Movies and television have a long history of rejuvenating interests in songs as well as the bands and artists who performed them. One of the most famous examples of this is the resurgence in popularity that Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” received after being used in the final scene of “The Sopranos.” A similar situation is happening with Kate Bush and her 1985 single “Running Up That Hill (Deal With God)” thanks to its appearance in the 4th season of Netflix’s “Stranger Things.”
We will not be going into details about how and where this song was used within the context of the show in order to be respectful for spoilers. We do however want to take a moment or two to give you some information on why Kate Bush is one of the most under-appreciated women in music (especially in the United States). As well as more songs you should check out to gain even more appreciation for her.
Kate scored a number one hit in her native UK with the song “Wuthering Heights” in 1978. She was 19 years old. The track, written entirely by Bush, was based on the Emily Brontë novel of the same name. It was the first time a female performer had reached the top of the charts with a self-written song in that country. She would later take over as the producer of her own albums as well, starting with 1980’s “Never for Ever” (co-produced with Jon Kelly), and entirely self-produced from 1982’s “The Dreaming” onwards.
Despite her success in the UK, Ireland, and various parts of Europe, Bush had nowhere near the presence on American radio stations. In fact, her only top 40 song here was the aforementioned “Running Up That Hill (Deal With God).” Part of this could be attributed to her lack of touring and live performances, making her harder to promote in the United States. According to Bush herself, touring didn’t really fit for her as she became more and more involved in musical production and the visual elements of her work.
After a string of successful singles across seven albums, Bush dropped out of the public eye in 1993. She stayed that way for the next 12 years. It would later come to light that a planned hiatus got drawn out further by the birth of her first son. She came roaring back in 2005 with double-album “Aerial” that met with both critical and commercial success. In 2014, she performed a series of live shows for the first time in literal decades for a 22-night residency at the Hammersmith Apollo in London.
Her songwriting and vocals though are what make her musical presence in popular culture so unique. Having nearly full creative control over her work, Bush was able to make the music she wanted to make, and have it sound the way she wanted it to sound. This led to some uniquely experimental compositions as can be heard most notably on her album, “The Dreaming.” But even the more commercial sounding “Hounds of Love” had its moments of art-rock; mostly because the second side of the LP is a suite broken up into seven songs.
So with all that being said, where do you go from there if you want to listen to Kate Bush has? Well, we’ve got you covered with a list of five more songs you should listen to, along with an honorable mention.
8 “Babooshka”
What if “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” was a bit more twisted, and had a darker ending? Well that question is answered pretty easily in “Babooshka.” Bush tells the tale of a woman who wants to test the loyalty of her husband. She starts sending him love-letters, but in the guise of a secret admirer of sorts who goes only by the name Babooshka. Things don’t end well but the song marked a turning point in Kate’s career. The success of this single indicated that her more eclectic pop leanings could garner mainstream success. It also furthered Kate’s ability to write from the perspective of other characters, which would continue to be a part of her songwriting for years to come.
