“I Never Thought It Would Be Something Like This”: Kate Bush On The Meaning And Success Of ‘Running Up That Hill’
Kate Bush explains to new fans what it means to ‘run over that hill’ as the song tops the UK charts 37 years after its release.
Interest in the 1980s anthem grew after she appeared in a critical episode of the new Marvel series for Netflix.
It was the longest-ever UK No. 1 single and Bush’s first song to reach the US Top 10.
“I thought the song was attention-grabbing,” BBC Radio 4’s Bush told Music’s Women’s Hour in detail about the new hit for the first time. But I never thought something like this would happen. It’s very exciting.”
“But it’s shocking, isn’t it? I mean the whole world has gone mad.
Referring to the song’s new and younger audience, host Emma Barnett asked the singer how she would interpret the song.
“I love that people listen to a song and get what they want from it. But basically it’s like the idea of a man and a woman swapping places with each other. It’s written in. Just to feel what it’s like on the other side,” Bush explained.
Bush also discussed the song’s title, which was originally going to be something different.
Kate Bush (left) and Sadie Sink as seniors in ‘Stranger Things’ (Getty/Netflix).
“It was called a covenant with God. I think the record company was concerned about it not being played on the radio. “People felt it was a sensitive topic.”
Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink) heard ‘Running on the Hill’ on the Walkman in the first episode of the Netflix series and it remains an important song for the character in the following episodes.
On Friday June 17, it was announced that ‘Running on the Hill’ had reached No.1 on the Official Singles Chart, a feat never achieved when the song was first released in 1985 and peaked at No.3.
Women’s Hour is broadcast on Radio 4 weekdays at 10:00 and on BBC Sound.
