KATE'S 'DEAL WITH GOD'
RUNNING Up That Hill has stormed the charts over 40 years after its initial release thanks to Stranger Things.
Singer Kate Bush's instantly recognisable and mesmerising voice meant she became a household name in the 1970s and 1980s.
When did Kate Bush release Running Up That Hill?
On August 5, 1985, Kate Bush released Running Up That Hill as the lead single from her fifth studio album, Hounds of Love.
Throughout the song's initial run, it reached the Top 40 of pop music charts in the UK, Ireland, the United States, and Australia.
After it's release, the song peaked at number three in the UK charts and climbed to number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 later that year.
Since returning to the charts, it hit number one in the UK, giving Kate the longest ever gap between number one singles - a whole 44 years.
Running Up That Hill also stormed the US charts, reaching number three, an incredible 27 space climb from its 80s position.
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Hounds of Love was not Kate's first success as she had topped the charts with Wuthering Heights at the age of 19.
She was the first woman to reach number one on the UK chart with a self-written song and her album sold over a million copies in the country alone.
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Kate explained Running Up That Hill's meaning on and said: "I was trying to say that, really, a man and a woman can't understand each other because we are a man and a woman."
"If we could actually swap each other's roles and if we could actually be in each other's place for a while, I think we'd both be very surprised!"
She added: "I think it would lead to a greater understanding. And really the only way I could think it could be done was either... you know, I thought a deal with the devil, you know."
"I thought, 'well, no, why not a deal with God!' You know, because in a way it's so much more powerful the whole idea of asking God to make a deal with you."
Kate shared how the name was changed on her hit record as "it would not be played in any of the religious countries" if it was called A Deal With God.
Italy, France, Australia and Ireland weren't willing to play it, according to Kate.
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"Generally, we might get it blocked purely because it had God in the title," she said but added: "You see, for me, it is still called A Deal With God."
Stranger Things is not the song's first resurgence, although it has sparked the highest chart performance.
In August 2012, the hit single entered the mainstream after it was featured at that year's Summer Olympics' closing ceremony in London.
When was it on Stranger Things?
On May 27, 2022, Netflix distributed season four of Stranger Things to the platform's subscribers.
The show has been one of Netflix's most successful exports and has a whole host of loyal fans who had been waiting three years for its return.
In the first half of the fourth edition, Running Up That Hill is prominently featured in a number of scenes and is regarded as the character Max's favorite song.
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During a climactic and heart stopping moment for Max (Sadie Sink) in episode four, Running Up That Hill plays a significant role in her escape from this season's bad guy, Vecna.
The song was so popular an orchestral version was remixed into the main theme song in the trailer for season four part two.
Cementing Kate Bush's legacy on Stranger Things, the chart topper was used again in the season finale, The Piggyback.
In the wake of the show's usage of Running Up That Hill, the song soared back into mainstream popularity.
Fans old and new rediscovered the song and began downloading it in droves, the UK chart even suspended rules limiting old songs to allow the song it's number one spot.
While speaking to Emma Barnett on , Kate went into detail about the song's resurgence.
The legendary singer stated: "It's just extraordinary. It's such a great series."
"I thought that the track would get some attention. But I just never imagined that it would be anything like this."
She went on to say: "It's so exciting. But it's quite shocking really, isn't it? I mean, the whole world's gone mad."
"The thought of all these really young people hearing the song for the first time and discovering it is, well, I think it's very special."
"I think they've put it in a really special place. The Duffer brothers created the series and actually, we watched it from the first series onwards, so I was already familiar with the series."
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Kate revealed: "I thought, what a lovely way for the song to be used in such a positive way."
"You know, as a kind of talisman almost for Max and yeah, I think it's very touching, actually."
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