Pressure
BOWIE DAVID & QUEEN Lyrics
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Doom-boom-ba-beh
Doo-boo-boom-ba-beh-beh
Pressure pushin' down on me
Pressin' down on you, no man ask for
Under pressure that brings a building down
Splits a family in two, puts people on streets
Dee-day-da, ee-day-da
That's okay
That's the terror of knowing what this world is about
Watchin' some good friends screamin', "Let me out"
Pray tomorrow gets me higher
Pressure on people, people on streets
Da-da-da, mm-mm
Da-da-da-ba-bum
Okay
Chippin' around, kick my brains 'round the floor
These are the days it never rains but it pours
Ee-doh-ba-buh, ee-da-ba-ba-bop
Mm-bo-bop, beh-lup
People on streets, ee-da-dee-da-day
People on streets, ee-da-dee-da-dee-da-dee-da
It's the terror of knowing what this world is about
Watching some good friends screaming, "Let me out"
Pray tomorrow gets me higher, higher, high
Pressure on people, people on streets
Turned away from it all like a blind man
Sat on the fence but it don't work
Keep comin' up with love but it's so slashed and torn
Why, why, why?
Love
Insanity laughs under pressure we're breaking
Can't we give ourselves one more chance?
Why can't we give love that one more chance?
Why can't we give love, give love, give love, give love
Give love, give love, give love, give love?
'Cause love's such an old-fashioned word
And love dares you to care for
The people on the edge of the night
And love dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves
This is our last dance
This is our last dance
This is ourselves
Under pressure
Under pressure
Pressure
The lyrics of "Under Pressure" by David Bowie and Queen explore the theme of pressure and its various effects. The first verse talks about the weight of pressure pushing down on both the singer and those around them, with nobody asking for it. It highlights the destructive power that pressure can have, tearing down buildings and splitting families apart, leaving people homeless and struggling to survive.
The chorus delves into the "terror of knowing what the world is about," capturing the intense fear many experience when faced with the overwhelming challenges of life. The lyrics describe watching friends screaming to be let out and the desperate need to find a way to escape the pressure. The verse continues to emphasize the impact stress and pressure have on people, driving them mad and leaving them broken.
The bridge then shifts the focus towards love, suggesting that it may be the antidote to the immense pressure and turmoil felt by many. This is a call to change one's way of thinking and caring, with the hope that love could make a difference in people's lives. The final line of the song is repeated twice, with the word "pressure" being stretched out, almost as an exclamation of the song's central point.
Line by Line Meaning
Pressure pushing down on me
The weight of the world is bearing down on me
Pressing down on you, no man ask for
The same thing is happening to you, but you didn't choose it
Under pressure that burns a building down
The stress and anxiety can be destructive
Splits a family in two
The pressure can cause relationships to fracture
Puts people on streets
The stress can lead to homelessness or displacement
It's the terror of knowing what the world is about
Understanding the harsh reality of the world can be frightening
Watching some good friends screaming 'Let me out!'
Witnessing the distress of others can be painful
Pray tomorrow gets me higher
We hope for relief in the future
Pressure on people, people on streets
The burden affects us all, and the most vulnerable suffer the most
Chipping around, kick my brains around the floor
Struggling to cope, unable to think straight
These are the days it never rains but it pours
When things are bad, they tend to get worse
Can't we give ourselves one more chance?
We should try to find hope and keep going
Why can't we give love that one more chance?
Love can provide a source of strength and healing
This is ourselves under pressure
We are all facing difficulties and challenges
Under pressure
The stress and strain of life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Bowie, John Richard Deacon, Brian Harold May, Freddie Mercury, Roger Meddows Taylor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind