"wuthering heights" is a song by kate bush released as her debut single in november 1977 and re-released in january 1978. inspired by the emily brontë novel of the same name, it appears on her 1978 debut album "the kick inside". it stayed at number one on the uk singles chart for four weeks, and remains bush's most successful single. the song received widespread critical acclaim, with "pitchfork" naming it the fifth greatest song of the 1970s.