Under Pressure
Keane/RDM Lyrics

Mm ba ba de
Nonsense syllables that don't hold any meaning

Um bum ba de
More nonsense syllables with no meaning

Um bu bu bum da de
Even more meaningless, nonsensical sounds

Pressure pushing down on me
The weight of a difficult situation is taking a toll on the artist

Pressing down on you no man ask for
The same pressure is affecting other people around the artist, even if they didn't ask for it

Under pressure - that burns a building down
The pressure is so intense, it can lead to destruction and chaos

Splits a family in two
The pressure can also have devastating effects on close relationships, such as causing a family to break apart

Puts people on streets
The worst consequences of the pressure can result in homelessness and displacement

Um ba ba be
More nonsensical sounds that don't hold a clear meaning

De day da
Even more meaningless syllables

Ee day da - that's o.k.
The singer is trying to remain positive despite the difficult situation

It's the terror of knowing
The artist is afraid of facing the harsh realities of life

What this world is about
The singer is trying to make sense of their surroundings and the world at large

Watching some good friends
The people closest to the singer are also affected by the pressure

Screaming 'Let me out'
The singer and their friends are feeling trapped by their situation and want to escape

Pray tomorrow - gets me higher
The artist hopes for a better tomorrow and feels that this hope gives them strength

Pressure on people - people on streets
The negative effects of the pressure are widespread and can affect anyone in society

Day day de mm hm
Nonsensical sounds with no clear meaning

Da da da ba ba
More meaningless syllables

O.k.
An expression of acceptance or agreement

Chippin' around - kick my brains around the floor
The artist is feeling restless and anxious, unable to focus or think clearly

These are the days it never rains but it pours
The artist is going through a particularly difficult time where everything seems to go wrong at once

Ee do ba be
More nonsense sounds

Ee da ba ba ba
Even more nonsensical sounds

Um bo bo
More meaningless syllables

Be lap
Even more nonsense sounds

People on streets - ee da de da de
The negative effects of the pressure are affecting people in all walks of life

People on streets - ee da de da de da de da
More emphasis on the widespread impact of the pressure

Turned away from it all like a blind man
The artist feels helpless and unable to face the problem directly

Sat on a fence but it don't work
The singer has tried to remain neutral or avoid the problem, but it hasn't helped

Keep coming up with love
The singer believes that love is the answer to their problems

but it's so slashed and torn
The problems are so severe that it's hard to believe love would be an effective solution

Why - why - why?
The artist is questioning why they and others have to face such difficult circumstances

Love love love love love
The artist repeats the word 'love' to emphasize its importance

Insanity laughs under pressure we're cracking
The singer fears that the pressure is causing them and others to lose their sanity or break down

Can't we give ourselves one more chance
The artist is pleading with others to give themselves another chance to make things right

Why can't we give love that one more chance
The singer believes that love could be the key to fixing the problems they face

Why can't we give love give love give love give love
The singer repeats the phrase to emphasize the importance of love and the need for more of it

give love give love give love give love give love
Further emphasis on the need for love

'Cause love's such an old fashioned word
The artist recognizes that love might be seen as outdated or cliché

And love dares you to care for
Despite this, the artist believes that love can motivate people to care for others

The people on the edge of the night
The singer is referring to people who are marginalized or vulnerable

And love dares you to change our way of
The singer believes that love can inspire people to change their ways in order to help others

Caring about ourselves
The artist believes that caring for others is essential to our own well-being

This is our last dance
The artist believes that this is their final chance to make a difference

Under pressure
The artist reiterates the central theme of the song

Pressure
The song ends with a repetition of the main theme