Stranger Things wasn’t the only show to use Kate Bush’s iconic music. The Handmaid’s Tale used “This Woman’s Work” and “Cloudbusting” first.
When Stranger Things Season 4 used the Kate Bush song "Running Up That Hill," it introduced millions of fans to the Grammy Award nominee's music. However, Stranger Things isn't the only hit show to have incorporated songs by the Irish artist. The Handmaid's Tale used two other Kate Bush songs long before Stranger Things to underscore some of the Hulu show's best moments.
"Running Up That Hill" was the breakout song of the summer no one saw coming — mostly because the song is several decades old. Stranger Things cleverly used this '80s song — most notably in Season 4, Episode 4 "Dear Billy" and the season finale — as the anthem of Max Mayfield. The song originally was an allegory for wanting to swap places in a relationship and was seemingly used in the Netflix series to represent Max wanting to swap places with her brother Billy. As a result of Stranger Things, NBC News reported that "Running Up That Hill" reached No. 1 on iTunes over 35 years after its initial release. Yet while Stranger Things' usage of Bush's music was spectacular, The Handmaid's Tale did it first — and better.
The Handmaid's Tale utilized Bush's single "This Woman's Work" in Season 2, Episode 1, "June." The song about the fear and anguish of childbirth was heard as the handmaids watched each other's reactions to their impending death, with the climax playing as they realized they weren't being killed.
Conversely, Season 3, Episode 11, "Liars" played Bush's "Cloudbusting" over its uniquely hopeful ending. Immediately after the Waterfords were arrested for war crimes, the episode cut to this upbeat anthem while June cleaned the blood off herself after killing Commander Winslow — who was cremated in the same musical sequence. "Cloudbusting" is based on Peter Reich's A Book of Dreams and is about creating your own break in the clouds on particularly stormy days to restore hope. Its lyrics, including "I just know that something good is gonna happen" and "to be a threat to the men in power, made it the perfect song to end "Liars" on.
Shows like Alias, Pose, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The Simpsons have also used some of the same songs in their own clever ways, though none as efficiently and authentically as The Handmaid's Tale or Stranger Things. Both of these series stayed true to their respective songs to push their narratives forward while still honoring the original meanings. Yet while Stranger Things altered "Running Up That Hill" to better fit its story without changing the heart of the song itself, The Handmaid's Tale made no such alterations.
Following the massive re-emergence of "Running Up That Hill," it will be interesting to see if more or fewer songs by Kate Bush grace the small screen. Taika Waititi cut a scene from Thor: Love and Thunder because of Stranger Things. Other shows and movies may try to give the Netflix series its distance and not try to ride off its success or be overshadowed by its brand, so Bush's newfound popularity might slow down. But the fact remains that both Stranger Things and The Handmaid's Tale utilized her music in memorable ways.
Stranger Things used Bush's "Running Up That Hill" to represent Max's inner longing and soul in order to help her survive a nightmare scenario. The Handmaid's Tale needle-dropped "This Woman's Work" and "Cloudbusting" to represent the pains of womanhood and celebrate rising hope after fighting back against an oppressive government. Both series would have been missing something without those songs, but The Handmaid's Tale achieved a greater impact.
Stranger Things Season 4 is now streaming on Netflix. The Handmaid's Tale Season 5 premieres Sept. 15 on Hulu.
Trevor is a writer and storyteller with a love for the movies.
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