Song written by Kate Bush. Originally released on the album Hounds Of Love in 1985. The track seems to be the most skeletal of the album. A flat drum pattern, just kick and snare, provides the metronomic basis upon which the whole percussion pattern, piano chords and a sinuous upright bass melody are built. Most other sounds are most probably provided by the Fairlight.

Cover versions

‘Mother Stands For Comfort’ was covered by Jane Birkin, Cauac Sky, Kat Devlin, E-Clypse featuring Emma Price, Goodknight Productions, Isadar, The Kate Bush Experience, Murder of Crows, Brian Seabolt, The Security Project featuring Happy Rhodes and TM Collective.

Kate about ‘Mother Stands For Comfort’

Well, the personality that sings this track is very unfeeling in a way. And the cold qualities of synths and machines were appropriate here. There are many different kinds of love and the track’s really talking about the love of a mother, and in this case she’s the mother of a murderer, in that she’s basically prepared to protect her son against anything. ‘Cause in a way it’s also suggesting that the son is using the mother, as much as the mother is protecting him. It’s a bit of a strange matter, isn’t it really? [laughs] (Richard Skinner, ‘Classic Albums Interview: Hounds Of Love’. BBC Radio 1 (UK), 26 January 1992)

Lyrics

She knows that I’ve been doing something wrong
But she won’t say anything
She thinks that I was with my friends yesterday
But she won’t mind me lying
Because

Mother stands for comfort
Mother will hide the murderer

It breaks the cage, and fear escapes and takes possession
Just like a crowd rioting inside
(Make me do this, make me do that, make me do this, make me do that…)
Am I the cat that takes the bird?
To her the hunted, not the hunter

Mother stands for comfort
Mother will hide the murderer
Mother hides the madman
Mother will stay mum

Mother stands for comfort
Mother will hide the murderer
Mother hides the madman
Mother will stay mum

Credits

Drums: Stuart Elliott
Bass: Eberhard Weber