Under Pressure
Queen Annie Lennox & David Bowie Lyrics

Mm ba ba de
Vocal interlude with no concrete meaning

Um bum ba de
Vocal interlude with no concrete meaning

Um bu bu bum da de
Vocal interlude with no concrete meaning

Pressure pushing down on me
The feelings of anxiety, expectation and the weight of the world pushing down on the artist

Pressing down on you no man ask for
The pressure and expectations of society that are put on people without their consent

Under pressure that brings a building down
The immense pressure that can cause or contribute to the collapse of a physical structure or an emotional being.

Splits a family in two
The pressure that can cause conflict and division within a family or a group of people

Puts people on streets
The societal and financial pressures that can force people to become homeless or displaced

Um ba ba be
Vocal interlude with no concrete meaning

Um ba ba be
Vocal interlude with no concrete meaning

De day da
Vocal interlude with no concrete meaning

Ee day da, that's okay
Vocal interlude with no concrete meaning

It's the terror of knowing
The fear and anxiety that comes with having knowledge and understanding of the complexities of the world

What the world is about
The fundamental nature of the universe and the human interactions within it

Watching some good friends
The singer observing their close relationships and how they are affected by societal and personal pressures

Screaming 'Let me out'
The emotional outbursts of those who cannot cope with the pressures of life

Pray tomorrow gets me higher
The hope and optimism that tomorrow will bring relief or higher levels of success and happiness

Pressure on people people on streets
The societal and personal pressures that affect individuals and can lead to dire circumstances such as homelessness

Day day de mm hm
Vocal interlude with no concrete meaning

Da da da ba ba
Vocal interlude with no concrete meaning

Okay
Vocal interlude concluding the stanza

Chippin' around - kick my brains around the floor
The artist is struggling to find solutions to their problems or is grappling with mental health issues, and feels like their thoughts are scattered

These are the days it never rains but it pours
The singer is experiencing an intense period of pressure and stress where everything seems to be happening at once

Ee do ba be
Vocal interlude with no concrete meaning

Ee da ba ba ba
Vocal interlude with no concrete meaning

Um bo bo
Vocal interlude with no concrete meaning

Be lap
Vocal interlude with no concrete meaning

People on streets - ee da de da de
The challenges of living on the streets and dealing with societal pressures as a marginalized individual or group

People on streets - ee da de da de da de da
The challenges of living on the streets and dealing with societal pressures as a marginalized individual or group

It's the terror of knowing
The fear and anxiety that comes with having knowledge and understanding of the complexities of the world

What this world is about
The fundamental nature of the universe and the human interactions within it

Watching some good friends
The artist observing their close relationships and how they are affected by societal and personal pressures

Screaming 'Let me out'
The emotional outbursts of those who cannot cope with the pressures of life

Pray tomorrow - gets me higher higher high
The hope and optimism that tomorrow will bring relief and higher levels of success and happiness

Pressure on people people on streets
The societal and personal pressures that affect individuals and can lead to dire circumstances such as homelessness

Turned away from it all like a blind man
The artist may feel helpless or unable to face the pressures and realities of life in a meaningful way

Sat on a fence but it don't work
The singer may be trying to stay neutral and avoid taking sides or acting on their own feelings, but this approach is not beneficial or effective

Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn
The singer may try to use love as a solution or as a way to cope with the pressures of the world, but it is often met with cynicism or adversity

Why why why?
The singer is grappling with deep existential questions and seeking understanding

Love love love love love
The artist is emphasizing the importance of love despite its challenges and difficulties

Insanity laughs under pressure we're breaking
The toll of pressure and stress on people can have damaging and unpredictable effects on mental health

Can't we give ourselves one more chance
The singer implores individuals to give themselves another opportunity to cope and succeed despite the pressures of life

Why can't we give love that one more chance
The singer is pleading for people to choose love and understanding over cynicism and negativity

Why can't we give love give love give love give love
The artist wants to stress the importance of choosing love over hate or indifference

Give love give love give love give love give love
The artist emphasizes that love is a crucial component of human life, and emphasizes this through repetition

'Cause love's such an old fashioned word
The artist acknowledges that the concept of love can seem outdated or irrelevant in a modern, cynical world

And love dares you to care for
The singer is emphasizing that love involves caring for and showing empathy toward others, even in the face of pressure and adversity

The people on the (People on streets) edge of the night
The artist is drawing attention to those who may feel forgotten, marginalized, or trapped by the societal pressures they face

And loves (People on streets) dares you to change our way of
The singer is suggesting that love can be a powerful force for social change and progress

Caring about ourselves
The singer is highlighting the importance of self-care and compassion, as well as caring for others

This is our last dance
The singer recognizes that life is short and we should make the most of our time and connections with others

This is ourselves
The artist is emphasizing the importance of individual self-expression and identity

Under pressure
The chorus and title of the song, emphasizing the impact of societal pressures on individuals and groups

Under pressure
Repeat of chorus to conclude the song

Pressure
Final word of the song, reinforcing the central theme of societal and personal pressures