Under Pressure
David Bowie and Nine Inch Nails Lyrics
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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
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
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
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