Kate Bush – Waking the Witch Lyrics

Waking the Witch Lyrics by Kate Bush

“Waking the Witch” is the eighth track on Kate Bush’s album Hounds of Love, and the third track of “The Ninth Wave”, a mini-concept album about a woman drowning in the aftermath of a shipwreck.

“Waking the Witch” is the first in a series of three songs about the hallucinations experienced by the woman as she slowly freezes and runs out of oxygen. The three songs appear to follow a past, present, future pattern, with “Waking the Witch” representing the past.

The song is based partially on a book titled The Witch of Blackbird Pond where the main character is witness to a Salem-like witch trial and burning. The character in the song appears to be experiencing the trial as the defendant, as the prosecutor attempts to berate a confession out of her. As the jury delivers their verdict, she maintains her innocence, and the song ends with reality breaking through her delusion long enough for us to hear the words “Get out of the waves, get out of the water” from the rescue team in their helicopter.

[Intro]
“Wake up”
“A good morning, ma’am. Your early morning call”
“You must wake up”
“Wake up”
“Wake up, man!”
“Wake up, child! Pay attention!”
“Come on, wake up!”
“Wake up, love!”
“We should make the night, but see your little lights alive”
“Stop that lying and sleeping in bed; get up!”
(“Come on, get yourself out of that bed!”)
“Little light…”
“Can you not see that little light up there?”
“Where?”
“There!”
“Where?”
“Over here…”
“You still in bed?!”
“Wake up, sleepy head!”
“We are of the going water and the gone”
“We are of water in the Holy Land of water”
“Don’t you know you’ve kept him waiting?!”
“Look who’s here to see you!”

[Refrain 1]
Listen to me, listen to me, baby
Help me, help me, baby
Talk to me, talk to me
Please talk to me

[Verse 1]
You won’t burn
Red, red roses
You won’t bleed
Pinks and posies
Confess to me, girl
Red, red roses
Go down

[Bridge 1]
Spiritus Sanctus in nomine…
Spiritus Sanctus in nomine…
Spiritus Sanctus in nomine…
Spiritus Sanctus in nomine…

[Verse 2]
Poor little thing
Red, red roses
The blackbird
Pinks and posies
Wings in the water
Red, red roses
Go down
Go down
Pinks and posies

[Bridge 2]
Deus et dei domino inferno…
Deus et dei domino inferno…
Deus et dei domino inferno…
Deus et dei domino inferno…

[Refrain 2]
“What is it, child?”
Bless me, father
Bless me, father
For I have sinned, uh
Help me, listen to me, listen to me, tell them, baby
Red, red roses
Help me, baby!
Red, red ro…
Talk to them

[Verse 3]
I question your innocence
She’s a witch!
This blackbird!
There’s a stone around my leg
Ha! Damn you, woman
Help this blackbird!
There’s a stone around my leg
What say you, good people?!
“Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!”
Well, are you responsible for your actions?
This blackbird!
“Not guilty!”
Help this blackbird!
Wake the witch

[Outro]
“Get out of the waves!”
“Get out of the water!”