"The Red Shoes" is a song written and performed by English musician Kate Bush. It was the fourth single released from her seventh studio album, The Red Shoes (1993). The single was released in April 1994 and reached number 21 on the UK Singles Chart. Background and content The song is about a girl who puts on a pair of enchanted ballet slippers and can't stop dancing until she breaks the spell. It is inspired by a character in the Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger film The Red Shoes. Release "The Red Shoes" was released on 7-inch vinyl, cassette, and CD on 5 April 1994. "You Want Alchemy" is the B-side song on all formats except the second part of the CD single. The second part of the CD single was released six days after the first part and features a 10-minute remix by Karl Blagan of "The Red Shoes", renamed "Shoedance", as well as remixes of "The Big Sky" and "Running Up That Hill". Critical reception Parry Gettelman from Orlando Sentinel wrote, "The mandola, the whistles and various curious instruments on the driving title track really recall the fever-dream quality of the 1948 ballet film The Red Shoes, the album's namesake." Track listings All songs were written by Kate Bush. 7-inch and cassette single CD1 CD2 Personnel Kate Bush – lead and backing vocals, keyboards Paddy Bush – mandola, tin whistle, musical bow, backing vocals Del Palmer – Fairlight CMI programming Danny McIntosh – guitar Gaumont d'Olivera – bass guitar Stuart Elliott – drums, percussion Colin Lloyd Tucker – backing vocals Charts References Kate Bush songs 1993 songs 1994 singles EMI Records singles Songs about dancing Songs written by Kate Bush Music based on works by Hans Christian Andersen Works based on The Red Shoes (fairy tale)