There are other artists with the same name:
2. The Units was the name Jandek released his first album ‘Ready For The House’ as in 1978. He was forced to change it to Jandek due to legal threats.
3. The Units were also a noise pop band from New York City active from 2000 to 2003. They stole their name from Jandek.
4. The Units are also a progressive hard rock band from NSW, Australia.
High Pressure Days
The Units Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But we didn't say hello to each other
We're all moving pretty fast these days
Bumping around like bumper cars
Slippery kelp in the tide
It's awful hard to hang on to each other
Flying around hot H2O molecules
Balls that come in contact often alter their direction
High pressure days, high pressure
High pressure days, bumping around bumper cars
High pressure days, high pressure
Our paths still cross in these high pressure days
A crowd pattern will emerge
Exchange phone numbers, wither away
Our paths still cross in these high pressure days
A crowd pattern will emerge
Exchange phone numbers, wither away
High pressure days, finding that our motions
High pressure nights, fit into a pattern
High pressure days, finding that our motions
High pressure nights, fit into a pattern
I saw Johnny tonight
But we didn't say hello to each other
We're all moving pretty fast these days
Bumping around like bumper cars
Slippery kelp in the tide
It's awful hard to hang on to each other
Flying around hot H2O molecules
Balls that come in contact often alter their direction
High pressure days, high pressure
High pressure days, high pressure
High pressure days, bumping around bumper cars
High pressure days, high pressure
The lyrics to The Units' song "High Pressure Days" reflect the fast-paced and disconnected nature of modern society. The singer starts by mentioning seeing someone named Johnny but not exchanging greetings, which signifies the lack of meaningful connections in their lives. The line "We're all moving pretty fast these days" captures the frenetic pace of life and how it affects our interactions with others.
The comparison to bumper cars and slippery kelp in the tide emphasizes the feeling of constant movement and the difficulty of holding onto relationships. The lyrics suggest that people are like balls in contact, altering their direction frequently, indicating the transitory and unpredictable nature of connections in high-pressure times.
Despite the superficiality and fleetingness of interactions, the singer acknowledges that their paths still cross with others. However, the "crowd pattern" that emerges signifies a repetitive and predictable cycle where people exchange phone numbers but eventually wither away. This repetition and shallowness are further emphasized in the lines "High pressure days, finding that our motions" and "High pressure nights, fit into a pattern."
Overall, the song portrays a sense of disconnection, transience, and the struggle to maintain meaningful relationships in a world consumed by high pressure and constant motion.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw Johnny tonight
I encountered Johnny this evening
But we didn't say hello to each other
However, we did not exchange greetings
We're all moving pretty fast these days
Everyone is operating at a rapid pace in the current era
Bumping around like bumper cars
Colliding and bouncing off one another like amusement park vehicles
Slippery kelp in the tide
Similar to seaweed sliding in the water current
It's awful hard to hang on to each other
Maintaining a firm grasp on one another is extremely difficult
Flying around hot H2O molecules
Swiftly traversing through active water particles
Balls that come in contact often alter their direction
When spheres collide, their trajectories frequently change
High pressure days, high pressure
Times of intense pressure and stress
High pressure days, bumping around bumper cars
Intense periods where individuals collide and interact like bumper cars
Our paths still cross in these high pressure days
Despite the pressure, our paths still intersect
A crowd pattern will emerge
A discernible pattern within the crowd will arise
Exchange phone numbers, wither away
Sharing contact information, but eventually fading into insignificance
High pressure days, finding that our motions
During these high pressure times, realizing how our actions
High pressure nights, fit into a pattern
Even in nights filled with pressure, they align into a recognizable structure
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Scott Ryser
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mr Sem
Saw Johnny tonight
but we didn't say hello to eachother
Were all moving pretty fast these days
bumping around like bumper cars
Slippery kelp in the tide
It's awful hard to hang on to eachother
Flying around hot H2O molecules
Balls that come in contact often alter their direction
High pressure dayshigh pressure
high pressure days
high pressure
high pressure days
bumping around like bumper cars
High pressure days
high pressure!
Our paths still cross in these high pressure days,
Acrowd pattern will emerge
Exchange phone numbers, wither away
Our paths still cross in these high pressure days,
Acrowd pattern will emerge
Exchange phone numbers, wither awayHigh pressure days
finding that our motions
High pressure nights
fit into a pattern
High pressure days
finding that our motions
High pressure nights
fit into a pattern
Saw Johnny tonight
but we didn't say hello to eachother
Were all moving pretty fast these days
bumping around like bumper cars
Slippery kelp in the tide
It's awful hard to hang on to eachother
Flying around hot H2O molecules
Balls that come in contact often alter their direction
High pressure days
high pressure
high pressure days
high pressure
high pressure days
bumping around like bumper cars
High pressure days
high pressure!
David Pape
Holy crap, awesome lyrics:
Saw Johnny tonight, but we didn't say hello to eachother
Were all moving pretty fast these days
bumping around like bumper cars
Slippery kelp in the tide
It's awful hard to hang on to eachother
Flying around hot H2O molecules
Balls that come in contact often alter their direction
High pressure days, high pressure
high pressure days, high pressure!
Our paths still cross in these high pressure days,
Acrowd pattern will emerge
Exchange phone numbers, wither away
High pressure days, finding that our motions
High pressure nights, fit into a pattern
Unit #0x07
synthy punk was often tried and it hardly ever works. These guys did it effortlessly as one of the first and made music history
Brian
In awe of the size of this band. Absolute Units.
flyingfeatheredrat
I love them! Haven't heard them since my punk rocker days in S.F.,CA '78-'88.
ricochetpig
👏
James Byfield
Saw the units many times in person at The Temple in San Francisco. One of the great synth bands of all time. Still remember some of their shows. Thanks for posting this. And I still own the album.
gleyva12
You good?
Doug Vencill
I bought this album when it came out without having heard a note--I loved the cover, and I loved the fact that it was overflowing with synthesizers. Not a completely solid album, but still worth having--if for no other reason than this killer song. "HIGH PRESSURE!!!"
FreeЯadikal
I feel the same. This opening song blows it out of the water but 'Cannibals' and 'Cowboy' are also awesome. Cheers!
Alice Rekab
this song is like a symptom of today flooding in from yesterday, the resonance with the isolation of a working life,and the hope and invention required to maintain meaningful exchanges with others when time is so governed by constraints....
Mr Sem
Saw Johnny tonight
but we didn't say hello to eachother
Were all moving pretty fast these days
bumping around like bumper cars
Slippery kelp in the tide
It's awful hard to hang on to eachother
Flying around hot H2O molecules
Balls that come in contact often alter their direction
High pressure dayshigh pressure
high pressure days
high pressure
high pressure days
bumping around like bumper cars
High pressure days
high pressure!
Our paths still cross in these high pressure days,
Acrowd pattern will emerge
Exchange phone numbers, wither away
Our paths still cross in these high pressure days,
Acrowd pattern will emerge
Exchange phone numbers, wither awayHigh pressure days
finding that our motions
High pressure nights
fit into a pattern
High pressure days
finding that our motions
High pressure nights
fit into a pattern
Saw Johnny tonight
but we didn't say hello to eachother
Were all moving pretty fast these days
bumping around like bumper cars
Slippery kelp in the tide
It's awful hard to hang on to eachother
Flying around hot H2O molecules
Balls that come in contact often alter their direction
High pressure days
high pressure
high pressure days
high pressure
high pressure days
bumping around like bumper cars
High pressure days
high pressure!