Queen feat. David Bowie – “Under Pressure”

Queen Collaborates With Bowie For Love Fueled Anthem!

Written in 1981 for their album Hot Space and featuring the legendary David Bowie, Queen’s ‘Under Pressure’ was a masterpiece that came together from the remnants of another Queen/Bowie project and quickly caught fire with the combination of Freddie Mercury and Bowie sharing writing duties.

Something about it, from the opening bass line to Freddie’s random scatting, just makes me happy on a cellular level (and I’m even happier when it’s actually ‘Under Pressure’ and not Vanilla Ice’s ‘Ice Ice Baby’!).

Vanilla Ice sampled this on ‘Ice Ice Baby,’ which was a huge hit in 1990. He attempted to avoid paying royalties by adding an extra note and claiming that the two versions were then “completely different”.

The lyrics, dealing with how pressure can destroy lives, remind us that love can be the answer. The lyrics are characteristic of Mercury’s songwriting – cerebral but still getting to the heart of the matter and making you feel what he’s singing about.

David Bowie provides an awesome counterbalance to Freddie’s already impressive vocal range – though when done in concert, guitarist Brian May did an amazing job at backing Freddie’s vocals with his own!

+ Under Pressure lyrics +

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!”
Tomorrow gets me higher
Pressure on people – people on streets

Chippin’ around, kick my brains ’round 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!”
Tomorrow gets me higher, higher, higher…
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

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, 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 edge of the night
And love 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