‘Egypt’ is a song written by Kate Bush. She described the song as ‘an attempted audial animation of the romantic and realistic visions of a country’. The song was premiered during the Christmas Special in 1979 and released on the album Never For Ever in 1980.

Cover versions

‘Egypt’ was covered by Yuri Kono.

Kate about ‘Egypt’

‘Egypt’ is an attempted audial animation of the romantic and realistic visions of a country.

Kate Bush Club newsletter, September 1980

The song is very much about someone who has not gone there thinking about Egypt, going: “Oh, Egypt! It’s so romantic… the pyramids!” Then in the breaks, there’s meant to be the reality of Egypt, the conflict. It’s meant to be how blindly we see some things – “Oh, what a beautiful world”, you know, when there’s shit and sewers all around you.

Kris Needs, ‘Fire in the Bush’. Zigzag (UK), 1980

Lyrics

Follow the Nile
Deep to much deeper
The Pyramids sound lonely tonight

The sands run red
In lands of the Pharoahs
Their symmetry gets right inside me

I cannot stop to comfort them
I’m busy chasing up my demon
I cannot stop to comfort them
I’m busy chasing up my demon
Oh, I’m in love
With Egypt

My Pussy Queen
Knows all my secrets
I’ll never fall in love again
I drift with dunes
I whisper of the tombs
They offer me Egyptian delights

She’s got me with that feline guise,
Got me in those desert eyes
She’s got me with that feline guise,
Got me in those desert eyes
Oh I’m in love
With Egypt

Credits

Drums, percussion: Preston Heyman
Electric bass: Del Palmer
Fender Rhodes, Minimoog: Max Middleton
Strumento de Porco, Backing vocals: Paddy Bush
Prophet 5: Mike Moran