FEATURE:
After Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) Appeared on Stranger Things…
Kate Bush and a Certain Screen Presence
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IT was not too long ago…
that I wrote about Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God). I am minded to bring it up because, this week, the track featured prominently in an episode of the Netflix series, Stranger Things. I have not watched many episodes of the horror-drama (the fourth season takes place in 1986; one year after Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love came out). Yet I know it hugely popular and, among the many things it is known for, its epic needle drops are high up there. That is when a great song is played at a perfect moment. Arguably Kate Bush’s defining song, Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) was employed to great effect! This article that lists the best needle drops in Stranger Things mentioned the recent Kate Bush spotlight:
“It’s a little maudlin, but the idea that music sets you free works in the world of Stranger Things. So much of this franchise is built on the idea that these pop cultural touchstones have served as essential escapes for myriad generations. So, the notion that Kate Bush could save a life in Hawkins isn’t that much of a stretch. If anything, the act is fitting for the anthem in question: “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” is one of the most enchanting pop compositions to ever grace the genre, and if you’re going to use it, you better earn it. They do by pairing the ballad with Max Mayfield, whose own traumatic past with her brother Billy Hargrove grooves to the beat of the song’s lyrical heart: “And if I only could/ I’d make a deal with God/ And I’d get him to swap our places.” The track appears early on in Season 4, but the way Levy wields it at the end of this fourth chapter truly makes a deal with the gods”.
There was a lot of excitement and discussion about Kate Bush online when that episode of Stranger Things was aired. It has also meant that her iconic song has entered number five in the streaming and download chart! I am not surprised Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) was chosen for inclusion. In fact, as I have written before, it is the songs from Hounds of Love that are used for T.V. and film. I guess it is because that is the most-known and successful album. Especially when it comes to U.S. productions, this is the album that was successful in the country and helped make her more of a name there. Like the very best artists, Kate Bush music holds such power. I think that it has an amazing versatility. In Stranger Things, Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) was used in a more emotion context. There was this redemptive and uplifting nature to the song that helped resonate with a character. Bush’s music – when brought to the screen – has scored romantic scenes and happier moments. She has a catalogue that holds so much possibility and emotions when it comes to transferring to cinema and television. She must get tonnes of requests for her songs to be used; she chooses carefully and ensures that she does not say ‘yes’ to anything. I am interested to see what the next production is that features a Kate Bush track!
As I have also said previously, bringing Bush’s music into T.V. shows and films gives it wider exposure. It is great for fans to hear one of their favourite songs on a show or film…yet it is even more rewarding if someone discovers Kate Bush this way. This is something about her music that means, when you see it on the screen, it elevates that scene! I think more and more people will want to use Bush’s music, though she will be selective regarding permission. It does occur that the majority of Bush’s songs that provoke the biggest reaction are from Hounds of Love. I can see why filmmakers go to this album. I do feel like there are other terrific songs from other albums of hers that would work well. From The Kick Inside’s Moving, to The Wedding List from Never for Ever, to Get Out of My House off The Dreaming, to The Sensual World’s title track, these are songs that are known by many, though they have not really been utilised for cinematic effect. In the absence of any planned new music, there is proof that Bush’s music still holds incredible importance. Spanning generations, the Stranger Things honour proved that, even though it is not an enormous part of the episode in which it features, it doesn’t need to be. The way Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) is used and what it symbolises is spectacular and spellbinding! Whilst I hope other albums of Bush’s (aside from Hounds of Love) are used for film and T.V., there is something significant and always-inspiring about her 1985 masterpiece. Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) is a classic for a reason! It is not the last time that we…
WILL hear it on the screen.