Kate Bush has revealed that her hit ‘Running Up That Hill’ originally had a different title, but she was forced to change it for fear it wouldn’t be played on the radio.
The iconic hit has enjoyed an astounding resurgence in popularity since it was used in the latest instalment of Stranger Things. Watch below:
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It has become so popular, in fact, that the single finally reached the top of the UK music charts a whopping 37 years after first being released in 1985.
Last week, 'Running Up That Hill' picked up more than 48 million global streams on Spotify, while it raked in more than 57 million streams the week before that and gained over 32 million streams a week earlier.
And while a new audience has fallen in love with the song, Bush explained the meaning behind the track and revealed that it was originally called ‘A Deal With God’, which to her is the still the song's name.
In an interview with Emma Barnett on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, Bush said: "The idea of a man and a woman swapping places with each other, just to know what it was like being on the other side.
“It was originally called a ‘Deal with God’, but the record company were worried it wouldn't get played on the radio, as it's a sensitive title, but for me this is still called 'A Deal With God'."
Previously, Bush explained how her record label told her the original title would have been ‘blacklisted’ in religious countries simply for having the word ‘God’ in the title.
In a 1985 interview, she said: “We were told that if we kept this title that it would not 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."
Written and produced by Bush for her fifth album Hounds of Love, 'Running Up That Hill' was first released through EMI Records in 1985.
It reached number three in the UK charts when it was first released, while a new version of the song hit sixth spot after it was used in the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games.
The song's success has made Bush the oldest woman to top the UK singles charts and the artist with the longest gap between chart topping singles after 'Wuthering Heights' hit top spot 44 years ago.
Featured Image Credit: Alamy/Netflix
Topics: Music, Stranger Things
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