FEATURE:
Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) at Thirty-Seven
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush and Michael Hervieu in the video for Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)/PHOTO CREDIT: John Carder Bush
Her Most Iconic Video?
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I have covered…
the video for Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) in a feature before but, as 5th August marks thirty-seven years since the single was released, I wanted to return to it. Of course, the original release saw the song reach number three in the U.K. This year, Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) went to number one. The song has topped one hundred million views on YouTube. I think one reason because of this is the video itself. Regardless of the exposure the song has got because of Stranger Things – the Netflix show featured the song prominently -, what makes Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) is the video is so outstanding! I think it may be one of Bush’s very best. I did want to return to it, in small part because of that YouTube milestone. I have seen the video countless times, but I am always impacted. Before getting into the video a bit more, the Kate Bush Encyclopedia (who I will reference again when it comes to the video itself) collected interviews where Bush talked about the meaning behind Hounds of Love’s first (and most successful) singles:
“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. And if we could actually swap each others roles, if we could actually be in each others place for a while, I think we'd both be very surprised! [Laughs] And I think it would be 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. And 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. You see, for me it is still called "A Deal With God", that was its title. But we were told that if we kept this title that it wouldn't be played in any of the religious countries, Italy wouldn't play it, France wouldn't play it, and Australia wouldn't play it! Ireland wouldn't play it, and that generally we might get it blacked purely because it had "God" in the title. Now, I couldn't believe this, this seemed completely ridiculous to me and the title was such a part of the song's entity. I just couldn't understand it. But none the less, although I was very unhappy about it, I felt unless I compromised that I was going to be cutting my own throat, you know, I'd just spent two, three years making an album and we weren't gonna get this record played on the radio, if I was stubborn. So I felt I had to be grown up about this, so we changed it to 'Running Up That Hill'. But it's always something I've regretted doing, I must say. And normally I always regret any compromises that I make. (Richard Skinner, 'Classic Albums interview: Hounds Of Love. Radio 1 (UK), aired 26 January 1992)”.
There are so many brilliant Kate Bush videos. From her debut single, Wuthering Heights, to Babooshka (Never for Ever) to Experiment IV (The Whole Story), she has helped create more than her fair share of timeless vids. There is something about the hypnotic dance of Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) that stays in the mind. Not only has it helped propel the song on YouTube. It stands the test of time and will remains adored and watched for generations more. In its simplicity and power, it beautifully conveys the messages of the song. I always love watching Kate Bush videos where she is dancing. More physical and sensual than, say, the video for Wuthering Heights, David Garfath’s direction for Running Up the Hill (A Deal with God) is wonderful. Here is what the Kate Bush Encyclopaedia said:
“Music video
'Running Up That Hill' was intended as a fond farewell to dance, at least as far as Kate's video appearances were concerned. The music video, directed by David Garfath, featured Bush and dancer Michael Hervieu (who won an audition after Stewart Avon-Arnold was not available due to other commitments) in a performance choreographed by Diane Grey. The pair are wearing grey Japanese hakamas. The choreography draws upon contemporary dance with a repeated gesture suggestive of drawing a bow and arrow (the gesture was made literal on the image for the single in which Bush poses with a real bow and arrow), intercut with surreal sequences of Bush and Hervieu searching through crowds of masked strangers. At the climax of the song, Bush's partner withdraws from her and the two are then swept away from each other and down a long hall in opposite directions by an endless stream of anonymous figures wearing masks made from pictures of Bush and Hervieu's faces. MTV chose not to show this video (at the time of its original release) and instead used a live performance of the song recorded at a promotional appearance on the BBC TV show Wogan. According to Paddy Bush, 'MTV weren't particularly interested in broadcasting videos that didn't have synchronized lip movements in them. They liked the idea of people singing songs'”.
I wanted to nod to one of Kate Bush’s greatest songs ahead of its anniversary on 5th August. It is hard to believe that, nearly thirty-seven years ago, people were hearing Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) for the first time! Now, it seems almost synonymous with Bush. Now her most popular and streamed/viewed songs, many people have gravitated towards YouTube to see the truly iconic video. I wonder whether there is going to be a visual documentary about the song. There might be some rehearsal footage for the video you would imagine. People would love to discuss the song and, as it has been covered so many times, artists could discuss why the song means so much to them. I also think that an HD version of the video could come to YouTube. Also, it surely shows there is a demand for Bush’s videos. Could a long-awaited DVD of her videos see the light of the day?! As the song has taken on new life, there would be an audience waiting if there was to be a documentary. The video we have on YouTube looks great, but many artists re-release HD/remastered versions. I think Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) could benefit from that. For one thing, Bush and Michael Hervieu are transfixing and wonderfully in-sync through the video. Great videos perfectly represent a song and bring new things from the lyrics. That is the case with Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God). Is its video the most iconic Kate Bush ever released? I used to think that Wuthering Heights is the best and most iconic but, the more I watch Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God), the more it…
INCHES towards the top spot.