We all know and love “Running Up That Hill (Make A Deal With God)” by Kate Bush. In recent years, the song has been made especially memorable by Netflix’s Stranger Things. It’s anthemic and powerful in a way many songs only wish they could be. For many, it’s the character Max’s personal connection to “Running Up That Hill” that resonates the most. I think we can all relate to having that one song that pulls us out of the depths. For Elton John, his version of this isn’t “Running Up That Hill”, but it does happen to be another Kate Bush classic.
In the Hulu documentary The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill, Elton John admitted that one of Bush’s songs actually helped him overcome some of his addictions.
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For much of the 70s and 80s, Elton John turned to drugs and alcohol as a means of coping with superstardom. Then, in 1990, according to New Leaf, he decided to turn to sobriety for good. For him, it was Bush’s 1986 duet with Peter Gabriel, “Don’t Give Up”, that helped him do that.
“This was one record that saved my life,” John shared. “That record helped me get sober. So she played a big part in my rebirth. That record helped me so much. I never told her that but it did.”
“Don’t Give Up” Also Had an Impact on This ‘Friends’ Actor
As it turns out, Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel’s “Don’t Give Up” has been impactful for more than one celebrity. In an interview talking about his memoir, actor Matthew Perry referenced “Don’t Give Up” as a song he would use to describe his story.
Matthew Perry was known for his role as Chandler Bing in the popular TV sitcom Friends. Sadly, passed away in 2023 while under the influence of high levels of ketamine.
“It’s just beautiful. I don’t know if you’ve heard it as this was a long time ago but it’s beautiful and it’s saying don’t give up,” Perry said of the song. “I mean come, how am I not gonna like that?
About a year later, “Don’t Give Up” would be played at the end of Perry’s funeral.
Photo by: kpa/United Archives via Getty Images
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