‘Why Should I Love You?’ is a song written by Kate Bush. It was originally released on her seventh album The Red Shoes.

Bush asked Prince to contribute background vocals to ‘Why Should I Love You’ in 1991. She sent him the track, which she had recorded at Abbey Road Studios (Studio Number One), London, England, and Prince added vocals, but also added many instrumental parts to the song, at his Paisley Park Studios. When Kate Bush and Del Palmer listened to Prince’s returned track, they weren’t sure what to do with it. They worked on it on and off for two years to try to “turn it back into a Kate Bush song”. The track also features background vocals by British comedian Lenny Henry, a good friend of Kate’s.

Versions

There are two versions of ‘Why Should I Love You’: the album version from 1993 and an outtake that was leaked on the internet almost twenty years later.

Cover versions

‘Why Should I Love You’ was covered by Particle Salad and Mike Scott.

Lyrics

This chapter says
“Put it out of your mind”
Mmm, give it time….

The fine purple
The purest gold
The red of the Sacred Heart
The grey of a ghost
The “L” of the lips are open
To the “O” of the Host
The “V” of the velvet

Of all of the people in the world
Why should I love you?
There’s just something ’bout you
There’s just something ’bout you
Of all the people in the world
Why should I love you?

Have you ever seen a picture
Of Jesus laughing?
Mmm, do you think
He had a beautiful smile?
A smile that healed

Of all the people in the world
Why should I love you?
There’s just something ’bout you
There’s just something ’bout you
Of all the people in the world
Why should I love you?
Of all the people in the world
Why should I love you?

The fine purple
The purest gold
The red of the Sacred Heart
The grey of a ghost
The “L” of the lips are open
To the “O” of the Host
The “V” of the velvet
The “E” of my eye
The eye in wonder
The eye that sees
The “I” that loves you

Of all the people in the world
Why should I love you?

Credits

Drums: Stuart Elliott
Keyboards, guitar, bass, vocals: Prince
Vocals: Lenny Henry
Tenor saxophone: Nigel Hitchcock
Trombone: Neil Sidwell
Trumpet, Flugelhorn: Steve Sidwell
Vocals: Trio Bulgarka
Keyboards: Kate
Arrangements by Prince and Kate