Under Pressure
"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.[1]
The song was played live at every Queen concert between 1982-1986.[2][3][4] It is recorded in the live albums Queen Rock Montreal and Queen at Wembley.[5][6] The song was included on Queen's first Greatest Hits compilations, such as the original 1981 Elektra release in the US. It is currently included on the band's compilation albums Greatest Hits II, Classic Queen, and Absolute Greatest[7] as well as the compilation Best of Bowie.[8]
Creation
Queen had been working on the song under the title "Feel Like" but were not yet satisfied with the result.[9][10] David Bowie had originally come to Mountain Studios in order to sing backing vocals on another Queen song, "Cool Cat", which would end up being edited out since he was not satisfied with it. Once he got there, they worked together for a while and wrote the song.[11] 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. The scat singing that dominates much of the song is evidence of the jam-beginnings as improvisation. 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. Brian May recalled to Mojo magazine in October 2008 that "It was hard, because you had four very precocious boys and David, who was precocious enough for all of us. David took over the song lyrically. Looking back, it's a great song but it should have been mixed differently. Freddie and David had a fierce battle over that. It's a significant song because of David and its lyrical content."[12] The earlier, embryonic version of the song without Bowie, "Feel Like", is widely available in bootleg form, and was written by Queen drummer Roger Taylor.
There has been some confusion about who created the song's bassline. John Deacon said (in Japanese magazine Musiclife in 1982, and in the previously mentioned French magazine) that David Bowie had created it. In more recent interviews, Queen guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor have credited the bass riff to Deacon. Bowie, on his website, said that the bassline was already written before he became involved.[13] Roger Taylor, in an interview for the BBC documentary Queen: the Days of Our Lives, stated that Deacon had indeed created the bassline, stating that all through the sessions in the studio he had been playing the riff over and over; he also claims that when the band returned from dinner Deacon had, amusingly, forgotten the riff, but fortunately Taylor was still able to remember it.[14] It would later be sampled by Vanilla Ice in his 1990 single "Ice Ice Baby". Queen and Bowie did not receive songwriting credit or royalties until after the single had become a hit.[15][16]
Music video
The video for the song features neither Queen nor David Bowie due to touring commitments.[17] Taking the theme of pressure, director David Mallet edited together stock footage of traffic jams, commuter trains packed with passengers, explosions, riots, cars being crushed and various pieces of footage from silent films of the 1920s, most notably Sergei Eisenstein's influential Soviet film Battleship Potemkin, and F.W. Murnau's chilling Nosferatu, a master work of the German Expressionist movement.[17][18] The video celebrates the pressure-cooker mentality of a culture willing to wage war against political machines, and at the same time love and have fun (there is also footage of crowds enjoying concerts, and lots of black and white kissing scenes), the video remains a powerful collage to this day.[18]
Track listing
1981 single
- "Under Pressure" (Mercury, Taylor, Deacon, May, Bowie) – 4:02
- "Soul Brother" (Mercury, Taylor, Deacon, May) – 3:38
EMI released a 3-inch CD version of the single in 1988 with "Body Language" as an additional B-side.
Production credits
Reception
The September 2005 edition of online music magazine Stylus singled out the bassline as the best in popular music history.[19] In November 2004, Stylus music critic Anthony Miccio commented that 'Under Pressure' "is the best song of all time" and described it as Queen's 'opus'.[20]
Live performances
Although very much a joint project, only Queen incorporated the song into their live shows at the time. Bowie chose not to perform the song before an audience until the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, when he and Annie Lennox sang it as a duet (backed by the surviving Queen members).[21] However, since Mercury's death and the Outside tour in 1995, Bowie has performed the song at virtually every one of his live shows, with bassist Gail Ann Dorsey taking Mercury's vocal part. The song also appeared in setlists from A Reality Tour mounted by Bowie in 2004, when he frequently would dedicate it to Freddie Mercury. Queen + Paul Rodgers have recently performed the song as well. While Bowie was never present for a live performance of the song with Mercury, Roger Taylor instead filled for back-up vocals usually in unison with Mercury, as Mercury would take over most of Bowie's parts.
Live recordings
- Queen first recorded a live version of the song at The Montreal Forum in Canada on November 24, 1981. This was included in the concert films We Will Rock You and Queen Rock Montreal.[22] Incidentally it is one of the few times in concert where Mercury used falsetto in the song on the line "these are the days it never rains but it pours".
- A second live version of the song was recorded at Milton Keynes, England, in 1982. This was released in 2004 on the live album/DVD Queen on Fire - Live at the Bowl. Prior to the concert, rumours circulated that Bowie would appear with Queen to sing his parts onstage, but it is probable that he did not even attend the concert.
- Later, Queen recorded a third live version of the song at Wembley Stadium, London, in 1986. This was released on the live album/DVD Live at Wembley Stadium. Another rendition from this same tour (from Queen's concert in Budapest) appeared in edited form on the album Live Magic in 1986.
- During the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992, the surviving members of Queen along with Bowie and Annie Lennox (filling in for Mercury) performed the song.[21] The concert was later released on DVD in 2002 for the 10th anniversary.[21]
- A version recorded by David Bowie's live band in 1995 was released on the bonus disc included with some versions of Outside - Version 2. This live version was also released on the single "Hallo Spaceboy" in 1996.
- David Bowie's DVD A Reality Tour (2003) includes a live version with Bowie's bassist Gail Ann Dorsey singing Mercury's parts.
- The 2006 VH1 Rock Honors at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, featured Queen + Paul Rodgers performing "Under Pressure" along with "The Show Must Go On", "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions" as a live broadcast.[23]
Other releases
Rah Mix
A remixed version (called "Rah Mix") was issued in December 1999 to promote Queen's Greatest Hits III compilation, reaching #14 on the UK Singles Chart. This remix includes new recording work by Brian May and Roger Taylor.
Track listing
Two CD singles (one multimedia enhanced) released 6 December 1999 and 7" picture disk released 13 December 1999. As Bohemian Rhapsody wins The Song of The Millennium award, this released as b-side under the title "The Song of The Millenium/Bohemian Rhapsody"[24]
- CDS #1
- Under Pressure (Rah Mix)
- The Song Of The Millennium / Bohemian Rhapsody
- Thank God It's Christmas
- CDS #2
- Under Pressure (Rah Mix - Radio Edit)
- Under Pressure (Mike Spencer Mix)
- Under Pressure (Knebworth Mix)
- Enhanced section
- 7"
- Under Pressure (Rah Mix)
- The Song Of The Millennium / Bohemian Rhapsody
- Was initially released in US on the Elektra Records US and Canadian versions of Queen's Greatest Hits as a new track.
- The song was released as a bonus track on the Virgin Records reissue of Bowie's Let's Dance in 1995.
- Hollywood Records remixed the song for their 1992 release, Classic Queen. This version features improved sound quality, but removes Mercury's interjection "that's okay!" at about 0:53.
- It also appeared on some Bowie compilations, most of which used the Hollywood Records remix:
- The original single version appears on disc three of Bowie's The Platinum Collection (2005), marking the first appearance of this version on a Bowie compilation.[25] This disc was later released separately as The Best of David Bowie 1980/1987 (2007).
- An instrumental version appears in the DVD menu for the Hot Space section of Greatest Video Hits 2.
- Was released in UK on Queen's Greatest Hits II (which would later be included in The Platinum Collection (2000 and 2002)) removing the second time David Bowie sings, "This is our last dance."
- Has also been performed, but without the lyrics, by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.[26][27]
- Was featured nearly in its entirety in the 2010 film It's Kind of a Funny Story, initially as a 'cover' by the patients in a music therapy class at a New York City psychiatric ward, which the film transformed into the authentic song 'performed' by the patients, dressed in glam, in a near music-video style imaginary sequence (with David Bowie and Queen's original vocals and instrumentation).
Chart positions
Under Pressure (1981):
Under Pressure – Rah Mix (1999):
Cover versions
My Chemical Romance and The Used version
The song was covered in 2005 by American Alternative rock bands The Used and My Chemical Romance for tsunami relief. The cover was originally released as an Internet download track but has subsequently been featured as a bonus track on the 2005 re-release of The Used's second studio album In Love and Death, and received wide airplay in 2005.
On the Billboard charts, the single reached number 28 on Modern Rock and Pop 100 charts and number 41 on the Hot 100.[29]
Other cover versions
1980's
1990's
- In 1994, London Symphony Orchestra recorded an album Plays the Music of Queen, which contains classical covers of the Queen's hit singles, including "Under Pressure" and "The Show Must Go On".[31]
- In 1996, Culture Beat, a German Eurodance project, covered "Under Pressure" for a compilation album, Queen Dance Traxx I.[32]
- In 1997, Fobia, a Mexican rock band, covered "Under Pressure" for a compilation album, Tributo a Queen: los grandes del rock en español.[33]
2000's
- Crooked Fingers, a indie rock band, recorded "Under Pressure" for the EP Reservoir Songs (2002).[34]
- The American bands Small Brown Bike (from Marshall, Michigan) and The Casket Lottery (from Kansas City, Missouri) recorded a cover for a split EP.[35]
- In 2005, English soul singer-songwriter Joss Stone sung the song on the tribute album Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen[36]
- In 2007, English band Keane released their "Under Pressure" version for the Radio 1. Established 1967 compilation. In Mexico, it was released as an A-side from "The Night Sky".
- In 2007, Chicago-based band Kill Hannah covered the song for the movie soundtrack of The Invisible.[37]
- In 2008, Finnish ensemble Rajaton and the Lahti Symphony Orchestra performed an a cappella version of "Under Pressure" on Rajaton sings Queen with Lahti Symphony Orchestra.[38]
- Group Xiu Xiu covered the song, featuring Michael Gira, for their album Women as Lovers (2008).[39]
- In 2009, Ben Harper played the song as his Like A Version cover for Australian radio station triple j.
2010's
2011
- The song, mashed up together with Vanilla Ice' Ice Ice Baby, was used as one of the featured song in the reality show, The Glee Project.
- The film, Happy Feet Two, has all the characters singing the song at the climax as they dance and pound on the ice to free the Emperor Penguins trapped inside.[41]
Live cover performances
1990's
2000's
2010's
Remixes/Sampling
Other uses
Under Pressure is used in a 2011 TV commercial for Google Plus which features The Muppets.
References
- ^ Rock On The Net: VH1: 100 Greatest Songs of the 80's"
- ^ Queen live on tour: Hot Space (world) Queen Concerts. Retrieved 23 July 2011
- ^ Queen live on tour: The Works 1985 Queen Concerts. Retrieved 23 July 2011
- ^ Queen live on tour: Magic tour Queen Concerts. Retrieved 23 July 2011
- ^ Queen Rock Montreal Allmusic. Retrieved 23 July 2011
- ^ Live At Wembley 1986 Ultimate Queen. Retrieved 23 July 2011
- ^ Queen Album: Classic Queen MTV. Retrieved July 2, 2011
- ^ David Bowie: Best of Bowie Allmusic. Retrieved 18 November 2011
- ^ Unreleased Queen Tracks - Feel Like Ultimate Queen. Retrieved 29 August 2011
- ^ Queen - Feel Like demo (pre-Under Pressure) Retrieved January 15, 2011
- ^ Peter Freestone (2001) Freddie Mercury: an intimate memoir by the man who knew him best p.78. Omnibus Press. Retrieved January 15, 2011
- ^ Mojo Magazine, October 2008, http://www.queencuttings.com/dblog/articolo.asp?articolo=407, Mojo_october2008_p11.jpg
- ^ Bowie Talks About Under Pressure Retrieved January 15, 2011
- ^ O'Casey, Matt, dir. (2002) Queen - Days of Our Lives. Part 2. Queen Productions Ltd. Retrieved 9 June 2011
- ^ Westfahl, Gary (2000). "Legends of the Fall: Behind the Music". Science Fiction, Children's Literature, and Popular Culture. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 100. ISBN 0313308470.
- ^ Feature: Has Vanilla Ice been stealing other people's songs?". Smash Hits (EMAP Metro) (12–25 December 1990): 59.
- ^ a b Queen Promo Videos - Under Pressure Ultimate Queen. Retrieved 20 September 2011
- ^ a b Queen and David Bowie, "Under Pressure" (David Mallet and Andy Morahan) Slant Magazine. Retrieved 20 September 2011
- ^ "Stylus Magazine's Top 50 Basslines of all Time". Stylus. September 12, 2005. http://www.stylusmagazine.com/feature.php?ID=1843. Retrieved July 23, 2010.
- ^ http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/on_second_thought/queen-hot-space.htm
- ^ a b c Under Pressure - The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert Ultimate Queen. Retrieved 29 August 2011
- ^ Queen Rock Montreal Allmusic. Retrieved 29 August 2011
- ^ 2006 VH1 Rock Honours Ultimate Queen. Retrieved 29 August 2011
- ^ Queenpedia.com
- ^ David Bowie - Illustrated db Discography > Compilations: CDs (2004-2007)
- ^ "The Queen Collection". AllMusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/queen-collection-played-by-the-royal-philharmonic-orchestra-r209730. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
- ^ "Performance by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra". YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BDSikB6Bh8. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
- ^ "((( Under Pressure > Overview )))". allmusic. 2005-04-12. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1036627. Retrieved 2010-04-26.
- ^ Artist Chart History - The Used - Singles, Billboard.com
- ^ http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1026429/a/Queen+Collection.htm
- ^ http://www.answers.com/topic/the-london-symphony-orchestra-plays-the-music-of-queen
- ^ http://www.discogs.com/Various-Queen-Dance-Traxx-I/release/688087
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxBBl6W8Jnw
- ^ http://hypem.com/#!/item/12ykw/Crooked+Fingers+-+Under+Pressure+(Queen+Cover)
- ^ http://www.punknews.org/review/1339
- ^ http://www.kat.ph/va-killer-queen-a-tribute-to-queen-t555474.html
- ^ http://www.soundtrackinfo.com/title/tracks.asp?invisible
- ^ http://www.emusic.com/album/Rajaton-Rajaton-Sings-Queen-With-Lahti-Symphony-Orchestra-MP3-Download/11292915.html
- ^ http://www.crackedactor.com/2008/03/01/xiu-xiu-covers-under-pressure/
- ^ http://www.unrealitytv.co.uk/x-factor/watch-jedward-vanilla-ices-under-pressure-ice-ice-baby-music-video/
- ^ Happy Feet Two: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Allmusic. Retrieved 21 Decemeber 2011
- ^ http://www.lastfm.de/music/The+Flaming+Lips/_/Under+Pressure
- ^ http://www.discogs.com/Flaming-Lips-Soil-X-Samples-23/release/1283726
- ^ http://www.rockzone.com/interviews/thebloodbrothers.shtml
- ^ http://www.discogs.com/Various-Dynamite-With-A-Laserbeam-Queen-As-Heard-Through-The-Meat-Grinder-Of-Three-One-G/master/84596
- ^ http://www.jambase.com/Articles/5429/KELLER-WILLIAMS---STAGE(-I)
- ^ http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1414
- ^ http://hiphopisntdead.blogspot.com/2010/11/charli-baltimore-cold-as-ice-scheduled.html
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