Under Pressure
David Bowie and Nine Inch Nails Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Mm ba ba de
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
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

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of David Bowie and Queen's iconic song "Under Pressure" are a series of nonsensical syllables, but they set the stage for a song that explores the extreme pressure that the modern world puts on individuals and society as a whole. In the first verse, the lyrics describe this pressure as something that can tear families apart and force people onto the streets. It's a phenomenon that affects everyone, regardless of their status or role in society. The chorus repeats that it's the "terror of knowing what the world is about" that fills people with dread and anxiety, causing them to feel the weight of the pressure around them.


The second verse shifts the focus slightly, highlighting the personal toll that this pressure can take. The lyrics describe watching good friends scream in frustration and the hope that the next day will be better. The chorus repeats again, emphasizing how pressure affects us all, regardless of who we are. The third verse is a reflection on the difficulties of dealing with this pressure. We can't simply ignore it and "sit on the fence," and despite our best efforts, love and care can be hurtful and difficult to sustain. The final chorus turns the focus toward caring for others and urges us to change the way we think about ourselves and our place in society.


Line by Line Meaning

Mm ba ba de
Non-sense scatting


Um bum ba de
Non-sense scatting


Um bu bu bum da de
Non-sense scatting


Pressure pushing down on me
The feeling of being overwhelmed


Pressing down on you no man ask for
An external force that's beyond your control


Under pressure that brings a building down
Intense pressure leading to destruction


Splits a family in two
The disintegration of a family due to external pressure


Puts people on streets
External pressure leading to homelessness and displacement


Um ba ba be
Non-sense scatting


Um ba ba be
Non-sense scatting


De day da
Non-sense scatting


Ee day da that's okay
Non-sense scatting


It's the terror of knowing
The fear of being aware of something


What the world is about
Understanding what's happening in the world


Watching some good friends
Observing friends suffer


Screaming Let me out
A cry for help or release


Pray tomorrow gets me higher
Hope for relief from the pressure


Pressure on people people on streets
The impact of intense pressure on society


Day day de mm hm
Non-sense scatting


Da da da ba ba
Non-sense scatting


Okay
Acceptance of the situation


Chippin' around kick my brains around the floor
Frantic and aimless actions under pressure


These are the days it never rains but it pours
When it rains, it pours. Bad things happen all at once


Ee do ba be
Non-sense scatting


Ee da ba ba ba
Non-sense scatting


Um bo bo
Non-sense scatting


Be lap
Non-sense scatting


People on streets ee da de da de
The impact of pressure on society


People on streets ee da de da de da de da
The impact of pressure on society


Turned away from it all like a blind man
Avoiding the reality of the pressure


Sat on a fence but it don't work
Indecisiveness won't help in a pressure situation


Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn
Love is important, but it's hard to maintain under pressure


Why, why, why?
Questioning why things are happening


Love love love love love
The importance of love


Insanity laughs under pressure we're breaking
The impact of pressure on mental health


Can't we give ourselves one more chance
Have hope for improvement


Why can't we give love that one more chance
Love can be important for relief from pressure


Why can't we give love give love give love give love
The importance of love


Give love give love give love give love give love
The importance of love


'Cause love's such an old fashioned word
Love is a timeless concept


And love dares you to care for
Love demands care from individuals


The people on the (people on streets) edge of the night
The people who are struggling


And loves (people on streets) dares you to change our way of
Love demands change, of self and community


Caring about ourselves
Self-care is important


This is our last dance
The end is near


This is ourselves
This is what we have become


Under pressure
Intense external pressure


Under pressure
Intense external pressure


Pressure
The weight of intense external pressure




Lyrics © 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
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

Kevin Beran

Trent soznds so great. He doesn't sing like Fredfädie and this makes a great job 👍

Seagraey

I don't think Trent sings in this song unfortunately.

Las Realistas

very good sound btw

Torsten Kunz

Bowie forever...

Robain Halluin

Do you know who sings with David on this song?

zenobowie

not with that scratching sound in the end of the last 4 tracks on cd2 , it has to be of a master tape recording not a cd download recording with too many tracks than you will get that scratching sound in the end , '' a small plot of land and nite flights '' are fxcked ( Nine Inch Nails With David Bowie - back in anger )

Las Realistas

On that tour maybe, not with NIN onstage

More Versions