Bowie had originally come to the studios in order to sing backing vocals on another Queen song, "Cool Cat". For whatever reason, Bowie was not satisfied with his contribution, and his vocals were removed from the track.
Queen had been working on an earlier version of the song under the title "Feel Like" but were not yet satisfied with the result. The final version that became "Under Pressure" evolved from a jam session the band had with Bowie at his studio in Montreux, Switzerland, therefore it was credited as co-written by the five musicians. According to Queen bassist John Deacon (as quoted in a French magazine in 1984), however, the song's primary musical songwriter was Freddie Mercury — though all contributed to the arrangement. The earlier, embryonic version of the song without Bowie , "Feel Like" , is widely available in bootleg form.
There has been some confusion about who created the song's famous bass line. John Deacon said (in Japanese magazine Musiclife in 1982, and in the previously mentioned French magazine) that David Bowie had created it. In more recent interviews, Queen guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor have credited the bass riff to Deacon; Bowie also said on his website that the bass line was already written before he became involved. The September 2005 edition of online music magazine Stylus singled out the bass line as the best in popular music history.
Roger Taylor was frequently rumored to be the song's chief writer. However, it appears that he served more as an intermediary for Mercury and Bowie (two of rock music's biggest stars at the time), being friends with both men. Taylor was involved in the production of the track and did some preliminary mixes with Bowie in New York, but Bowie was dissatisfied with these results and wanted to re-record everything (as claimed by May on a November 1982 interview for IM&RW magazine). In the end, the final mix was done with the involvement of Mercury and recording engineer Mack, "under pressure" from Bowie and Taylor (according to Brian May in the same 1982 interview).
Although very much a joint project, only Queen incorporated the song into their live shows at the time. Bowie chose not to perform the song before an audience until the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, when he and Annie Lennox sang it as a duet (backed by the surviving Queen members). However, since Mercury's death and the Outside tour in 1995, Bowie has performed the song at virtually every one of his live shows, with bassist Gail Ann Dorsey taking Mercury's vocal part.
The song also appeared in setlists from A Reality Tour mounted by Bowie in 2004, when he frequently would dedicate it to Freddie Mercury. Queen + Paul Rodgers have recently performed the song as well. While Bowie was never present for a live performance of the song with Mercury, Roger Taylor instead filled for back-up vocals usually in unison with Mercury as Mercury would take over most of Bowie's parts.
Under Pressure
David Bowie & Queen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Um bum ba de
Um bu bu bum da de
Pressure pushing down on me
Pressing down on you no man ask for
Under pressure that brings a building down
Splits a family in two
Puts people on streets
Um ba ba be
De day da
Ee day da that's okay
It's the terror of knowing
What the world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming Let me out
Pray tomorrow gets me higher
Pressure on people people on streets
Day day de mm hm
Da da da ba ba
Okay
Chippin' around kick my brains around the floor
These are the days it never rains but it pours
Ee do ba be
Ee da ba ba ba
Um bo bo
Be lap
People on streets ee da de da de
People on streets ee da de da de da de 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 a fence but it don't work
Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn
Why, why, why?
Love love love love 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 give love
'Cause love's such an old fashioned word
And love dares you to care for
The people on the (people on streets) edge of the night
And loves (people on streets) dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves
This is our last dance
This is ourselves
Under pressure
Under pressure
Pressure
The lyrics to David Bowie and Queen's song "Under Pressure" express themes of anxiety, pressure, and the complexity of the world we live in. With lines such as "It's the terror of knowing what the world is about," the song highlights the overwhelming feeling of uncertainty in our lives. The repetition of "pressure" throughout the song emphasizes the burden we all carry in some way – the weight that bears down on us and pushes us to our limits. The lyrics also touch on the power of love and the importance of caring for one another, with the memorable line "Love dares you to care for the people on the edge of the night." Overall, the song presents a thought-provoking message that still resonates with listeners today.
Line by Line Meaning
Mm ba ba de
Opening sounds that set the rhythm for the song
Um bum ba de
Continuation of the rhythm
Um bu bu bum da de
Continuation of the rhythm
Pressure pushing down on me
The burden of expectations and responsibilities weighing heavily on the artist
Pressing down on you no man ask for
The same burden is felt by all, regardless of whether they requested it or not
Under pressure that brings a building down
The intense and constant pressure can cause even the strongest structures to collapse
Splits a family in two
The stress and tension can cause rifts between loved ones and tear families apart
Puts people on streets
The pressure can lead to financial hardships, homelessness, and displacement
Um ba ba be
Vocalization to continue the rhythm
De day da
Vocalization to continue the rhythm
Ee day da that's okay
Acceptance of whatever comes, even when it's overwhelming
It's the terror of knowing
The fear that comes with the realization of the harsh realities of the world
What the world is about
The cruel, unfair, and unforgiving nature of the world we live in
Watching some good friends
Witnessing people close to the singer suffering from the same pressures
Screaming Let me out
Their desperation to escape the pressure and hardships they're facing
Pray tomorrow gets me higher
Hope for relief and improvement in the future
Pressure on people people on streets
Acknowledgement that the negative effects of pressure are widespread
Day day de mm hm
Vocalization to continue the rhythm
Da da da ba ba
Vocalization to continue the rhythm
Okay
Affirmation
Chippin' around kick my brains around the floor
Engaging in erratic, aimless behavior due to the overwhelming pressure and stress
These are the days it never rains but it pours
A saying that refers to how when things go wrong, they often go wrong in large numbers and at once
Ee do ba be
Vocalization to continue the rhythm
Ee da ba ba ba
Vocalization to continue the rhythm
Um bo bo
Vocalization to continue the rhythm
Be lap
Vocalization to continue the rhythm
People on streets ee da de da de
People affected by the pressure and hardships of life
People on streets ee da de da de da de da
Continuation of the line above
It's the terror of knowing
Reiteration of the fears and anxieties caused by pressure
What this world is about
Reiteration of the cruel nature of the world
Watching some good friends
Reiteration of the singer's concerns for their friends
Screaming let me out
Reiteration of the friends' desperation for relief
Pray tomorrow gets me higher higher high
Reiteration of the hope for improvement in the future
Pressure on people people on streets
Reiteration of the widespread negative effects of pressure
Turned away from it all like a blind man
The singer has disengaged and become numb to avoid the pressures and difficulties of life
Sat on a fence but it don't work
Trying to stay on the sidelines and remain neutral isn't an effective way to deal with the pressure and problems
Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn
The singer wants to solve issues with love, but it seems the world is too damaged and hurt for that to work
Why, why, why?
The singer is questioning why the world is so difficult and why they can't find a way to solve it
Love love love love love
The singer still clings to the hope that love can conquer all, despite the difficulties
Insanity laughs under pressure we're breaking
The intense pressure can cause people to feel like they're losing their minds or becoming unhinged
Can't we give ourselves one more chance
Asking for a chance to try again and do better
Why can't we give love that one more chance
Asking for another chance to solve the world's problems with love
Why can't we give love give love give love give love
Reiteration of the desire for love to solve the world's problems
Give love give love give love give love give love
Continuation of the line above
'Cause love's such an old fashioned word
Explains why love may not be seen as a viable solution to modern problems
And love dares you to care for
Love challenges people to be more empathetic and compassionate
The people on the (people on streets) edge of the night
People who are marginalized and suffering are the ones that most need love and care
And loves (people on streets) dares you to change our way of
Love challenges us to change our way of life and attitudes toward each other
Caring about ourselves
Emphasizing that we need to care about others, not just ourselves
This is our last dance
Metaphor for life being a limited and fragile thing
This is ourselves
Acknowledgement that we are responsible for our own actions and the impact we have on the world
Under pressure
Summarizes the main theme of the song: the intense and pervasive pressure of life
Under pressure
Repetition to emphasize the main theme
Pressure
Repetition to further emphasize the main theme
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, TINTORETTO MUSIC
Written by: DAVID BOWIE, JOHN DEACON, BRIAN HAROLD MAY, FREDDIE MERCURY, ROGER TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Evacutie1234
David and Freddie are singing this in heaven
@Evacutie1234
True legends RIP David and Freddie
@colinfridd2850
F yet m8
@warrioremperor6320
Heaven doesn't exist moron
@jillmudd3224
Can’t believe two of the best both gone - but never ever ever forgotten. They live on through their music every time we play their music xxx
@andreasherrmann1129
Freddys Stimme ist wie ein Ochester
@toleenJasper
2024 and we still here💙
@vitruzicka114
...and they are still here!!!! Fredie and Davis are/were star who never dies!
@maryharris5384
My favorite, David and Freddie ! ♥️♥️♥️♥️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻, Love this song ! True Legend’s !!!!!
@benstrauss297
Two of the greatest vocalists of the 20th century!