Kate Bush's 1985 song 'Running Up That Hill' is back in the charts after it appeared on TV show 'Stranger Things'. Photo: Pete Still / Redferns
Kate Bush's 1985 song 'Running Up That Hill' is back in the charts after it appeared on TV show 'Stranger Things'. Photo: Pete Still / Redferns
Kate Bush's 1985 song 'Running Up That Hill' is back in the charts after it appeared on TV show 'Stranger Things'. Photo: Pete Still / Redferns
Kate Bush's 1985 song 'Running Up That Hill' is back in the charts after it appeared on TV show 'Stranger Things'. Photo: Pete Still / Redferns

Kate Bush and 'Stranger Things': the story behind 'Running Up That Hill'


Katy Gillett
  • English
  • Arabic

The 1985 Kate Bush song Running Up That Hill has hit No 1 on the iTunes charts in 2022, thanks to Netflix show Stranger Things.

In season four of the Duffer Brothers' sci-fi horror series, Bush's haunting tune plays a significant role in the story arc of Max Mayfield, played by Sadie Sink. (We'll give away no spoilers here.)

Originally titled A Deal with God, the single was the first from Bush's 1985 album Hounds of Love and hit the radio waves on August 5, 1985 in the UK, her home country.

Back then, it peaked at No 3 on the UK charts and made 30 in the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.

The song's name was changed by Bush's label as record executives feared it would be blacklisted in religious countries, such as Italy or France. Bush relented, changing the title, but it's still listed as Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) on the album.

As with most Bush songs, it's a theatrical piece of synth-laden music taken to new heights with its deeply personal lyrics. She is said to have written it in one evening.

It's about making a deal with God to swap lives with another person; a fitting theme for Max's dilemma in the TV show.

English singer-songwriter poses for a shoot in 1978. Photo: Rex Features
English singer-songwriter poses for a shoot in 1978. Photo: Rex Features

“It's about a relationship between a man and a woman,” Bush said in a 1985 interview. “They love each other very much, and the power of the relationship is something that gets in the way. It creates insecurities.

“It's saying if the man could be the woman and the woman the man, if they could make a deal with God, to change places, that they'd understand what it's like to be the other person and perhaps it would clear up misunderstandings. You know, all the little problems; there would be no problem.”

A relationship fraught with complications is at the heart of the theme. As goes verse two: “You don't want to hurt me / But see how deep the bullet lies / Unaware, I'm tearing you asunder / Ooh, there is thunder in our hearts / Is there so much hate for the ones we love?”

“It seems that the more you get to know a person, the greater the scope there is for misunderstanding,” Bush said in an interview with The Times in 1985.

“Sometimes you can hurt somebody purely accidentally or be afraid to tell them something because you think they might be hurt when really they'll understand. So what that song is about is making a deal with God to let two people swap place so they'll be able to see things from one another's perspective.”

Then comes the now-trending chorus: “And if I only could / I'd make a deal with God / And I'd get him to swap our places / Be running up that road / Be running up that hill”.

“I don't know that perfect love exists in any human being, but I don't think it can be encouraged enough,” Bush told Blitz magazine when the song came out.

Running Up That Hill was one of the first songs she wrote for the album, and she had to persuade her label to make it the single instead of Cloudbusting.

She won the battle, and the song also got a nearly five-minute music video, directed by David Garfath, featuring Bush performing an interpretive dance with Michael Hervieu that was choreographed by Diane Grey.

Bush and Hervieu wear grey Japanese hakamas, a traditional style of floor-length trousers, and the dance suggests the pair are drawing a bow and arrow, an action that also appeared on the song's cover artwork.

In surreal sequences, the duo search through crowds of masked strangers and it ends with them being swept away from each other.

Interestingly, MTV initially refused to run the video, reportedly because the network preferred clips of people singing along to songs. At first, the channel ran a live performance of the song from TV show Wogan instead, but eventually put the video into rotation.

Over the years, various artists have covered the song, from dark wave group Faith and the Muse in 2001 and rock band Placebo in 2003 to pop star Will Young in 2011.

AlUla and other global landmarks celebrate return of 'Stranger Things' — in pictures

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Brief scores:

Liverpool 3

Mane 24', Shaqiri 73', 80'

Manchester United 1

Lingard 33'

Man of the Match: Fabinho (Liverpool)

england euro squad

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Man Utd), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Jordan Pickford (Everton)

Defenders: John Stones (Man City), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Man City), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Reece James (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid)

Midfielders: Mason Mount (Chelsea), Declan Rice (West Ham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds)

Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Raheem Sterling (Man City), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

'Tell the Machine Goodnight' by Katie Williams 
Penguin Randomhouse

Prophets of Rage

(Fantasy Records)

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Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
The BIO:

He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal

He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side

By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam

Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border

He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push

His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level

Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

Wonka
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The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm

Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm

Transmission: 6-speed auto

Price: from Dh155,000

On sale: now

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CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

'The Batman'

Stars:Robert Pattinson

Director:Matt Reeves

Rating: 5/5

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Poacher
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Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Haltia.ai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Arto%20Bendiken%20and%20Talal%20Thabet%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AI%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20About%20%241.7%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self%2C%20family%20and%20friends%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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What is the FNC?

The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning. 
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval. 
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
 

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

HIJRA

Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy

Director: Shahad Ameen

Rating: 3/5

BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES

Saturday

Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm kick-off UAE)

Bayer Leverkusen v Schalke (5.30pm)

Wolfsburg v Cologne (5.30pm)

Mainz v Arminia Bielefeld (5.30pm)

Augsburg v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)

RB Leipzig v Bayern Munich (8.30pm)

Borussia Monchengladbach v Freiburg (10.30pm)

Sunday

VfB Stuttgart v Werder Bremen  (5.30pm)

Union Berlin v Hertha Berlin (8pm)

Updated: May 31, 2022, 12:38 PM`