Under Pressure (3:57)
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“Under Pressure” is a 1981 song recorded by Queen and David Bowie. It marked Bowie’s first released collaboration with another recording artist as a performer, and is featured on Queen’s 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart. It was also number 31 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of the ’80s.
Bowie had originally come to the studios in order to sing backing vocals on another Queen song, “Cool Cat”. For whatever reason, Bowie was not satisfied with his contribution, and his vocals were removed from the track.
Queen had been working on an earlier version of the song under the title “Feel Like” but were not yet satisfied with the result. The final version that became “Under Pressure” evolved from a jam session the band had with Bowie at his studio in Montreux, Switzerland, therefore it was credited as co-written by the five musicians. According to Queen bassist John Deacon (as quoted in a French magazine in 1984), however, the song’s primary musical songwriter was Freddie Mercury — though all contributed to the arrangement. The earlier, embryonic version of the song without Bowie , “Feel Like” , is widely available in bootleg form.
There has been some confusion about who created the song’s famous bass line. John Deacon said (in Japanese magazine Musiclife in 1982, and in the previously mentioned French magazine) that David Bowie had created it.
Bowie had originally come to the studios in order to sing backing vocals on another Queen song, “Cool Cat”. For whatever reason, Bowie was not satisfied with his contribution, and his vocals were removed from the track.
Queen had been working on an earlier version of the song under the title “Feel Like” but were not yet satisfied with the result. The final version that became “Under Pressure” evolved from a jam session the band had with Bowie at his studio in Montreux, Switzerland, therefore it was credited as co-written by the five musicians. According to Queen bassist John Deacon (as quoted in a French magazine in 1984), however, the song’s primary musical songwriter was Freddie Mercury — though all contributed to the arrangement. The earlier, embryonic version of the song without Bowie , “Feel Like” , is widely available in bootleg form.
There has been some confusion about who created the song’s famous bass line. John Deacon said (in Japanese magazine Musiclife in 1982, and in the previously mentioned French magazine) that David Bowie had created it.
Video
Added by rdc65
Queen & David Bowie's video for their 1981 track "Under Pressure."
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Shouts
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hareek13 wrote:
this is a great music
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misterBlonde84 wrote:
Simply amazing work, two of the all time best voices together!!
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jennica_med_c wrote:
Like a battle between Mercury and Bowie, and they both come out victorious!
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gimmehealz wrote:
lol @ vanilla ice fanboys
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xdevotchkax wrote:
dream collaboration. mhm.
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lexi29 wrote:
all time great classic songxx
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ziggy-lizzie wrote:
WOW! Two geniuses together! Cool song!!
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Cdub59 wrote:
Amazing song!! My daughter's fave!!!
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crazykaz02 wrote:
Pressure ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
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kevogerbil wrote:
Brill Song Chilling Out
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OskiRocks wrote:
A great collaboration....
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happygonutty wrote:
yapp ..
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ukdracula wrote:
Best band in the world, Queen. Can't believe some people are that ignorant to think Vanilla Ice wrote the original. He'd have trouble writing his name.
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Maurastruppl wrote:
Timeless...
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PrakashKrishnan wrote:
Brilliant collaboration and it does sound like it was recorded on-the-fly (like both Bowie and Queen have mentioned). Great feel.
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Hedgehog_sushi wrote:
This is an Amazing track...it makes me sad that I will never have the opportunity to hear Mr. Mercury in person, I don’t think I can even begin to imagine what a Queen gig must have been like....but I’m quite content with listening to his legacy. I really can’t believe there are people that actually think that this is a cover of vanilla ice?? Do you guys live in a cave or something?
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metalickl wrote:
world aids day. 12.1
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dannibal62 wrote:
Vanilla Ice was in diapers when this song came out.
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lisajeanm wrote:
FANTASTIC - TWO AMAZING TALENTS - THANKS GUYS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RIP Freddy !!!!
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dazmusic wrote:
heard the producer was stroking some very big egos whilst cutting this one :)
Queen & David Bowie
Under Pressure
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