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 feat. Queen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
David Bowie's song "Under Pressure" is a powerful commentary on the pressures of life that can cause tension and break apart relationships. The lyrics begin with a repetition of nonsensical words, which emphasizes the sense of confusion and disorientation that can arise from the pressure of the outside world. The next few lines describe the way that pressure affects individuals and society at large, referencing families breaking apart and people ending up on the streets. The bridge of the song shifts into a more introspective tone as Bowie sings about the terror of knowing the reality of the world and watching friends struggle to cope with it. The chorus repeats the main theme of the song, with increasing urgency and intensity, as Bowie reflects on the devastating impact of pressure on both individuals and society.
The song's verses jump between disjointed images of confusion, frustration, and despair to create a chilling portrait of the impact of external pressures on people's lives. Bowie's lyrics delve deeply into the psychological impact of social forces, showcasing the way these pressures can cause people to turn away from life or reject its values altogether. Meanwhile, the chorus repeats a refrain about the power of love and its ability to change our ways of caring for ourselves and others. The instrumental break adds an extra layer of emotional depth to the song, with wailing saxophones and a pounding drum beat that intensify the feeling of being under pressure.
Line by Line Meaning
Mm ba ba de
Opening sound without any specific meaning
Um bum ba de
Another sound without any specific meaning
Um bu bu bum da de
Yet another sound without any specific meaning
Pressure pushing down on me
Feeling the burden and stress of life's daily troubles and hardships
Pressing down on you no man ask for
The same burdens and stress are affecting others, whether they asked for it or not
Under pressure that brings a building down
When stress, whether it be financial or emotional, becomes too much to bear it can cause someone to crumble like a building
Splits a family in two
The stress of life can cause families to become divided, leading to broken homes
Puts people on streets
Financial pressure can lead to people losing their homes and being forced to live on the streets
Um ba ba be
Repeating the sounds from earlier in the song, without any specific meaning
De day da
Yet another nonsensical phrase in the song
Ee day da, that's okay
Continuing the previous phrase, in which the meaning is ambiguous and unclear
It's the terror of knowing
The song shifts to a focus on the anxiety and fear that comes with feeling the pressure and stress of everyday life
What the world is about
The realization that the world can be harsh and unfair
Watching some good friends
Observing the struggles that close friends may be facing
Screaming 'Let me out'
Expressing the overwhelming desperation to escape the pressure and difficulties of life
Pray tomorrow gets me higher
Hoping that things will get better in the future and that tomorrow will bring relief from the present pressure and stress
Pressure on people people on streets
Reiterating the idea that stress affects everyone, including those who might be struggling financially and end up living on the streets
Day day de mm hm
Another meaningless phrase that adds rhythm to the song
Da da da ba ba
Continuing to add non-lexical words to the song
Okay
A one-word interjection without much meaning
Chippin' around - kick my brains around the floor
Feeling scatterbrained and overwhelmed, as if one's thoughts and emotions are being jumbled around and scattered across the floor
These are the days it never rains but it pours
Expressing the idea that sometimes all of life's struggles come at once, one after another, without any reprieve
Ee do ba be
Another ambiguous phrase with no clear meaning
Um bo bo
More nonsense syllables that provide rhythm to the song
Be lap
An interjection with no clear meaning
People on streets - ee da de da de
Emphasizing again how difficult life can be for people who might end up living on the streets
People on streets - ee da de da de da de da
A repetition of the above line for added emphasis
It's the terror of knowing
Returning to the theme of anxiety and fear in the face of life's struggles
What this world is about
The realization that life can be difficult and unpredictable
Watching some good friends
Seeing people close to oneself struggling with life's difficulties
Screaming 'Let me out'
Expressing the desperation to escape the overwhelming stress and pressure of daily life
Pray tomorrow - gets me higher higher high
A continued hope for tomorrow to be better, praying that things will improve significantly
Pressure on people people on streets
The repetition of this line again emphasizes how widespread and universal the experience of pressure and stress can be
Turned away from it all like a blind man
Closing the eyes to ignore and avoid the stress and problems of life, even though it might only make things worse
Sat on a fence but it don't work
Trying to avoid making decisions or taking action to improve one's situation, but not finding that strategy to be effective
Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn
Hoping that love could be the solution, but finding it is not enough to solve all of life's problems
Why why why?
Questioning why life has to be so hard and difficult
Love love love love love
Emphasizing the idea that love is necessary and crucial, even if it cannot solve everything
Insanity laughs under pressure we're breaking
The extreme pressure and stress of life can lead to a sense of insanity or loss of control, as if everything is falling apart
Can't we give ourselves one more chance
Pleading for another opportunity or chance to make things right and improve one's situation
Why can't we give love that one more chance
Suggesting that love is the key and that it deserves another chance to be the solution to life's problems
Why can't we give love give love give love give love
Repeating the importance of love, and insisting that it is the key to overcoming life's difficulties
'Cause love's such an old fashioned word
Admitting that the idea of love might be seen as outdated or out of touch with modern life
And love dares you to care for
Arguing that love is actually daring and bold, pushing people to care for others and look out for their well-being
The people on the (People on streets) edge of the night
Specifically calling attention to those who are living on the streets and who are especially vulnerable and in need of care
And loves (People on streets) dares you to change our way of
Positing that love challenges individuals to take action, to work to change the system or the way things are currently done, especially in regard to helping those who are vulnerable and at risk
Caring about ourselves
Encouraging a shift in focus from simply taking care of oneself, to also taking care of others who might be in need
This is our last dance
Closing the song in a defiant, powerful way, insisting that this is the last chance to make a difference and to fight for a better world
This is ourselves
Asserting that everyone has a role to play and a responsibility to work towards change and improvement in the world
Under pressure
Reiterating the central theme of the song, that pressure and stress are a universal experience and challenge
Under pressure
Closing the song with one final repetition of the song's title and central theme
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
@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!