Kate Bush: Running Up That Hill Again

Recently, I found an episode of Casey Kasem’s Coast to Coast Top 40 from late 1985, and it was very informative.

He introduced this singer from England who had started writing songs in grade school. They were so good, the teacher could not believe they were not written by an adult, much less that that particular student had written them.

But, in fact, Kate Bush had written those songs.

Casey was telling this story to introduce Kate Bush’s entry in the top 40 that week.

The song was called “Running Up That Hill” and that would not be the last we heard of it.

The song
“Running Up That Hill” is a haunting song, that has kind of a lyrical quality. When I hear it, I imagine mist rising off water and a silhouette of a young woman running.

The song was the first single off Bush’s new album “Hounds of Love”. “Running Up That Hill” was released on August 5, 1985 and went as far as number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Kate Bush’s first top 40 hit in the United States.

Wikipedia reveals she performed it live in 1987, accompanied by David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, and did not perform it again until some concerts in 2014. A remix of the song with new vocals premiered during the closing ceremonies of the 2012 Sumer Olympics in London as well.

Re-birth
A few months ago, I had CBC News on in the background when I heard the strangest thing. It was “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush.

My first thought was that Kate Bush had died. That seemed to be the only time old songs were played. That was the case with Gordon Lightfoot and would later be the case with Robbie Robertson.

But that was not it.

No, “Running Up That Hill” was back on the charts and was at number three on the latest Billboard Hot 100 charts. Incidentally, that would be the peak position it would reach.

As it turned out, “Running Up That Hill” had been on the fourth season of “Stranger Things”. The song was having a re-birth, as it was introduced to a new generation of fans.

Parting thoughts
It is interesting that Kate Bush did not license her songs for use in a lot of movies and TV. However, she is a fan of “Stranger Things” and consented.

The result was renewed interest in the song, unprecedented chart success, and a whole new group of fans.

Once more, everything old is new again.