th head-to-head, the source material is the song, 🎵 “This Woman’s Work”. The two artists going head-to-head are the original performer and writer 🎙 Kate Bush  and the transformative coverer, 🎙 Maxwell. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence! 

1. Kate Bush, “This Woman’s Work”

💿 The Sensual World • 🏷 Novercia Overseas Ltd. • 📅 1989

“Ooh, it’s hard on the man / Now his part is over / Now starts the craft of the father.” Wow – those lyrics are incredibly powerful, reflective, and though-provoking.  Also, worth noting, they come from a man’s perspective, with the original singer and songwriting being an incredibly gifted WOMAN. The lyrics hail from the pen of 🏆 Grammy-nominated alternative pop/rock singer/songwriter, 🎙 Kate Bush.  Bush created a truly timeless record on her 1989 album, 💿 The Sensual World, with 🎵 “This Woman’s Work”.  The song would actually pre-date the album, arriving originally in 1988. It was written specifically for the film, 🎦 She’s Having a Baby.

Bush sounds marvelous as she performs “This Woman’s Work.”  She sings with incredible expression, nuance, and passion.  The arrangement and production are superb.  For much of the song, we get piano accompaniment, which is fitting.  That said, we also add a powerful, lush orchestral backdrop during the chorus, as well as backing vocals, which fill out the production.  The sound exemplifies the late 80s and early 90s, but even so, it remains potent more than 30 years after its arrival.  As amazing as Bush sings and the production sounds, it’s the theme and lyrics, again from a man’s perspective as he evaluates changes he’ll have to make and regrets that he has.

2. Maxwell, “This Woman’s Work”

💿 Now • 🏷 Columbia • 📅 2001 

“I should be crying but I just can’t let it show / I should be hoping but I can’t stop thinking / All the things we should’ve said that I never said…” 🏆 Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter 🎙 Maxwell is simply incredible.  His voice – that pure falsetto – does something to you when you listen.  Though he rarely releases new music, the Haitian-Puerto Rican American singer has solidified his legacy with his brilliant work in the past.  Specifically, his third studio album 💿 Now, released at the height of the neo-soul era in 2001, features the crème de la crème of his career including 🎵 “This Woman’s Work.”  

Just to remind you, “This Woman’s Work” is actually a cover.  The truly gifted musician that he is, he makes this Kate Bush gem sound as if it were his own. This is a case where I’m pretty sure Bush co-signs this magnificent R&B take, providing her with even greater accolades as a singer/songwriter.  The big takeaways: the expressiveness with which he sings, the buttery smooth tone intact with falsetto, and the overall production and sound.  Even 20 years later, this is definitely a V-I-B-E.

“Give me these moments
Give them back to me
Give me that little kiss
Give me your talking hands.”

Also Appears On 🔽:

🔗 🎧 13 Incredibly Hard-Working Songs

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️

So, is it the original by Kate Bush or the masterful cover by Maxwell that comes out on top?  Honestly, it’s a matter of preference or perhaps, the version you first heard/grew up with.  Being a mid-late 80s baby whose music was shaped in the 90s and early 00s, the first time I heard “This Woman’s Work” was from Maxwell, hence the reason he gets the edge.  Furthermore, he managed to make this a moderately successful hit, peaking at no. 58 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, researching and taking the time to explore and listen to the original, Bush deserves even more love – it’s an incredible, incredible song.

Kate Bush vs. Maxwell: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 9 [📷: Brent Faulkner, Columbia, The Musical Hype, Novercia Overseas Ltd., Valentin Tikhonov from Pixabay]