UNDER PRESSURE
Songs are stories. About life.
Under Pressure, a collaboration by Freddy Mercury and David
Bowie, is a very meaningful song. It’s about humankind's’ struggle to survive.
On American Idol, Alejandro Aranda did not do justice to this
song. He rendered it meaningless. Just musical noises with nothing behind the
words. He omitted the final line, which is probably THE most important
sentiment in the entire song.
“Because love's such an old-fashioned word
And love dares you to care for
The people on the (People on streets) edge of the night
And love (People on streets) 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.”
Some songs are just pop, just pleasant little vignettes of
sentiment that make you smile, but this particular song goes deeper than that.
It invokes thought. It paints a picture of people trying to survive. It repeats
the sentiment,
“it’s the TERROR of knowing what this world is about, watching
some good friends scream LET ME OUT.”
I was particularly disappointed because I admire Alejandro
Aranda’s talent. He sings very well and plays both guitar and piano quite
capably. But when an artist chooses a song, he or she should sing it with the passion that the words convey. The artist needs to understand the story they're telling.
here are the full lyrics to the song:
[Verse 1: David Bowie & Freddie Mercury]
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
[Bridge: Freddie Mercury]
Um ba ba be
Um ba ba be
De day da
Ee day da- that's okay
[Chorus: David Bowie & Freddie Mercury]
It's the terror of knowing what this world is about
Watching some good friends screaming, "Let me out!"
Pray tomorrow gets me higher
Pressure on people, people on streets
It's the terror of knowing what this world is about
Watching some good friends screaming, 'Let me out'
Pray tomorrow gets me higher, high
Pressure on people, people on streets
[Bridge: David Bowie & Freddie Mercury]
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, love, love, love, love
Insanity laughs under pressure we're breaking
[Verse 3: Freddie Mercury]
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, give love?
[Outro: David Bowie]
Because love's such an old-fashioned word
And love dares you to care for
The people on the (People on streets) edge of the night
And love (People on streets) 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
Under pressure
Pressure
