Under Pressure
NEXT: Queen & David Bowie Lyrics


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Mm ba ba de
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
Puts people on streets
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

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie convey a message of desperation and anxiety caused by the pressures of life. The opening lines "Mm ba ba de, Um bum ba de, Um bu bu bum da de" are nonsensical vocals that serve to establish a rhythm to the song. The lyrics go on to describe how pressure affects different people in ways that they do not ask for, ranging from buildings falling apart to families being split, and people being forced onto the streets. The chorus repeats the phrase "pressure on people, people on streets," indicating that everyone is affected by the burden of everyday life.


The lyrics then delve into the terror of understanding what the world is really about, the fear that comes with knowing the true nature of life. Watching good friends scream to be let out of the situation they are in fears for the future, all while hoping that tomorrow things will get better. The line "Chippin' around - kick my brains around the floor" suggests a feeling of confusion and disorientation about life's struggles. The lyrics shift to a plea for love and compassion, as it is the only way to overcome the pressure that comes with living in the world.


Line by Line Meaning

Mm ba ba de
The opening sounds of the song


Um bum ba de
More opening sounds of the song


Um bu bu bum da de
Even more sounds at the beginning of the song


Pressure pushing down on me
The feeling of being overwhelmed


Pressing down on you no man ask for
Feeling pressure that is beyond your control


Under pressure that brings a building down
The immense weight of pressure can be destructive


Splits a family in two
The pressure can break apart close relationships


Puts people on streets
The pressure can force people to lose their homes and become homeless


Um ba ba be
More opening sounds of the song


Um ba ba be
Still more opening sounds of the song


De day da
More opening sounds of the song


Ee day da, that's okay
Acknowledging that things are tough, but it's okay


It's the terror of knowing
The fear that comes with understanding


What the world is about
Understanding the reality of the world


Watching some good friends
Observing friends who are also struggling


Screaming 'Let me out'
Expressing a desire to escape the pressure


Pray tomorrow gets me higher
Hoping for a better tomorrow


Pressure on people people on streets
The impact of pressure on ordinary people


Day day de mm hm
More sounds in the song


Da da da ba ba
More sounds in the song


Okay
Acknowledging that things are difficult


Chippin' around - kick my brains around the floor
Feeling scatterbrained and frustrated


These are the days it never rains but it pours
When it rains, it pours - implying that difficulties always seem to come in waves


Ee do ba be
More sounds in the song


Ee da ba ba ba
More sounds in the song


Um bo bo
More sounds in the song


Be lap
More sounds in the song


People on streets - ee da de da de
Describing the impact of pressure on ordinary people


People on streets - ee da de da de da de da
Reinforcing the idea of the impact of pressure on people


It's the terror of knowing
The fear of understanding the reality of the world


Watching some good friends
Observing friends who are also struggling


Screaming 'Let me out'
Expressing a desire to escape the pressure


Pray tomorrow - gets me higher high
Hopeful for a better tomorrow


Pressure on people people on streets
The impact of pressure on ordinary people


Turned away from it all like a blind man
Ignoring the impact of pressure


Sat on a fence but it don't work
Being indecisive doesn't help


Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn
Trying to be positive, but feeling beaten down by the pressure


Why why why?
Questioning why things are so difficult


Love love love love love
Expressing the need for love and positivity


Insanity laughs under pressure we're breaking
The pressure can make us feel like we're going crazy


Can't we give ourselves one more chance
Asking for another chance to make things better


Why can't we give love that one more chance
Expressing the need for love amidst the pressure


Why can't we give love give love give love give love
Repeatedly asking for love and positivity


Give love give love give love give love give love
Reinforcing the importance of love and positivity


'Cause love's such an old fashioned word
Reflecting on the value of love


And love dares you to care for
Love challenges you to care for others


The people on the (People on streets) edge of the night
The most vulnerable people are often the most in need


And loves (People on streets) dares you to change our way of
Love also challenges us to change the way we treat others


Caring about ourselves
Prioritizing taking care of ourselves is important, but so is showing love and caring for others


This is our last dance
Implying that this is our last chance to make things right


This is ourselves
Reflecting on who we are and what we stand for


Under pressure
A final reminder of the theme of the song


Under pressure
A final reminder of the theme of the song


Pressure
The word is repeated one last time




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
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@sanchezsebastian7

"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 ways of
Caring about ourselves
This is our last dance
This is our last dance
This is ourselves"

Literal chills man. Truer words have never been spoken before nor after.



@Readingwithalex42

[Verse 1: David Bowie]
Pressure pushing down on me
Pressing down on you
No man ask for

[Freddie Mercury]
Under pressure
That brings a building down
Splits a family in two

[David Bowie]
Puts people on streets

[Bridge: Freddie Mercury]
Um ba ba be
Um ba ba be
De day da
Ee day da - that's okay

[Verse 2: David Bowie]
It's the terror of knowing
What the world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming

[Freddie Mercury]
'Let me out'
Pray tomorrow gets me higher

[David Bowie]
Pressure on people people on streets

[Verse 3: Freddie Mercury]
Day day de mm hm
Da da da ba ba
Okay
Chipping 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

[David Bowie] People on streets

[Freddie Mercury] ee da de da de

[David Bowie] People on streets

[Freddie Mercury] ee da de da de da de da

[Verse 4: David Bowie]
It's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming

[Together] 'Let me out'

[Freddie Mercury]
Pray tomorrow - gets me higher
Higher
High

[David Bowie]
Pressure on people people on streets

[Freddie Mercury]
Turned away from it all like a blind man
Sat on a fence but it don't work

[Verse 5: David Bowie]
Keep coming up with love
But it's so slashed and torn

[Freddie Mercury]
Why - why - why?

[David Bowie]
Love love love love love
Insanity laughs under pressure we're breaking

[Verse 6: Freddie Mercury]
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

[Verse 7: David Bowie]
Because 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 our last dance
This is ourselves
Under pressure
Under pressure
Pressure



@ao623

RIP
Freddie Mercury
David Bowie
Elvis Presley
Michael Jackson
Kurt Cobain
Aretha Franklin
John Lennon
George Harrison
Bob Marley
Frank Sinatra
Prince Nelson
Whitney Houston
John Denver
John Bonham
Louis Armstrong
George Michael
Maurice Gibb
Robin Gibb
Andy Gibb
Johnny Cash
Karen Carpenter
Tupac Shakur
Christopher Wallace
They are the legends that we always love.
Edit: RIP to recent death singers, Kenny Rogers and Bill Withers.



@ermiasdeangeli3191

Pressure pushing down on me
Pressing down on you no man ask for
Under pressure
That burns a building down
Splits a family in two
Puts people on streets

It’s the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming “let me out”
Pray tomorrow gets me higher
Pressure on people
People on the streets

Chipping around
kick my brains on the floor
These are the days
It never rains but it pours

People on streets
People on streets

It’s the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
screaming “let me out”
Pray tomorrow gets me higher
Pressure on people
People on the 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
Love
Insanity laughs
under pressure
we’re cracking
Can’t we give ourselves
one more chance
Why can’t we give love
that one more chance
Why can’t we 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 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



All comments from YouTube:

@brontox098

"I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone. It's not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel all alone." - Robin Williams

@yepimfresh

brontox095 no worst thing is to die alone

@Aggie1295

@@yepimfresh We all die alone

@yepimfresh

Thomas Reed I mean with no loved ones there next to you before you go

@ducklips5497

YepImFresh he’s saying a line that a person said dumbass

@gregsander8439

@@yepimfresh lol

226 More Replies...

@badakputraprasetyo9234

R.I.P Freddie Mercury
R.I.P David Bowie
R.I.P Vanilla Ice's career

@justaguy6415

Rip Eddie Van Halen

@pablomarin2232

Rip Chester Bennington

@RMT0615

R.I.P the taco of the free taco guy
Also R.I.P this joke

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