The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Mm-noom-ba-deh
Doom-boom-ba-beh
Doo-boo-boom-ba-beh-beh
Pressure pushin' down on me
Pressin' down on you, no man ask for
Under pressure that brings a building down
Splits a family in two, puts people on streets
Mm-ba-ba-beh, mm-ba-ba-beh
Dee-day-da, ee-day-da
That's okay
That's the terror of knowing what this world is about
Watchin' some good friends screamin', "Let me out"
Pray tomorrow gets me higher
Pressure on people, people on streets
Da-da-da, mm-mm
Da-da-da-ba-bum
Okay
Chippin' around, kick my brains 'round the floor
These are the days it never rains but it pours
Ee-doh-ba-buh, ee-da-ba-ba-bop
Mm-bo-bop, beh-lup
People on streets, ee-da-dee-da-day
People on streets, ee-da-dee-da-dee-da-dee-da
It's the terror of knowing what this world is about
Watching some good friends screaming, "Let me out"
Pray tomorrow gets me higher, higher, high
Pressure on people, people on streets
Turned away from it all like a blind man
Sat on the fence but it don't work
Keep comin' up with love but it's so slashed and torn
Why, why, why?
Love
Insanity laughs under pressure we're breaking
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
Doom-boom-ba-beh
Doo-boo-boom-ba-beh-beh
Pressure pushin' down on me
Pressin' down on you, no man ask for
Under pressure that brings a building down
Splits a family in two, puts people on streets
Mm-ba-ba-beh, mm-ba-ba-beh
Dee-day-da, ee-day-da
That's okay
That's the terror of knowing what this world is about
Watchin' some good friends screamin', "Let me out"
Pray tomorrow gets me higher
Pressure on people, people on streets
Da-da-da, mm-mm
Da-da-da-ba-bum
Okay
Chippin' around, kick my brains 'round the floor
These are the days it never rains but it pours
Ee-doh-ba-buh, ee-da-ba-ba-bop
Mm-bo-bop, beh-lup
People on streets, ee-da-dee-da-day
People on streets, ee-da-dee-da-dee-da-dee-da
It's the terror of knowing what this world is about
Watching some good friends screaming, "Let me out"
Pray tomorrow gets me higher, higher, high
Pressure on people, people on streets
Turned away from it all like a blind man
Sat on the fence but it don't work
Keep comin' up with love but it's so slashed and torn
Why, why, why?
Love
Insanity laughs under pressure we're breaking
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
Lyrics submitted by LilBowieGirl
Under Pressure Lyrics as written by John Richard Deacon David Bowie
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song is actually a lot deeper than it's given credit for. It goes into some very basic truths that a lot of forget sometimes.
"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"
I see people "on the edge of the night" as homeless people or just people who aren't as fortunate as some of us are. This is echoed by the "people on the street" lines.
A lot of us say we love people. And that we're open-minded and enlightened. Meanwhile we see a street person and we ridcule them.
Love "dares" us to be open-minded about the term and apply it to people we might otherwise never think about.
I also think the song doubles as a rant about the insanity of this world in general.
Great song.
Excellent interpretation. I agree with you, but would like to add that it isn't necessarily just people on the street, it could be anybody that's having a hard time, like someone who's being abused by their spouses/parents.<br /> <br /> People typically don't get involved in that kind of thing because it's not their problem, but as the song says, "love dares you to care for the people on the edge of the night". This is something that our society really needs to learn better, because we don't care for people that we don't know, which worked fine when we lived in small family groups, but now that we live in large groups numbering in the millions, we need to learn to be more interested in the people around us.
I agree with paigepeach's interpretation and a few others. It's about modern life and the pressures of every day. "Let me out" could refer to the way people are always complaining "I can't stand this routine corporate lemming life", etc.
the song really speaks to me.
I reaaally love this part and I'm going through some stuff that relates to this:
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
I think it means that when you love someone, you have to be there for them. Love dares you to be there for a person whose going insane, whose "on the edge of the night". A person who might need you. And the second part I think means that when you love someone and they love you, you have to care for yourself. You can't be selfish and for example want to kill yourself (cause you're under pressure or something) you have to live for that other person and by doing so you have to take care of yourself.
Well that's my take on it. Beautiful song and so very deep.
I think this song is about all the hate in the world, people splititng up and the people on the streets. its simply asking us to give love another chance and try and rid the hate in the world...care for 'the people on the edge of the night' - perhaps think about people u wouldnt usually give any thought to
this song is great.......i dont think anyone will ever match bowie and freddie mercury vocally on this song.......my fav part is Cause love's such an old fashioned word And love dares you to care For the people on the edge of the night
Possibly one of the best songs of all time. My favorite line: These are the days it never rains but it pours.
THis is the song Vanilla Ice copied off of witch got him kicked out of the music industry
@Owl--- <br /> Thank you...one half beat of a change and he looked the fool.<br /> Ass, Ass, Baby :o)
good, he shouldnt have been there in the first place
i love this song...the filmclip is the BOMB!!!! i suggest you check it out if you don't know what the songs about...
I love this song, and it reminds me of a good time... :P and Vanilla Ice... really SUCKED!!!!!!! Queen forever :)
i enjoy this song. there is a very large number of covers of this song too.