Hello everyone, and welcome back to another blog post! If you did not know, I am a huge fan of the TV show on Netflix: Stranger Things. Along with most of the world, I have watched the new season and have loved it. I have also noticed a recurring song they played for most of the season. It was Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill, released in 1985. I found the fact that they used this song multiple times in the series very interesting, because an artist can receive massive royalties through television. I looked up the ASCAP website and how much money you can typically make for a pre-existing song. They said:
"The synchronization fees charged by music publishers for major studio films are usually between $15,000 and $60,000 (with the majority ranging from $20,000 to $45,000) but can be lower if the music budget is small or higher if the song is used several times in the motion picture, if the use is under the opening or closing credits, if the song is a major hit, or if it is vital to the plot or particular scene of the motion picture" (Brabec & Brabec).
Since the song was used multiple times, was a significant hit, and is vital to the scene in the series, Kate definitely hit the jackpot. She has earned $2.3 million in streaming royalties from May 27-June 23 (Bonner). I'm sure it is incredible for Kate to relive the success of her song.
Let's move on to Kate's background. Kate was born in Bexleyheath, Kent, UK. Her father was a doctor, and her mother was a nurse. Although their careers weren't in music, they both had musical backgrounds. Kate's father played piano, and her mother was an Irish dancer. Kate also has two older brothers who have careers in the arts. Kate taught herself to play piano and began to write songs at the age of 11. In addition, Kate's parents recorded over 50 demo tapes of Kate's music. Still, the record labels weren't interested until David Gilmour, the guitarist for Pink Floyd, received a demo from a family friend of the Bushs`. David then helped 16-year-old Kate record more professional demos. Kate went on to make three new demos, which David paid for, and had people like Andrew Powell and Geoff Emerick work on the recordings. These were then sent to EMI where Terry Slater signed Kate to a record deal. In 1978 Kate released her first album, The Kick Inside, which sold over a million copies. Kate was also the first British woman to reach number one on the UK charts with self-written songs. EMI pushed Kate to write her second album, Lionheart, because she was still getting attention for her first album. The album did well in sales but did not meet the same hype as The Kick Inside. It was considered unsuccessful for Kate, and she felt that she wasn't ready to release another album so soon after her first. Kate went on to create her own publishing company and management so she would have more control over her music. Kate released two more albums, Never For Ever (1980) and The Dreaming (1982), before she released Hounds Of Love in 1985, which features Running Up That Hill. After that, she released several more albums like The Sensual World (1989), The Red Shoes (1993), Aerial (2005), Director's Cut (2011), and 50 Words for Snow (2011).
I have decided to review Kate's song: Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God). I researched the song and found an interview where Kate discussed the song's title with interviewer Richard Skinner. Kate explained she had to change the name of the title from its initial name, A Deal With God, to Running Up That Hill because radio stations would not play a song with the word "God" in the title. Kate said that the song would also be called, A Deal With God, but made the compromise so the song would have a chance at success (Skinner). Kate continued by saying that the song is about a relationship between a man and a woman misunderstanding each other, and if God could make them switch places, they would understand each other (Skinner).
The song begins with a drum pattern and synthesizer that just screams 80s. It also goes so perfectly with the Stranger Things theme sound, that it seems like Kate wrote and produced this song exclusively for the show. Kate's vocals are very impressive in the sense that she can give off a very dark tone but also switch to more of a brighter sound. She provides a great balance between those two aspects. For example, when Kate sings the chorus, you can hear her tone is more oval-shaped, which gives the vocals a more dramatic feel. Kate does a great job of making the second verse more interesting through the lyrics. I have said it in a previous blog post, but as a songwriter, I feel that the second verse can be one of the most difficult to write. You want to stay on topic but without repeating yourself. Kate goes into the details of how the other person is hurting her: "You don't want to hurt me. But see how deep the bullet lies. Unaware, I'm tearing you asunder. Oh, there is thunder in our hearts." This couple is so desperate to understand each other that they can only turn to God for the answer. The final chorus includes an electric guitar, as well as added backup vocals. This offers a new sound to the chorus so it doesn't feel overplayed. It also shows how frustrating the situation is by making the music sound chaotic.
I hope you all have enjoyed the blog post for this week. I will leave the song in the link below, along with a link to all the other songs I have written about.
Links to Lydia's Girl's playlist:
Sources:
Bonner, Mehera. “Here's How Much $$$ Kate Bush Made from ‘Running up That Hill’ Being on 'Stranger Things'.” Cosmopolitan, Cosmopolitan, 4 July 2022, https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a40492063/kate-bush-running-up-that-hill-earnings-stranger-things/.
Brabec, Jeffrey, and Todd Brabec. “Music, Money, Success & The Movies: Part One - ASCAP.” Music, Money, Success & the Movies: Part One, https://www.ascap.com/help/music-business-101/music-money-success-movies.
Skinner, Richard. “Classic Albums Interview: Hounds of Love .” “Running up That Hill.” Cloudbusting / Music / Running Up That Hill, http://gaffa.org/cloud/music/running_up_that_hill.html. . Accessed 26 Jan. 1992.
Chief Editor: Jacob Tomeny
I used to have that album "The Kick Inside", it was a promotional album given to me by a DJ I was going out with at the time. I loved the cover. & her voice! ... so other-worldly & different.
When I was a dancer, I put "Running Up That Hill" on the jukebox at work but it wasn't really a big hit with the patrons. There were more than a few snarky remarks ... which makes me laugh, remembering. I could be very naive at times!
I haven't seen "Stranger Things" but I don't have Netflix right now. I plan to resubscribe to Netflix this fall, so I'll probably check it out if it's still available.