Review: Running Up That Hill (Deal With God) -- Song by Kate Bush
Empathy is a powerful ability that can be used to build understanding between those who are different from others. Being a creative soul-- I take notice of songs that explore this effectively. Some people find it effortless to dismiss or degrade those who are not like us. It is noble to look at each other and genuinely invest time and energy to learn and understand the trials and tribulations of someone else. Kate Bush's song "Running Up That Hill" is an iconic musical masterpiece that does exactly that.
The opening song to her fifth album Hounds of Love, Bush used this piece to lay down the premise of what was to come. The song quickly developed into a juggernaut in its own right though. It carries operatic sounds that causes goosebumps and couples it with gut-wrenching lyrics. The song captures the essence of two opposing individuals (or forces) who are dancing with and against each other. Though the two forces are locked in this duel-- Kate Bush challenges the listener to tune in and to understand that both sides are actually being ripped apart by the conflict and frustration. Yet each of these entities is not entirely at fault. Instead, if we take a moment to place ourselves in the shoes of those we think are opposed to us...we would see that our struggles are an opportunity to learn from one another.
While one can interpret a song as they so wish, Kate Bush does not shy away from acknowledging that she wrote the song with men and women in mind. The pop song calls into question the roles that the two sexes play in the other's struggles. It uses spirituality as a call to be empathetic. Some of her most famous lines come from the chorus:
"And if I only could
I'd make a deal with God
And I'd get him to swap our places"
The spiritual nature of the song was no accident. By striking a deal with God, the listener is invited to place themselves in the role of the opposite sex and get to know the physical and metaphysical/spiritual challenges that they are both facing. Men and women have often been pit against one another throughout the course of history-- with both of them suffering profusely. While women often experience shame and guilt for their sex, men are oftentimes pressured to degrade women and are often humiliated-- or worse-- for not partaking. While both of them are expected to fulfill certain roles and obligations-- the pressure to conform to them can have tremendously negative impacts such as depression, anxiety, shame, and guilt.
In a 1992 BBC radio documentary, Bush 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 other’s place for a while, I think we’d both be very surprised! [Laughs] And I think it would lead to a greater understanding.”
I would also argue that the challenges in meeting the expectations that men and women have for one another lies in understanding how our interpersonal actions impact our systemic issues. Our institutions are set up in such a way where women and men are systemically pit against each other. The expectation that women must stay home and care for children is still present. Many women who go into the workplace are not supported in their roles and it gets worse if they choose to have children at any point in their career. Meanwhile, men are seen as emasculated if they decide to partake in key responsibilities such as homemaking or childrearing. Both of them are also seen as lesser and even despicable if they choose not to participate in activities that are traditionally set aside for people of that sex. They are also viewed as lesser or vilified if they have a sexual preference for those who are the same sex as opposed to the opposite.
It is easy to get lost when trying to navigate your own personal experience. Then when you are trying to build a relationship with someone-- that takes tremendous effort from both parties. The fact of the matter is that men and women do play tremendous roles in each other's lives...and the idea that we can build any solid social cohesion without honoring all of the possible contributions each can make both in and outside of the workplace or home is dangerous. Empathy however challenges us to look beyond our noticeable differences and to work together to create better understanding.
Perhaps empathy is the vehicle or contract that the universe uses to help people understand one another. While we aren't able to switch ourselves to other people's bodies, empathy affords us the opportunity to channel our understanding of the world and to look at it from the place of another. Our empathy is powerful because it dares us to see ourselves in the wake of others and to understand their accomplishments, challenges, and losses from their perspective rather than from our own. While Kate Bush's song is definitely about the differences between men and women and learning to understand each other...it is also an invitation for us to understand our world from the point of view of those who are not like us. Building this skill set is pinnacle in any pursuit of fostering an environment of belonging.
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