Placebo: Running Up That Hill Meaning
Song Released: 2007
Running Up That Hill Lyrics
You wanna feel how it feels
You wanna know, know that it doesn't hurt me
You wanna hear about the deal I'm making
You, you and me
CHORUS:
And if I only could make a deal with God
Get him to swap our places
I'd be running...
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1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:To me, this song is about a person who wants to help someone he cares about by taking their burden.
"It doesn't hurt me
you want to feel how it feels
you want to know, know that it doesn't hurt me
you want to hear about the deal I'm making"
This is talking about how he isn't experiencing any problems like the other person is, and she envys this, but she won't tell him whats going on because they want to spare him the pain. He, however, is still trying to figure out what is up.
"And if I only could make a deal with God
and get him to swap our places
be running up that road
running up that hill
running up that building"
He is saying that he would rather take the person's burden so they don't have to bear it.
"You don't want to hurt me
but see how deep the bullet lies"
The person is trying to shoulder all of, well, whatever it is they don't want to share, to keep him safe. unfortunately, this isn't not the best because their pain is hurting him.
The rest of the song basically reinforces this idea and talks about how the person matters to him and he doesn't want to be shut out from her problems.
Well, that is my interpritation, and what the song means to me. feel free to disagree, though. -
2TOP RATED
#2 top rated interpretation:Bush herself has said,
“ 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 other's 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 "Deal With God", that was its title. But 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 -
3TOP RATED
#3 top rated interpretation: -
Not an interpretation
Song was originally released in 2003 on "Sleeping with Ghosts" and the official music video, which is a montage of clips submitted by fans, came out in 2007.
https://www.nme.com/news/music/placebo-22-1342243 -
I think all of the interpretations here are close, the song is about suicide and the suffering and pain that goes along with it, and what leads to it, the desperation of those who chose to take their own lives and those around who experience the aftermath. Maybe it sounds like a dark interpretation but only those who walk that line can truly understand. I think is a beautiful rendition of a loved one who understands the affliction but can’t do anything about it, either before or after. You have to focus not on the suicide itself but on the reasons of why a person would loose the hope and the will to live, the grey area if you may.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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Reminds me of Hamburger Hill in vietnam. If anyone has ever heard the stories of the last day the hill was taken by American soldiers, you might think so too.
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I think that when he says "so much hate for the ones we love, we both matter don't we" means they live oneanother but can't be together and that the man would do anything for this so called precious girl. And when he says he would "run up that hill" meaning he would still do anything to get her. Even if it means dying and making a deal with god.
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My interpretation is individuals. Being able to deal with life and having no one to talk to. Not being able to deal with life. People judging u when all u want to do is get on with life. Getting on day by day hoping noone will judge u feeling lonely. It doesn't matter who u are what kind of person you are. U still have the same emotions you still bleed the same colour blood you might have different feelings towards different people but how does that change the person u are. When u watch and listen to this video it's showing that everyone is exactly the same they feel the same. Same emotion why judge
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The person singing this song's love interest died and they are really sad and want to switch places with them
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I feel that the song conveys the thoughts and feelings one has during the bargaining stage of the five stages of grief. I personally have wanted to trade places with someone I've lost. That would be the bargaining phase. Desire to let another live whom you feel had more right to live than you. While it does not represent them clearly and outright, it does resemble the thoughts one may have after losing a loved one.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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Its about someone feeling sorrow for another and how they would be willing to switch places and not feel that way anymore.
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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i think the first one is right when i first heard the song it reminded be of the fallen book series by lauren kate how daniel is an angel and cant be in love with luce but they are in love but she is a mortal and he scared because she loves him and he loves her too but its forbidden love luce wants to know what its like to be an angel :)
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the song was originally done by kate bush. do yourselves a favor and give a listen to her version, far more haunting and listless and earnest. i like placebo's version for very different reasons. it is a hard song to cover because of the syncopation which is integral to the song's concept. but really, listen it Kate's version, you won't be the same.
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felt this song applies to any relationship in conflict. Trying to understand the other persons point of view using 3rd person (god) and letting go of the ignorant void between us all. The void that creates misunderstanding, conflict and pain in relationships. then again that's how the song hit me and the way id like to interpret it :-). Other than the 'baby' part the song seems it can be applied to anyone or any situation.
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Beautiful song, at first, I interpreted it as the singer had a loved one who was trying to commit suicide maybe that was just a bit too much of a morbid take on the song!
But I just read somewhere that Kate Bush said that it was about the conflict between sexes not understanding each other 'women are from venus' thing.
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