Listen first
Detailed Analysis
These are the lyrics to Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God).' The song contains no explicit language, sexual content, drug references, or graphic violence. The core theme revolves around a deep emotional longing to truly understand a partner's perspective by swapping places — essentially an empathy metaphor within a complex relationship. There are some emotionally intense images, such as 'see how deep the bullet lies' and 'tearing you asunder,' which are metaphorical but carry emotional weight. The line 'Is there so much hate for the ones we love?' touches on the painful tensions that can exist in close relationships. The reference to 'making a deal with God' may prompt theological discussion but is not presented in a blasphemous way. Overall, the themes of emotional pain, relationship difficulty, and the struggle to connect are mature but not inappropriate. Parental guidance is suggested primarily due to the emotional complexity and the subtle imagery of interpersonal conflict, which younger children may not fully contextualize.
Themes
Lyrics
It doesn't hurt me Do you wanna feel how it feels? Do you want to know, know that it doesn't hurt me? Do you wanna hear about the deal that I'm making? You It's you and me 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 Say if I only could, oh You don't wanna hurt me But see how deep the bullet lies Unaware I'm tearing you asunder Oh, there is thunder in our hearts Is there so much hate for the ones we love? Oh, tell me we both matter don't we? You It's you and me It's you and me won't be unhappy 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 Say if I only could You It's you and me It's you and me won't be unhappy C'mon baby, c'mon darlin' Let me steal this moment from you now Come on angel, c'mon, c'mon darling Let's exchange the experience, oh And if I only could I'd make a deal with God And I'd get Him to swap our places I'd be running up that road Be running up that hill With no problem Say 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 With no problem Say if I only could I'd make a deal with God And I'd get Him to swap our places I'd be running up that road Be running up that hill With no problem Say if I only could Be running up that hill With no problem If I only could, I'd be running out that hill If I only could, I'd be running out that hill
Remember: You know your child best. Use LyricsRay as a tool to inform your decisions, but always trust your parental instincts and family values when determining what's right for your children.
Did this analysis help you?
If so, consider supporting the project to cover some of the development and hosting costs ❤️
Analysis performed on July 16, 2026