Under Pressure
RDM ft. Keane Lyrics

Mm ba ba de
The song begins with an improvised vocal melody, devoid of lyrics.

Um bum ba de
Continuation of the improvised vocal melody with no specific meaning.

Um bu bu bum da de
The improvised melody continues with a rhythmic variation.

Pressure pushing down on me
The pressure of life's struggles is bearing down on the singer.

Pressing down on you no man ask for
The same pressures are affecting everyone, regardless of their desire for it.

Under pressure - that burns a building down
The weight of these pressures can lead to catastrophic results, such as the destruction of buildings.

Splits a family in two
The struggles can cause irreparable damage to relationships and tear families apart.

Puts people on streets
Many people are left homeless because of the pressures of life.

Um ba ba be
Another improvised vocal melody, for artistic effect.

Um ba ba be
Continuation of the previous melody.

De day da
Another meaningless vocal melody that sets the tone for the chorus.

Ee day da - that's o.k.
More improvisation for artistic effect that works with the chorus.

It's the terror of knowing
The singer is afraid of knowing and understanding the struggles of life.

What this world is about
The singer is trying to understand the meaning and purpose of the world.

Watching some good friends
Seeing friends struggle with the same issues as the singer.

Screaming 'Let me out'
The pressures have become too much to bear, and the singer's friends are calling for help.

Pray tomorrow - gets me higher
The singer hopes that tomorrow will bring improvement or relief from these struggles.

Pressure on people - people on streets
The pressures of life can lead to homelessness for many people.

Day day de mm hm
More improvised vocalizations, serving no specific meaning.

Da da da ba ba
Additional improvised vocals for artistic effect.

O.k.
The singer acknowledges the absurdity of the struggles of life and the need for coping mechanisms to deal with them.

Chippin' around - kick my brains around the floor
The singer is frustrated with the struggles and feels as though their mind is being shattered.

These are the days it never rains but it pours
The singer feels as though the struggles are never-ending and always seem to get worse.

Ee do ba be
Another artful vocal improvisation.

Ee da ba ba ba
Another vocalization for artistic effect.

Um bo bo
A rhythmic interlude for artistic effect.

Be lap
Additional vocal improvisation to create a sonic landscape.

People on streets - ee da de da de
The struggles of life have led to many people becoming homeless, vocalized for artistic purposes.

People on streets - ee da de da de da de da
Repetition of the previous line for emphasis, with additional syllables for rhythmic effect.

It's the terror of knowing
Reiteration of the fear of knowing and understanding the struggles of life.

What this world is about
The question of the purpose and meaning of the world is restated.

Watching some good friends
The singer sees their friends struggling with the same pressures.

Screaming 'Let me out'
The calls for help from the previous verse are reiterated.

Pray tomorrow - gets me higher high high
Repetition of the hope that tomorrow will be a better day.

Pressure on people - people on streets
Restatement of the idea that life's pressures can lead to homelessness.

Turned away from it all like a blind man
The struggles of life can make it difficult for people to see the good things in their lives.

Sat on a fence but it don't work
The singer has tried to stay neutral in the face of struggles but realizes this is not a viable solution.

Keep coming up with love
Despite the struggles of life, the singer tries to keep a positive attitude and continues to seek love and hope.

but it's so slashed and torn
The love the singer is trying to hold on to has been beaten down by the struggles of life.

Why - why - why?
The singer is questioning the reasons behind the struggles of life and why they seem to never end.

Love love love love love
Reiteration that love is still sought despite the struggles.

Insanity laughs under pressure we're cracking
The singer feels that the constant struggles have begun to affect their sanity.

Can't we give ourselves one more chance
The singer is asking for another opportunity to make things right despite the struggles.

Why can't we give love that one more chance
Reiteration of the need for love and understanding to overcome the struggles of life.

Why can't we give love give love give love give love
The singer repeats this line as a plea for more love and understanding.

give love give love give love give love give love
Reiteration of the plea for more love.

'Cause love's such an old fashioned word
The singer acknowledges that love may seem outdated but is still a powerful force to be reckoned with.

And love dares you to care for
Love challenges people to care for others and make the world a better place.

The people on the edge of the night
The people who are struggling the most and need the most help are those that the singer wants to reach out to.

And love dares you to change our way of
Love challenges people to adopt a new way of thinking and behaving, one that prioritizes compassion and understanding.

Caring about ourselves
The singer believes that by caring for others, we can also care for ourselves.

This is our last dance
The singer is aware that life is short and that we only have a certain amount of time to make a difference.

Under pressure
The song ends with a restatement of the central theme - the constant pressure of life's struggles.

Under pressure
Reiteration of the central theme for emphasis.

Pressure
The final word of the song, connecting it with the opening lines and drawing the song to a close.