The song "Running Up That Hill" was written and composed by Kate Bush, and was first released as a single in August 1985. The song peaked at number three on the UK and Irish music charts, and spent nine weeks in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.
Kate Bush wrote the song in 1982, while in the studio recording her third album, The Dreaming. She had originally considered giving it to Peter Gabriel, with whom she had worked on her previous album, Never for Ever, but ultimately decided to keep it for herself. When she presented the song to her producer, Jon Kelly, he was immediately attracted by its potential and insisted that she record it.
Bush described the song as being "about the frustration of communication. It's about a person who is desperately trying to communicate with their loved one, but can't because of something that keeps them apart." She also explained that the song was "kind of like a prayer, an invocation that things could be different. Just for a minute. Just so we can be together without barriers."
The song was recorded in several stages, starting with the basic instruments, then the vocals, and finally the sound effects and footsteps. The production of the song was extremely complex, and Bush spent many hours in the studio working on the different elements of the song. The end result was an epic, intense song that was very different from anything Bush had done before.
"Running Up That Hill" was a commercial and critical success, considered one of Kate Bush's best singles. The song was praised for its innovative production and bold use of synthesizers, and it was compared to songs by Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. The song remained a favorite of Kate Bush fans for many years, and it was covered by many artists, including Placebo, in 2006.
