Under Pressure
Keane (Queen & David Bowie) Lyrics
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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
The lyrics of Keane (Queen & David Bowie)'s song "Under Pressure" speak of the immense pressure that is felt in life and the impact it has on people. The opening lines of the song are nonsensical, almost like they are meant to make the listener uneasy. But the following lines make it clear that the song is about the difficulties of life, with pressure pushing down on people, splitting families, and putting people on the streets. The lines "That's the terror of knowing what this world is about, Watching some good friends screaming, 'Let me out'" suggest that life can feel like a prison, with people trapped and struggling to escape the pressure they are under. The lyrics continue to explore these themes, with the repetition of "people on streets" emphasizing the idea that many people are suffering and struggling to survive.
As the song progresses, it transitions from a discussion of the pressures people face in life to a call for change. The lines "Turned away from it all like a blind man, Sat on the fence but it don't work" suggest that people can't ignore the problems around them and must take action. The repetition of the phrase "give love" at the end of the song suggests that love is the solution to the world's problems. The lyrics suggest that love can help us overcome the pressure we face, as well as bring us together and help us care for each other.
Overall, "Under Pressure" is a powerful song that speaks to the struggles people face in life and the need for change. The repetitive nature of the song, with certain words and phrases repeated throughout, helps to emphasize the weight of the lyrics and the pressure people are under. The call for love and change in the face of this pressure is a message that resonates with people to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Mm-noom-ba-deh
Musical intro
Doom-boom-ba-beh
Musical intro
Doo-boo-boom-ba-beh-beh
Musical intro
Pressure pushin' down on me
The feeling of immense pressure weighing on the artist
Pressin' down on you, no man ask for
The artist empathizes with the listener who is under the same pressure
Under pressure that brings a building down
Illustrates how intense the pressure can be, that it can literally demolish a structure
Splits a family in two, puts people on streets
Pressure can divide families and cause financial instability
Mm-ba-ba-beh, mm-ba-ba-beh
Musical break
Dee-day-da, ee-day-da
Musical break
That's okay
A way of coping with the crushing pressure
That's the terror of knowing what this world is about
Realizing how difficult life can be instead of living blissfully ignorant
Watchin' some good friends screamin', "Let me out"
Experiencing the pain of watching loved ones suffer and feel trapped
Pray tomorrow gets me higher
Hoping for better times ahead
Pressure on people, people on streets
The adverse effects of extreme pressure on society
Da-da-da, mm-mm
Musical break
Da-da-da-ba-bum
Musical break
Okay
Accepting the pressure as an inevitable part of life
Chippin' around, kick my brains 'round the floor
Being driven to madness by the pressure
These are the days it never rains but it pours
Expressing how troubles often come all at once
Ee-doh-ba-buh, ee-da-ba-ba-bop
Musical break
Mm-bo-bop, beh-lup
Musical break
People on streets, ee-da-dee-da-day
Acknowledging the struggles faced by those living on the streets due to the pressure
People on streets, ee-da-dee-da-dee-da-dee-da
Reinforcing the previous line
Turned away from it all like a blind man
Choosing to avoid the problems posed by the pressure
Sat on the fence but it don't work
Indecision is not an adequate solution
Keep comin' up with love but it's so slashed and torn
Attempts to love and care are futile in the midst of crushing pressure
Why, why, why?
An emotional outcry against the unfairness of life
Love
Love is the answer to the world's problems
Insanity laughs under pressure we're breaking
The pressure could drive us to insanity and destruction
Can't we give ourselves one more chance?
Asking for an opportunity to improve our lives and deal better with the pressure
Why can't we give love that one more chance?
Love is the key to solving many of our problems
Why can't we give love, give love, give love, give love
Emphasizes the need for love over hatred and division
Give love, give love, give love, give love?
Reinforcing the previous line
'Cause love's such an old-fashioned word
Love is often dismissed as outdated or naive
And love dares you to care for
Love challenges us to care for others
The people on the edge of the night
A reminder to care for the most vulnerable
And love dares you to change our way of
Love also urges us to change our ways in order to better care for others
Caring about ourselves
We must also care for ourselves in order to better help others
This is our last dance
Life is a fleeting moment and we must make the most of it
This is our last dance
Reinforcing the previous line
This is ourselves
We are all we have and must take responsibility for our actions
Under pressure
The central theme of the song
Under pressure
Reinforcing the previous line
Pressure
The weight of the world's problems on our shoulders
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
vicki1171
Honestly, I enjoyed the experience from start to finish. I met Tim, Richard & Tom after the show. They were giving autographs, talking to us and taking pictures with all of us. They were so nice and down to earth. I wish I could go to all of their shows.
lilyway
Me encantó. Se nota que Tim no solo habia escuchado el tema, sino que lo conocía bien. Me gusta mucho Keane y amo a QUEEN y por lo general no me gusta que hagan covers de QUEEN porque no le hacen honor musicalmente y menos a la voz de Freddie, y escucho con un poco de prejuicio esas canciones y solo por curiosidad. Creo que esta quedó muy bien. Los felicito! Y me encanta como canta Tommy Chaplin. No es Freddie pero canta muy lindo!!
Willian Carlos
Tem que ter muita moral pra gravar uma música do Queen e David Bowie e ficar tão boa quanto a original. Valeu Keane, sempre d+.
Maureen Corless
No one doesn't matter when it comes to imitating Freddie Mercury's voice then our man Tom! This is a beautiful cover of a great song by a truly phenomenal group our very own Keane!!!💖💖
ethereal
Keane is my favourite band and Queen is a second favourite, I absolutely love this cover
michael galt
“It never rains but it pours...”. His transition from falsetto to normal voice there was butter.
Maria Ines Flaca
Ésta versión es fantástica.Que voz más hermosa.
Mary Shapiro
Wow! I love this version. I love the original but this is just wonderful. I had no idea they could be so versitile. Great!
keaneplay
I had not even heard the original before Keane covered it. I have to say I loved Keane's performance! They can do no wrong!
giddyHattie
I've never heard the original song so I have nothing to compare it to, but either way this is my FAVORITE cover Keane has ever done. It's one of my most played songs on iTunes <3