Under the Ivy was the B-side to Kate's Running Up That Hill single from 1985.It's short, sweet and (deceptively) simple. Yet there is an underlying unease, almost menace to the song. The singer invites you to look for her, giving detailed instructions:
Go into the gardenGo under the ivyUnder the leavesAway from the partyGo right to the roseGo right to the white rose
As a young boy I was fascinated by a short story by Astrid Lundgren about a girl who had a secret twin in her garden - the entrance to their magic kingdom was marked by a single rose. As most of my favourite tales, it had no happy ending but I loved the sense of longing and secrecy the story breathed.From the first time I heard Under the Ivy it always reminds me of that tale. To me, it now represents lost youth and innocence - and that special sense of wonder that only children can have.
This version of Under the Ivy is a rare live recording.