Her solo career began in earnest in 2002, when a demo version of the song "Finally Woken" was played on the LA radio station, KCRW. The track became one of the most listener-requested songs at the station, landing her in their top 5 played artists, and all prior to any record label being attached. As a result, she signed to Dave Matthews' ATO Records label.
Along with electronic producer Guy Sigsworth (Björk, Frou Frou), she wrote the song Nothing Fails, which was later reworked by Madonna and appeared on her 2003 album, American Life.
Jem released the moderately successful EP It All Starts Here in autumn 2003, followed by the debut album Finally Woken in March 2004. The first single They became her most successful single to date, peaking at #6 on UK Singles Charts.
Her second album Down to Earth was released on 16 September 2008, preceded by the single It's Amazing.
Jem's music featured on various movies (Closer, Eragon, Sex and the City, Monster-in-Law, The Prince and Me), trailers (Ultraviolet, Closer), ads (Lexus), and TV series (The OC, Six Feet Under, Gossip Girl, Smallville, 90210).
Running Up That Hill
Jem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I only could, I'd be running up that hill."
It doesn't hurt me.
Do you want to feel how it feels?
Do you want to know that it doesn't hurt me?
Do you want to hear about the deal that I'm making?
You, it's you and me.
And if I only could,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
Be running up that building.
If I only could, oh
You don't want to hurt me,
But see how deep the bullet lies.
Unaware I'm tearing you asunder.
Ooh, there is thunder in our hearts.
Is there so much hate for the ones we love?
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, oh...
You,
It's you and me,
It's you and me won't be unhappy.
"C'mon, baby, c'mon darling,
Let me steal this moment from you now.
C'mon, 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,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
With no problems.
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,
With no problems.
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,
With no problems.
If I only could
Be running up that hill
With no problems
"If I only could, I'd be running up that hill.
If I only could, I'd be running up that hill."
The lyrics to Jem's song "Running Up That Hill" speak to the desire to escape the struggles of life and swap places with a higher power. The repeated phrase, "If I only could, I'd be running up that hill," serves as a symbol for achieving a difficult task or overcoming obstacles. The artist is willing to make a deal with God in order to escape their current situation and take on a new challenge.
The lyrics also explore themes of pain, love, and the complexities of human relationships. The line, "There is thunder in our hearts," suggests a stormy emotional dynamic between the two characters, while the question, "Is there so much hate for the ones we love?" hints at a conflict that may be driving them apart. The repeated mention of "you and me" emphasizes the importance of their connection to each other, even as they struggle.
Overall, the lyrics to "Running Up That Hill" convey a powerful message about the human desire for change and the struggle to overcome adversity, both on a personal and spiritual level.
Line by Line Meaning
If I only could, I'd be running up that hill.
I want to achieve something difficult but it seems impossible.
If I only could, I'd be running up that hill.
I want to achieve something difficult but it seems impossible.
It doesn't hurt me.
I am strong and tough enough to handle emotional pain.
Do you want to feel how it feels?
Do you want to experience what I'm going through?
Do you want to know that it doesn't hurt me?
Do you want to learn that despite the surface calm, I can be hurting inside?
Do you want to hear about the deal that I'm making?
Do you want to hear about the bargain I'm trying to strike with God?
You, it's you and me.
Our relationship is important.
And if I only could, I'd make a deal with God,
If only I could control things, I would try to strike a bargain with God.
And I'd get him to swap our places,
I would ask God to swap our experiences.
Be running up that road,
I want to overcome a tough obstacle.
Be running up that hill,
I want to achieve something that seems impossible.
Be running up that building.
I want to succeed spectacularly.
If I only could, oh
If only the constraints were lifted.
You don't want to hurt me,
I know you don't want to see me in pain.
But see how deep the bullet lies.
But there's pain deep within me that you may not be aware of.
Unaware I'm tearing you asunder.
I'm feeling pain that could be causing you pain too, but you're not aware of it.
Ooh, there is thunder in our hearts.
Our emotions are so strong they feel like thunder.
Is there so much hate for the ones we love?
Why does love sometimes feel like hate?
Tell me, we both matter, don't we?
Both of us are important.
You, it's you and me.
Our relationship is important.
It's you and me won't be unhappy.
As long as we have each other, we won't be unhappy.
C'mon, baby, c'mon darling,
Let's have an intimate moment.
Let me steal this moment from you now.
Let me fully experience this moment.
C'mon, angel, c'mon, c'mon, darling,
Let's have an intimate moment.
Let's exchange the experience, oh
Let's share and connect intimately.
With no problems.
With no difficulties.
And if I only could, I'd be running up that hill
If only the constraints were lifted, I would achieve my goal.
With no problems.
With no difficulties.
And if I only could, I'd be running up that hill
If only the constraints were lifted, I would achieve my goal.
With no problems.
With no difficulties.
If I only could
If only I could have control.
Be running up that hill
I want to achieve something that seems impossible.
With no problems
With no difficulties.
Contributed by Matthew I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.