Wuthering Heights (song)
Encyclopedia
"Wuthering Heights" is a song by Kate Bush
released as her debut single in January 1978. It became a No.1 hit in the UK singles chart and remains her biggest-selling single. The song appears on her 1978 debut album, The Kick Inside
. The B-side of the single was another song by Bush named "Kite" - hence the kite imagery on the record sleeve. "Wuthering Heights" came 32nd in Q magazine's
Top 100 Singles of All Time, as voted by readers.
The guitar solo is played by Ian Bairnson
, best known for his work with Alan Parsons
. It is often mistakenly said that David Gilmour
played the solo, possibly due to his professional associations with Kate Bush. It is placed rather unobtrusively in the mix, and later engineer Jon Kelly
would regret not making the solo a little louder in the mix.
The song was re-recorded in 1986 for Bush's greatest-hits album The Whole Story
. This version also appeared as the B-side to her 1986 hit "Experiment IV
".
. Kate Bush was inspired to write the song by the last ten minutes of the 1970 film version
of Wuthering Heights. She then read the book and discovered that she shared her birthday (30 July) with Emily Brontë
. Bush reportedly wrote the song, for her album The Kick Inside
, within the space of just a few hours late at night.
Lyrically, "Wuthering Heights" uses several quotations from Catherine Earnshaw
, most notably in the chorus - "Let me in! I'm so cold!" - as well as in the verses, with Catherine's confession to her servant of "bad dreams in the night." It is sung from Catherine's point of view, as she pleads at Heathcliff's window to be allowed in. This romantic scene takes a sinister turn if one considers the events of the book, as Catherine may well be a ghost, calling Heathcliff to join her in death.
had originally chosen another track, "James and the Cold Gun" as the lead single, but Bush was determined that "Wuthering Heights" would be the first release from the album. She won out eventually in a surprising show of determination for a young female vocalist against a major record company, but this was not the only time she took a stand against them in a bid to take control of her career.
Two music video
s were created to accompany "Wuthering Heights." In one version, Bush can be seen performing the song in a dark room filled with white mist while wearing a white dress (which was the UK release); in the other, the singer dances in an outdoor environment while wearing a red dress (which was done for the American release).
The release date for the single was initially scheduled to be 4 November 1977. However, Bush was unhappy with the picture being used for the single's cover and insisted it be replaced. Some copies of the single had already been sent out to radio stations, but EMI relented and put back the single's launch until the New Year
. This proved to be a wise choice ultimately, as the release would have clashed with Wings'
latest release, "Mull of Kintyre
", which became the biggest-selling single in UK history up to this point in December 1977. "Wuthering Heights" was finally released on 6 January 1978 and eventually crept into the charts on (week ending) 11 February at No.42. The following week it rose to No.27 and Bush made her first appearance on Top of the Pops
("It was like watching myself die", recalls Bush), and the song became one of the most played records on radio. In 1986, her first compilation album
erroneously stated the release date for this single as 4 November 1977.
, staying there for four weeks, and propelled the singer to fame. The song also was a hit in Australia, taking the top spot during Autumn in 1978 for three weeks. Its release unwittingly pitted Bush against another female vocalist, also charting with her first hit: Debbie Harry
with her band Blondie
, and their single "Denis." Amid much public discussion about the two singers' merits, Bush came out on top, while Blondie stalled at number two.
"Wuthering Heights" was replaced at No.1 by Brian and Michael
's celebration of the then-recently deceased artist L. S. Lowry
, "Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs," thus having the number-one slot feature a classic of English literature followed by a tribute to a renowned painter. In reaching number one, Bush became the first woman to write and perform a UK chart-topper. "Wuthering Heights" remains Bush's biggest-selling single in the UK, and was certified gold by the BPI for sales of over half a million. It was the 11th best-selling single of 1978.
, American rocker Pat Benatar
, Hayley Westenra
, Josh Pyke
, China Drum
, Albert Niland, White Flag
, The Decemberists
, Jer Ber Jones, Susan Egan
, Australian band Mr. Floppy, Italian singer Cristina Donà
, Brian Campeau, Dutch rock singer Birgit Schuurman
, Jim Guthrie, The Puppini Sisters
in 2006, and Wolfmother
on Australian radio station Triple J
in October, 2009. It is also performed a cappella
by Steve Coogan in two different British TV series: first as the title character in the I'm Alan Partridge
; second as a fictionalised version of himself in The Trip
(alongside a fictionalised version of Rob Brydon
). In September 2011, finnish symphonic metal
singer Tarja Turunen
performed this song live at Rock in Rio
Festival, in Brazil
.
The Icelandic singer Margrét Eir recorded an Icelandic
version called "Heiðin há". Irish singer-songwriter Albert Niland did a cover of the song in 2004 which was praised by critics. The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
have also made a recording of this song. In 2010 Finnish poprock band Indica
also made a cover from it, which can be found back on their download only single Precious Dark. The Norwegian electronic band Röyksopp
have covered this song on their latest tour with Anneli Drecker
supplying vocals.
, is obsessed with the song. She plays it in her mobile library; she also sings to the lyrics in one of the episodes of the seventh series, while dreaming of her own Heathcliff
.
In the British series I'm Alan Partridge
, Alan Partridge (played by Steve Coogan
) is seen singing it as he walks into a travel tavern and, much to his dismay, is joined very briefly by the hotel's manager.
Steve Coogan can again be heard singing the song in another British series, The Trip
, this time alongside Rob Brydon
, in Episode 2, "L'Enclume
"; both actors play fictionalised versions of themselves.
Comedian Noel Fielding
danced to the song during Series 3 of the UK entertainment show Let's Dance For Comic Relief
, winning a place in the show's finale. His routine featured some of the iconic choreography of the original music video, and he also donned a similar costume. In the finale, he performed the same routine again. After Fielding had danced, fellow Mighty Boosh writer Julian Barratt
strode onto the stage dressed as Heathcliff.
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
released as her debut single in January 1978. It became a No.1 hit in the UK singles chart and remains her biggest-selling single. The song appears on her 1978 debut album, The Kick Inside
The Kick Inside
-Personnel:*Kate Bush: Piano, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Background Vocals*Ian Bairnson: Guitar, Vocals, Background Vocals, Bottle*Paddy Bush: Harmonica, Mandolin, Vocals*Barry DeSouza: drums*Stuart Elliott: Drums...
. The B-side of the single was another song by Bush named "Kite" - hence the kite imagery on the record sleeve. "Wuthering Heights" came 32nd in Q magazine's
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
Top 100 Singles of All Time, as voted by readers.
The guitar solo is played by Ian Bairnson
Ian Bairnson
Ian Bairnson is a Scottish musician, famous for being one of the core members of The Alan Parsons Project. He is a multi-instrumentalist, who has played saxophone and keyboards, although he is best known as a guitarist...
, best known for his work with Alan Parsons
Alan Parsons
Alan Parsons is a British audio engineer, musician, and record producer. He was involved with the production of several significant albums, including The Beatles' Abbey Road and Let It Be, as well as Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon for which Pink Floyd credit him as an important contributor...
. It is often mistakenly said that David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
played the solo, possibly due to his professional associations with Kate Bush. It is placed rather unobtrusively in the mix, and later engineer Jon Kelly
Jon Kelly
Jon Kelly is a British music producer who has produced albums and singles for Chris Rea, The Damned, Kate Bush, Pele , The Beautiful South, Prefab Sprout, Deacon Blue, Heather Nova, The Levellers, Fish, Lynsey De Paul and Nolwenn Leroy.-References:...
would regret not making the solo a little louder in the mix.
The song was re-recorded in 1986 for Bush's greatest-hits album The Whole Story
The Whole Story
-VHS and Laserdisc Editions:-Personnel:*Kate Bush - Keyboards, Vocals, Producer*Ian Cooper - Cutting Engineer*Jon Kelly - Producer*Andrew Powell - Producer-Charts:-Certifications:...
. This version also appeared as the B-side to her 1986 hit "Experiment IV
Experiment IV
"Experiment IV" is a song by the British singer Kate Bush. It was released as a single on 27 October 1986, in order to promote Bush's greatest hits album The Whole Story...
".
Lyrics
Written by Bush when she was 18, the song is based on the novel of the same nameWuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights is a novel by Emily Brontë published in 1847. It was her only novel and written between December 1845 and July 1846. It remained unpublished until July 1847 and was not printed until December after the success of her sister Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre...
. Kate Bush was inspired to write the song by the last ten minutes of the 1970 film version
Wuthering Heights (1970 film)
Wuthering Heights is a 1970 film directed by Robert Fuest. It is based on the classic Emily Bronte novel of the same name. Like the 1939 version, this film depicts only the first sixteen chapters concluding with Catherine Earnshaw Linton's death and omits the trials of her daughter, Hindley's son,...
of Wuthering Heights. She then read the book and discovered that she shared her birthday (30 July) with Emily Brontë
Emily Brontë
Emily Jane Brontë 30 July 1818 – 19 December 1848) was an English novelist and poet, best remembered for her only novel, Wuthering Heights, now considered a classic of English literature. Emily was the third eldest of the four surviving Brontë siblings, between the youngest Anne and her brother...
. Bush reportedly wrote the song, for her album The Kick Inside
The Kick Inside
-Personnel:*Kate Bush: Piano, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Background Vocals*Ian Bairnson: Guitar, Vocals, Background Vocals, Bottle*Paddy Bush: Harmonica, Mandolin, Vocals*Barry DeSouza: drums*Stuart Elliott: Drums...
, within the space of just a few hours late at night.
Lyrically, "Wuthering Heights" uses several quotations from Catherine Earnshaw
Catherine Earnshaw
Catherine Earnshaw, known as Catherine Linton after her marriage, is the main female protagonist of Emily Brontë's novel Wuthering Heights....
, most notably in the chorus - "Let me in! I'm so cold!" - as well as in the verses, with Catherine's confession to her servant of "bad dreams in the night." It is sung from Catherine's point of view, as she pleads at Heathcliff's window to be allowed in. This romantic scene takes a sinister turn if one considers the events of the book, as Catherine may well be a ghost, calling Heathcliff to join her in death.
Release
Record company, EMIEMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
had originally chosen another track, "James and the Cold Gun" as the lead single, but Bush was determined that "Wuthering Heights" would be the first release from the album. She won out eventually in a surprising show of determination for a young female vocalist against a major record company, but this was not the only time she took a stand against them in a bid to take control of her career.
Two music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s were created to accompany "Wuthering Heights." In one version, Bush can be seen performing the song in a dark room filled with white mist while wearing a white dress (which was the UK release); in the other, the singer dances in an outdoor environment while wearing a red dress (which was done for the American release).
The release date for the single was initially scheduled to be 4 November 1977. However, Bush was unhappy with the picture being used for the single's cover and insisted it be replaced. Some copies of the single had already been sent out to radio stations, but EMI relented and put back the single's launch until the New Year
New Year
The New Year is the day that marks the time of the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. For many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner....
. This proved to be a wise choice ultimately, as the release would have clashed with Wings'
Wings (band)
Wings were a British-American rock group formed in 1971 by Paul McCartney, Denny Laine and Linda McCartney that remained active until 1981....
latest release, "Mull of Kintyre
Mull of Kintyre (song)
"Mull of Kintyre" is a song written by Paul McCartney and Denny Laine and performed by Wings. The song was written in tribute to the picturesque Kintyre peninsula in Scotland, where McCartney has owned High Park Farm since 1966, and its headland or Mull of Kintyre.The song was Wings' biggest hit...
", which became the biggest-selling single in UK history up to this point in December 1977. "Wuthering Heights" was finally released on 6 January 1978 and eventually crept into the charts on (week ending) 11 February at No.42. The following week it rose to No.27 and Bush made her first appearance on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
("It was like watching myself die", recalls Bush), and the song became one of the most played records on radio. In 1986, her first compilation album
The Whole Story
-VHS and Laserdisc Editions:-Personnel:*Kate Bush - Keyboards, Vocals, Producer*Ian Cooper - Cutting Engineer*Jon Kelly - Producer*Andrew Powell - Producer-Charts:-Certifications:...
erroneously stated the release date for this single as 4 November 1977.
Chart performance
It quickly reached number one in the UK Singles ChartUK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, staying there for four weeks, and propelled the singer to fame. The song also was a hit in Australia, taking the top spot during Autumn in 1978 for three weeks. Its release unwittingly pitted Bush against another female vocalist, also charting with her first hit: Debbie Harry
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
with her band Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
, and their single "Denis." Amid much public discussion about the two singers' merits, Bush came out on top, while Blondie stalled at number two.
"Wuthering Heights" was replaced at No.1 by Brian and Michael
Brian and Michael
Brian & Michael are a British music duo best known for their 1978 UK number one hit single, "Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs". Without further chart entries, they remain one-hit wonders in the UK...
's celebration of the then-recently deceased artist L. S. Lowry
L. S. Lowry
Laurence Stephen Lowry was an English artist born in Barrett Street, Stretford, Lancashire. Many of his drawings and paintings depict nearby Salford and surrounding areas, including Pendlebury, where he lived and worked for over 40 years at 117 Station Road , opposite St...
, "Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs," thus having the number-one slot feature a classic of English literature followed by a tribute to a renowned painter. In reaching number one, Bush became the first woman to write and perform a UK chart-topper. "Wuthering Heights" remains Bush's biggest-selling single in the UK, and was certified gold by the BPI for sales of over half a million. It was the 11th best-selling single of 1978.
Charts Worldwide
| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
1 |
| Australian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 17 |
| Belgian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
4 |
| Dutch Single Top 100 | 3 |
| French Singles Chart | 1 |
| German Singles Chart | 11 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
1 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 7 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 6 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 8 |
| US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100... |
8 |
Cover versions
"Wuthering Heights" has been recorded by a number of other artists, including Italian singer Elisa Toffoli, Brazilian power metal band AngraAngra (band)
Angra is a Brazilian metal band from São Paulo, Brazil known for its symphonic interludes, highly technical instrumental playing and Brazilian regional elements.- Biography :...
, American rocker Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar is an American singer and four-time Grammy winner. She had considerable commercial success particularly in the United States...
, Hayley Westenra
Hayley Westenra
Hayley Dee Westenra is a New Zealand soprano, classical crossover artist, songwriter and UNICEF Ambassador. Her first internationally released album, Pure, reached No. 1 on the UK classical charts in 2003 and has sold more than two million copies worldwide...
, Josh Pyke
Josh Pyke
Josh Pyke is an Australian singer-songwriting musician.-Beginnings and Feeding the Wolves :Josh Pyke was in his first band by age 12 and played his first performance in front of 650 parents and students at his primary school graduation. Playing guitar and initial song writing efforts came aged 14...
, China Drum
China Drum
China Drum were an English punk rock band from Ovingham in Northumberland active from 1989–2001, playing their final years under the name The Drum.-History:...
, Albert Niland, White Flag
White Flag (band)
White Flag is an American punk rock band currently based in Los Angeles. Their current lineup consists of frontman Pat Fear , Mike Mess , Jello B. Afro , and Trace Element . All of these members have been in the band since 1982, though many have rotated in and out...
, The Decemberists
The Decemberists
The Decemberists are an indie folk rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States, fronted by singer/songwriter Colin Meloy. The other members of the band are Chris Funk , Jenny Conlee , Nate Query , and John Moen .The band's...
, Jer Ber Jones, Susan Egan
Susan Egan
Susan Egan is an American actress and singer known for her work on the Broadway stage.-Early life and career:Egan was born in Seal Beach, California. She attended Orange County High School of the Arts and UCLA. In the meantime she started her career touring with the performance group The Young...
, Australian band Mr. Floppy, Italian singer Cristina Donà
Cristina Donà
Cristina Donà is an Italian singer and songwriter.She developed a passion for music since she was a teenager, her favorites singers being, among others, Bruce Springsteen, Sinéad O'Connor, Joni Mitchell, Michelle Shocked, Tom Waits, Lucio Battisti, and Beatles .She studied at Accademia di Belle...
, Brian Campeau, Dutch rock singer Birgit Schuurman
Birgit Schuurman
Birgit Schuurman is a Dutch rock singer and actress.-Biography:Schuurman was born in Utrecht and raised in Bunnik as the daughter of a Dutch father and a Chinese-Surinamese mother; she's the younger sister of Katja Schuurman. Schuurman started her singing career several years before her graduation...
, Jim Guthrie, The Puppini Sisters
The Puppini Sisters
The Puppini Sisters are a vocal trio. Arion Berger described them as part of "Retro's futuristic vanguard" and described their sound as "swing-punk". The group has sought to be associated with a burlesque revival....
in 2006, and Wolfmother
Wolfmother
Wolfmother is an Australian rock band from Erskineville, Sydney. Formed in 2000, the group was originally a trio composed of vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale, bassist and keyboardist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett. Wolfmother released their self-titled debut album in October 2005,...
on Australian radio station Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
in October, 2009. It is also performed a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
by Steve Coogan in two different British TV series: first as the title character in the I'm Alan Partridge
I'm Alan Partridge
I'm Alan Partridge is a BBC situation comedy starring Steve Coogan, of which two series of six episodes each were produced — the first in 1997 and the second in 2002...
; second as a fictionalised version of himself in The Trip
The Trip (2010 TV series)
The Trip is a BAFTA award-winning television sitcom series which was first broadcast on BBC Two and BBC HD in the United Kingdom. The series stars Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as fictionalised versions of themselves undertaking a restaurant tour of northern England.The six episode series, which is...
(alongside a fictionalised version of Rob Brydon
Rob Brydon
Rob Brydon is a BAFTA-nominated Welsh actor, comedian, radio and television presenter, singer and impressionist...
). In September 2011, finnish symphonic metal
Symphonic metal
Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...
singer Tarja Turunen
Tarja Turunen
Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen Cabuli is a Finnish singer-songwriter and composer. She is a full lyric soprano and has a vocal range of three octaves....
performed this song live at Rock in Rio
Rock in Rio
Rock in Rio is a series of music festivals held in three cities: Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Lisbon in Portugal and Madrid in Spain.Four incarnations of the festival were in Rio de Janeiro, in 1985, 1991, 2001 and 2011, four in Lisbon, in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010, and two in Madrid in 2008 and 2010....
Festival, in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
The Icelandic singer Margrét Eir recorded an Icelandic
Icelandic language
Icelandic is a North Germanic language, the main language of Iceland. Its closest relative is Faroese.Icelandic is an Indo-European language belonging to the North Germanic or Nordic branch of the Germanic languages. Historically, it was the westernmost of the Indo-European languages prior to the...
version called "Heiðin há". Irish singer-songwriter Albert Niland did a cover of the song in 2004 which was praised by critics. The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain is a musical ensemble featuring ukuleles in different registers and a bass ukulele .-History:...
have also made a recording of this song. In 2010 Finnish poprock band Indica
Indica
Indica may refer to:Historical ethnographic accounts of India* Indica , Arrian's account of Nearchus' voyage from India* Indica , the Biruni's account of his travels in South Asia...
also made a cover from it, which can be found back on their download only single Precious Dark. The Norwegian electronic band Röyksopp
Röyksopp
Röyksopp is a Norwegian electronic music duo from Tromsø, formed in 1998. Since their inception, the band's line-up has included Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland....
have covered this song on their latest tour with Anneli Drecker
Anneli Drecker
Anneli Marian Drecker is a German-Norwegian singer and actress from the city of Tromsø. She is the vocalist for the seminal dream pop band Bel Canto. In the fall of 2006 Bel Canto celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the first album with several concerts...
supplying vocals.
Usage in other media
Libby Croker, a character in the British series ShamelessShameless
Shameless is a British television drama series set in Manchester on the fictional Chatsworth council estate. Produced by Company Pictures for Channel 4, the first seven-episode series aired weekly on Tuesday nights at 10pm from 13 January 2004...
, is obsessed with the song. She plays it in her mobile library; she also sings to the lyrics in one of the episodes of the seventh series, while dreaming of her own Heathcliff
Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights)
Heathcliff is a fictional character in the novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. Owing to the novel's enduring fame and popularity, he is often regarded as an archetype of the tortured Romantic hero whose all-consuming passions destroy both himself and those around him.Legend has stereotyped...
.
In the British series I'm Alan Partridge
I'm Alan Partridge
I'm Alan Partridge is a BBC situation comedy starring Steve Coogan, of which two series of six episodes each were produced — the first in 1997 and the second in 2002...
, Alan Partridge (played by Steve Coogan
Steve Coogan
Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
) is seen singing it as he walks into a travel tavern and, much to his dismay, is joined very briefly by the hotel's manager.
Steve Coogan can again be heard singing the song in another British series, The Trip
The Trip (2010 TV series)
The Trip is a BAFTA award-winning television sitcom series which was first broadcast on BBC Two and BBC HD in the United Kingdom. The series stars Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as fictionalised versions of themselves undertaking a restaurant tour of northern England.The six episode series, which is...
, this time alongside Rob Brydon
Rob Brydon
Rob Brydon is a BAFTA-nominated Welsh actor, comedian, radio and television presenter, singer and impressionist...
, in Episode 2, "L'Enclume
L'Enclume
L'Enclume is a restaurant located in Cartmel, Cumbria, England. In 2008, the restaurant held one star in the Michelin Guide....
"; both actors play fictionalised versions of themselves.
Comedian Noel Fielding
Noel Fielding
Noel Fielding is a British artist, comedian and actor. He is known for his roles as Vince Noir in The Mighty Boosh, which he co-writes with comedy partner Julian Barratt, and as team captain on the music panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks.-Stand-up comedy:Noel Fielding performed regularly as a...
danced to the song during Series 3 of the UK entertainment show Let's Dance For Comic Relief
Let's Dance for Comic Relief
Let's Dance for Comic Relief is a British television programme shown on BBC One, featuring celebrities performing famous dance routines to raise money for the charity Comic Relief. The programme is currently presented by Steve Jones and Alex Jones, who replaced previous host Claudia Winkleman in...
, winning a place in the show's finale. His routine featured some of the iconic choreography of the original music video, and he also donned a similar costume. In the finale, he performed the same routine again. After Fielding had danced, fellow Mighty Boosh writer Julian Barratt
Julian Barratt
Julian Barratt is an English comedian, musician, music producer and actor. Barratt is best known for playing the character of Howard Moon in the cult comedy The Mighty Boosh, which he also co-writes with comedy partner, Noel Fielding.-The Mighty Boosh:Barratt stars as the character Howard Moon...
strode onto the stage dressed as Heathcliff.