Under Pressure
My Chemical Romance & The Used Lyrics

Pressure pushing down on me
The weight of obligations and responsibilities feels heavy and overwhelming.

Pressing down on you no man ask for
Similarly, external forces are pushing down on you, regardless of whether you asked for it or not.

Ooh, under pressure
The combination of these forces is intense and difficult to handle.

That burns a building down
The pressure can be so great that it destroys structures or systems that were once stable.

Splits a family in two
The intensity of the pressure can cause rifts in relationships, perhaps even separating families.

Puts people on streets
In some cases, the pressure can cause people to become homeless or otherwise displaced from their homes.

Ba-ba-beh, ba-ba-beh
This refrain serves to emphasize the beat and rhythm of the song.

Be-day-da, be-day-da
Similarly, this refrain contributes to the song's sense of rhythm.

That's okay
Despite the difficult nature of the pressure, the artist is acknowledging that he or she will be okay.

It's the terror of knowing
Part of the difficulty of the pressure is the fear that comes with it - the fear of the unknown and uncertainty of the future.

What this world is about
The pressure forces one to confront the harsh realities of life and the world we live in.

Watching some good friends scream, "Let me out"
The artist has seen people close to him or her become overwhelmed and feel trapped under similar levels of pressure.

Pray tomorrow takes me higher
The singer is looking to the future with hope and a desire for relief from the pressure.

Pressure on people, people on streets
The pressure is everywhere, affecting everyone, regardless of where they live or work.

Dee-day-da (dee-day-da)
This refrain continues to emphasize the song's rhythm.

Chippin' around
The artist feels as though he or she is aimlessly going through the motions, without clear direction or intention.

Kick my brains 'round the floor
The pressure is causing the artist's thoughts to race and become scattered and disorganized.

These are the days
The singer is acknowledging that these difficult days are temporary, but difficult to get through in the meantime.

It never rains but it pours
The singer is feeling particularly overwhelmed; when it rains, it pours.

Ba-ba-dah, ba-ba-dah
This refrain continues to emphasize the rhythm and beat of the song.

People on streets
The pressure affects everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status or geography.

Ba-de-dah-da
This refrain continues to emphasize the rhythm and beat of the song.

People on streets
The pressure affects everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status or geography.

Ba-dah-dee-da, dee-da, dee-da, dee-da
This refrain continues to emphasize the rhythm and beat of the song.

And it's the terror of knowing
Repeating this line for emphasis, the singer is again acknowledging the fear that comes with the pressures of life.

What this world is about
This line is repeated as an acknowledgement of the harsh realities of life that must be confronted.

Watching some good friends scream, "Let me out"
This repetition highlights the traumatic nature of witnessing loved ones struggle with the same pressures the singer is dealing with.

Pray tomorrow takes me high, higher
This line is repeated, again emphasizing the artist's hope for a better future and relief from the stress.

Turned away from it all like a blind man
The artist feels as though he or she is turning away from the pressure, like a blind person who avoids a difficult obstacle.

Sat on a fence but it don't work
The singer has tried to stay neutral or detached from the pressure, but it hasn't helped.

Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn
The singer has tried to combat the pressure with love and compassion, but it feels futile or ineffective.

Why? Why? Why?
The repetition of this line emphasizes the artist's frustration and confusion about why the pressure continues to be so difficult to handle.

Love, love, love (love, love)
This refrain is repeated, continuing the motif of love and compassion being ineffective against the pressure.

Insanity laughs under pressure we're cracking
The pressure can sometimes cause the artist or others to feel as though they are losing their minds.

Can't we give ourselves one more chance
The singer is appealing for a second chance or an opportunity to try again.

Why can't we give love that one more chance
The artist is once again calling for love and compassion to have another chance to work against the pressure.

Why can't we give love, give love, give love, give love, give love
Repetition emphasizes the singer's desire for more love and compassion in the world.

Give love, give love, give love, give love
This refrain is repeated, emphasizing the same idea as above.

'Cause love's such an old fashioned word
The singer is acknowledging that using the word 'love' can feel cliché or outdated, but it is still necessary.

And love dares you to care for
Love encourages the artist to care for and be compassionate towards others.

The people on the edge of the night
Love especially encourages the artist to care for the most vulnerable or marginalized people in society.

And love dares you to change our way of
Love also challenges people to change the way they live and interact with the world.

Caring about ourselves
Rather than only caring about our own well-being, love encourages caring about the well-being of others as well.

This is our last dance
The artist acknowledges that life is temporary and that this is their only shot at living it.

This is our last dance
Repeating this line emphasizes the sentiment above.

This is ourselves
We are the only ones who can control our own destiny and experience of life.

Under pressure
The song concludes by repeating the central theme: life is full of intense pressure, and we must find ways to cope and persevere in spite of it.

Under pressure, under pressure
This concluding refrain reinforces the intensity of the pressure and its ubiquitous nature.