Placebo: Running Up That Hill Meaning

Song Released: 2007

Running Up That Hill Lyrics

Doesn't hurt me
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...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Mar 26th 2011 report

   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.

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Jan 27th 2012 report

   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

3. 3TOP RATED

   #3 top rated interpretation:
   jgrega27

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   May 15th 2009 report

   this song is about losing someone you love. them dying, and wishing you could take their place so they could still live and feel for you how you feel for them, after its too late. it all comes together after its too late
4. anonymous

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   Mar 30th 2020 report

   everyone sees things differently, so here's my interpretation.Its about someone talking when they area sad for whatever the reasons.
   *****It doesn't hurt me
   Do you want to feel how it feels?
   Do you want to know, know that it doesn't hurt me?
   Do you want to hear about the deal that I'm making?
   You, it's you and me*****
   -----nothing can hurt me anymore, would you like to feel or know how i feel {because of whatever happened with me}...are you here to know if its hurting me or not anymore?...do you wanna know about what deals or conflicts im having with my thoughts or myself-----
   *****And if I only could
   I'd make a deal with God
   And I'd get him to swap our places
   Be running up that road
   Be running up that hill
   Be running up that building
   See if I only could, oh*****
   -----and if i could talk to god i'll ask him to swap our places and allow him to see ups and downs i face, why i am sad, what broke me etc.
   "be running up" lines suggest god after swaping places will experience what i faced-----
   *****You don't want to hurt me
   But see how deep the bullet lies
   Unaware I'm tearing you asunder
   Ooh, there is thunder in our hearts
   Is there so much hate for the ones we love?
   Tell me, we both matter, don't we?
   You, it's you and me
   It's you and me, won't be unhappy******
   ------but god wont be able to face all the dark i faced after all it was so hateful and he will again swap back to being god by this act of his the person says i know you dont wanna hurt me but see how deep my wounds lie that you not able to face them too.you didnt know expearencing my thunder like pain will tear ur heart in two...have i started to hate people i love too??
   pls god tell me i and they matter to me. god and me wont be unhappy together-----
   and then lyrics repeat as above.
5. anonymous

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   Mar 22nd 2020 report

   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.
6. anonymous

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   Jun 25th 2018 report

   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.
7. anonymous

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   Mar 30th 2018 report

   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
8. anonymous

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   Dec 11th 2017 report

   The person singing this song's love interest died and they are really sad and want to switch places with them
9. anonymous

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   Feb 1st 2017 report

   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.
10. anonymous

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    Jul 7th 2016 report

    9/11 terrorist attack

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
11. anonymous

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    Mar 28th 2015 report

    Its about someone feeling sorrow for another and how they would be willing to switch places and not feel that way anymore.
12. anonymous

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    Nov 28th 2012 report

    Placebo is Illuminati. "You wanna know, know that it doesn't hurt me
    You wanna hear about the deal I'm making"
    It's the deal he's making with Satan (selling his soul). There leading to the other line, "And if I only could make a deal with God
    Get him to swap our places" he wants to sell his soul in return for money fame and other stuff.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
13. anonymous

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    Aug 14th 2012 report

    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 :)
14. anonymous

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    Sep 11th 2011 report

    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.
15. anonymous

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    Sep 9th 2011 report

    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.
16. anonymous

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    May 7th 2011 report

    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.
17. JustinS.

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    Jul 16th 2010 report

    I agree with the first person. I think it's about someone wanting to try and take the place of a dying friend. Possibly a loved one.
18. anonymous

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    Jun 30th 2008 report

    This song, to me at least, is about the "just friends" scenario that a lot of people are stuck in, where the person they like/love is in a relationship with another person, but the on they like/love knows that they like/love them, and doesn't want to hurt them, and even likes them back. So they keep on being friends, and the tension is always there, until one day, it just breaks, and the "friends" find out that they actually were meant to be together in love. But then, just as always, reality steps in, and the love becomes just another incident to regret. Trust me, I know. This song has a special meaning for me, and anyone who has been in my situation.

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