QueenUnder Pressure (4:09)

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About This Track

“Under Pressure” is a 1981 song by Queen and David Bowie. It marked Queen’s first released collaboration with another recording artist, and is featured on their 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.
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Albums featuring this track

  • Greatest Hits II
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  • Classic Queen
    Queen Play
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  • Hot Space
    Queen Play
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  • Greatest Hits Platinum Collection
    Queen Play
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See all 28 albums

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  • kemp678

    this song is an example of PERFECTION :o) :o) :o) :o)

    11 days ago
  • LucasCariolando

    Freddie + David = Genial [2]

    12 days ago
  • tadejp

    Just what I wanted to hear!

    14 days ago
  • metalprincess6

    So nice,,,,

    23 days ago
  • SexxAtraxxion

    sounds like Vanilla Ice hit

    28 days ago
  • dima7maslovv

    <3 I love that this was performed in "It's Kind Of A Funny Story". Right on! [2]

    last month
  • REAPERSNOG

    UNDER PRESSURE!

    last month
  • lastinglove

    <3 I love that this was performed in "It's Kind Of A Funny Story". Right on!

    March 2012
  • KaiserKaese

    Yeah, Bowie should definitely be credited there somwhere. Anyway, this one's always been a favorite.

    March 2012
  • jrlourinho

    Pop CLASSIC !

    March 2012
  • Rockinfreddy

    Freddie +David=Genial☺☺☺

    March 2012
  • iamhags

    Should be Under Pressure (feat. David Bowie), no?

    March 2012
  • realcyndre

    Ando Tieso!

    March 2012
  • starfloka

    fabulous bass line

    March 2012
  • Pedrorockeiro

    Demais, uma das melhores de todos os tempos

    February 2012
  • LuKs_Cardoso

    (Y)

    February 2012
  • KISSastrophe

    February 2012
  • lukasz_pulawski

    this famous bass line would later be sampled by Vanilla Ice in his 1990 single "Ice Ice Baby"

    February 2012
  • Donnerholz

    Pressure!

    February 2012
  • artymyna

    best...

    January 2012
See all 314 shouts

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