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SINGER-SONGWRITER KATE Bush has said it’s “quite shocking” but “so exciting” that her classic hit “Running Up That Hill” has returned to the top of the charts 37 years after its release, thanks to TV series Stranger Things.
In a rare interview with BBC Radio, the 63-year-old spoke warmly of her music being rediscovered by a new generation.
“It’s such a great series, I thought that the track would get some attention,” she said.
“But I just never imagined that it would be anything like this. It’s so exciting. But it’s quite shocking really, isn’t it? I mean, the whole world’s gone mad.”
“Running Up That Hill” currently sits atop the Irish singles charts, and reached number 1 on the UK singles chart last week. It also entered the US top ten for the first time since its release.
It has also become the most-streamed song on Spotify in the United States, the UK and globally.
“…it’s just extraordinary what’s happening.”@KateBushMusic on Woman’s Hour is ✨everything✨
Listen on BBC Sounds: https://t.co/xOXd1TAip7 pic.twitter.com/VMz4Cx0AxR— BBC Sounds (@BBCSounds)
The 1985 song now holds the record for longest time taken for a single to reach number one, and Bush now boasts the longest-ever gap between chart-toppers – 44 years after “Wuthering Heights” first revealed her talents to the world.
And, at 63, Bush has also become the oldest female artist ever to score a number one hit in the UK.
“What’s really wonderful, I think, is this a whole new audience who in a lot of cases had never heard of me and I love that …
it’s very special.
“There was some great music in the 80s, but I think it’s an incredibly exciting time we’re in now,” she said.
She said she has been a fan of Stranger Things since the beginning, and said its use in the series was “really special”.
“I thought, what a lovely way for the song to be used, in such a positive way … I think it’s very touching.”
Bush has largely spent recent decades out of the public eye, but performed a 22-night residency in London in 2014, with tickets selling out in 15 minutes.
“Gardening is my thing now,” she told the BBC, without going into whether she is working on any new music.
Bush’s last studio album was “50 Words for Snow” (2011), which featured aural trickery of the kind she pioneered in the 80s with the Fairlight digital synthesiser used on her 1985 masterpiece, “Hounds of Love”.
But Bush herself doesn’t have a smartphone.
“I have a really ancient phone. But I like that because I spend a lot of time on my laptop,” she said.
“And when I go out during the day, it means I don’t have to deal with emails and everyone knows that. So I just get texts and calls on my phone, and it means that I have a bit of peace.”
With reporting from AFP
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Poor children, how can someone take advantage of them. So young and innocent. Why is the perpetrator of the abuse not being punished. No mention of that.
“Tusla brought an emergency change of foster placement to the attention of the District Court” – wtf?
Social workers should have absolute power to remove a child from care if they suspect any form of abuse.
I prefer if they got it wrong each time than to leave a single child in danger just once!
@Jim Buckley Barrett: Are you also in favour of separating children from their parents at the US/Mexico border until their identifies are confirmed and the authorities are sure the children aren’t bring trafficked? Genuine question.
@Toomasu Sumitsu: I would be in favour of parents not bringing their children to the US/Mexico border and exposing them to such a volatile situation. However, if authorities have to separate children from parents in order to determine the genuine reasons for travel, then it should be done in accordance with policy.
I recently heard a speaker who is a specialist on trafficking in the EU and was horrified to discover that many young and underage individuals are being brought to Ireland and the UK specifically as sex workers or in forced labor situations. Lack of money, English skills and proper documentation makes them particularly vulnerable.
@Rathminder: Don’t you know being against open borders makes you racist though. Asking for documentation is a racist attack.
@Toomasu Sumitsu:
I don’t think Rathminder was asking for documentation but rather pointing out the *lack* of it makes them vulnerable, which is true, apparent statelessness has a negative impact on just about everything, even healthcare. Unaccompanied minors should automatically be given temporary documentation
@Rathminder: remember that there are men in ireland buying these children. And not one sex buyer of under or over 18 year olds has been convicted. Less than 5 have been arrested over the last year.
I saw this because Ruhama have already jumped on the bandwagon of trying to re-exploit these poor kids for their own, totally unrelated, agenda.
Can we not stop finding such self serving wastes of space and allocate the same money to actually helping people, especially disadvantaged kids, instead?
The only thing I can think of to say about Tusla that is fit for polite company is:
“I TOLD YOU SO”.
Tusla are quite happy to leave children to be abused and neglected when it suits their mates. A certain ex Labour minister for housing would know a lot about this
@Colm Lyons:
That is absolutely true…Tusla are nothing but a highly politicised sick joke that uses the lives of vulnerable children as counters in a long running game of power and ambition.
Vulnerable children in Ireland have absolutely nowhere kind, compassionate, caring and dedicated to their best interests to turn in desperation.
Ireland is not a safe place for these, and many other children. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee their safety. We should be able to do better. Even one child trafficked in this manner is a travesty, if there was ever something worth fighting for surely it’s the prevention of sexual exploitation of small children.
It has to be one of the cruellest ironies that these wee children land on this sad rock and the agencies tasked with helping them use them for self-serving political gain, they produce lovely reports, presentations and tears. The abused are abused again by those tasked with saving them, the only ones who benefit are those making money from them, illegally, from donations or government grants.
It’s time we stopped playing politics and either do our damndest to help these children or don’t, but stop the pretense. Without them, all the other agencies wouldn’t have a reason to exist…
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