Kate Bush‘s “This Woman’s Work” is a song about a man’s helplessness and fear as his wife faces a life-threatening situation during childbirth. It was written for the film She’s Having a Baby, capturing the tense moments from the perspective of the expectant father.
Below is a section-by-section breakdown of the lyrics in “This Woman’s Work.”
- Song: This Woman’s Work
- Artist: Kate Bush
- Songwriter: Kate Bush
- Released: 1989
- Album: The Sensual World
- Genre: Pop
What is “This Woman’s Work” About?
Verse 1: Waiting Outside the Danger
Pray God you can cope
I stand outside this woman’s work
This man is consumed by worry, praying for his wife’s strength as she goes through the intense process of childbirth. He feels entirely on the outside, observing an event that is uniquely hers.
This part highlights his exclusion from this physical experience and his reliance on a higher power for her well-being.
This woman’s world
It’s hard on the man
Here, he acknowledges the inherent difficulty of his own position.
He is in “this woman’s world,” a space he cannot enter or fully understand, making his helplessness even more pronounced.
Now his part is over
Now starts the craft of the father
His active role in the pregnancy and delivery has ended.
He’s no longer a participant in the immediate medical drama, and now his journey into fatherhood truly begins, a new stage demanding a different kind of effort and care.
Pre-Chorus: Hoping She’s Strong Enough
I know you have a little life in you yet
I know you have a lot of strength left
He has faith in his wife’s resilience. He believes she possesses inner vitality and considerable strength to get through the ordeal.
This belief has dual meanings, referring both to her physical endurance and the new life, their baby, within her.
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Chorus: Regret and Panic
I should be crying, but I just can’t let it show
I should be hoping, but I can’t stop thinking
He struggles with conflicting emotions. He feels an urge to cry but tries to hide his vulnerability, perhaps to stay strong for his wife or avoid breaking down himself.
Instead of focusing on hope for a positive outcome, his mind is consumed by dread and worst-case scenarios.
Of all the things I should’ve said
That I never said
In this moment of crisis, a flood of regrets washes over him.
He’s tormented by all the unspoken words of love, the affirmations, or important conversations he never initiated.
The possibility of losing her makes these missed opportunities feel incredibly heavy.
All the things we should’ve done
That we never did
He thinks about all the shared experiences they missed out on, the dreams and plans they had together that now might never come to pass.
This brings a wave of sorrow over what could have been.
All the things I should’ve given
But I didn’t
He regrets the support, affection, or attention he might have held back.
He feels guilty, wishing he had been more loving and put in more effort when he had the chance.
Oh, darling, make it go
Make it go away
He pleads desperately for the terrifying situation to vanish.
He wants to escape the fear and the overwhelming sense of potential loss, wishing he could undo the danger.
Verse 2: Wishing for More Time
Give me these moments back
Give them back to me
Overcome with grief, even before knowing the outcome, he yearns for the past.
He desperately wants to rewind time to simpler, happier moments that he now fears are gone forever.
Give me that little kiss
Give me your hand
These are the smallest things, but they mean everything when someone might die.
He wants one more kiss, one more touch, one more sign that she’s still there.
“This Woman’s Work” Song Meaning: Grief, Regret, and Fear of Loss
“This Woman’s Work” is about the terrifying reality of a man standing by, helpless, as the woman he loves faces a life-threatening situation during childbirth. It captures the sudden, unexpected fear that can grip a person when a loved one’s life hangs in the balance. The song highlights the heavy burden of regret and unspoken feelings that can surface in such moments, where all the “should-haves” and “could-haves” become incredibly painful.
Beyond the immediate crisis, the song is also about the bond between partners and the unique challenges faced when one person’s experience, like childbirth, is inherently solitary, and the other is left to endure the anxiety from the sidelines.
Songs Like “This Woman’s Work”
Here are some other songs that share similar themes of love, loss, and the anxieties of life’s unexpected turns:
1. “Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton
“Tears in Heaven” is a song about the grief a father feels after the tragic loss of his young son. It explores the sorrow that follows and the questioning of what life would be like without that person.
Related: “Tears in Heaven” Song Meaning
2. “The Living Years” by Mike + The Mechanics
“The Living Years” is about the regrets people have about unspoken words and unresolved issues with loved ones. It focuses on the importance of communication and confronting feelings while people are still alive.
Related: Best Songs About Time
3. “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion
“My Heart Will Go On” describes a love that transcends loss and distance. While “This Woman’s Work” is about the fear of loss, “My Heart Will Go On” is about the lasting impact of a loved one.
Related: Best Songs with “Heart” in the Title
Conclusion: A Man’s Vulnerability in Crisis
“This Woman’s Work” sits in the moment when everything is falling apart and asks, “What if this is the end?” It’s a unique song about fear, helplessness, and love all tangled together at a time when every second feels like it could be the last.
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