‘In Search Of Peter Pan’ is a song written by Kate Bush before her debut in 1978. When the album Lionheart was recorded, it was one of seven ‘older’ songs to be recorded. The song quotes the song ‘When You Wish Upon A Star’ from the classic Disney film Pinocchio.
Performances
Kate performed ‘In Search Of Peter Pan’ as part of the live shows in the Tour of Life in 1979.
Cover versions
‘In Search Of Peter Pan’ was covered by Kat Devlin and Yuri Kono.
Kate about ‘In Search Of Peter Pan’
There’s a song on [Lionheart] called ‘In Search Of Peter Pan’ and it’s sorta about childhood. And the book itself is an absolutely amazing observation on paternal attitudes and the relationships between the parents – how it’s reflected on the children. And I think it’s a really heavy subject, you know, how a young innocence mind can be just controlled, manipulated, and they don’t necessarily want it to happen that way. And it’s really just a song about that.
Lionheart promo cassette, EMI Canada, 1978
Lyrics
It’s been such a long week
So much crying
I no longer see a future
I’ve been told when I get older
That I’ll understand it all
But I’m not sure if I want to
Running into her arms
At the school gates
She whispers that I’m a poor kid
And Granny takes me on her knee
She tells me I’m too sensitive
She makes me sad
She makes me feel like an old man
She makes me feel like an old man
They took the game right out of it
They took the game right out of it
When I am a man
I will be an astronaut,
And find Peter Pan
Second star on the right
Straight on ’til morning
Second star on the right
Straight on ’til morning
Dennis loves to look
In the mirror
He tells me that he is beautiful
So I look too, and what do I see?
My eyes are full
But my face is empty
He’s got a photo
Of his hero
He keeps it under his pillow
But I’ve got a pin-up
From a newspaper
Of Peter Pan
I found it in a locket
I hide it in my pocket
They took the game right out of it
They took the game right out of it
When I am a man
I will be an astronaut,
And find Peter Pan
Second star on the right
Straight on ’til morning
Second star on the right
Straight on ’til morning
Second star on the right
Straight on ’til morning
“When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true.”
Credits
Drums and percussion: Stuart Elliott
Bass: David Paton
Acoustic and electric guitars: Duncan Mackay
Piano: Kate Bush
Fender Rhodes: Ian Bairnson
