'Under Pressure'
The Remixes

The song 'Under Pressure' was a collaboration recorded in 1981 with David Bowie. The track was released in October 1981, and became Queen's second number one, and David Bowie's third. Roger Taylor had often commented that he felt the song was too rushed and under-produced, and in 1999 it was reworked by Brian May and Roger Taylor, and reached no 14 in the charts.

The original song was written, produced and performed by Queen and David Bowie, and engineered by Mack and David Richards.

This page includes details of three remixes, and two edits of the remixes.

Rah Remix, Rah Remix Edit and Video version
Club 2000 Remix
Screensaver Version
Mike Spencer Remix

Rah Remix and Edit
Remixed by Brian May, Roger Taylor, Joshua J Macrae and Justin Shirley Smith.
Featuring additional percussion, guitars, and other effects.
Versions Available:
1. Rah Remix (4:06) (on 'Greatest Hits III' and also the White Label 12")
2. Rah Remix Edit (3:37) (on all formats of the reissue single) (an edit of the above remix, starting after 32 seconds, with a four second phased intro)
3. Video Version (4:10) (on 'Greatest Flix III' only) (similar to the Rah Remix, but features audience noise and a repeated 4 second instrumental section about 18 seconds into the track)
Lyrics: (lyrics in Red are edited out of the Rah Edit)
Freddie: You say New York, New York is dangerous
Freddie: 'Cos you read that, well you may
David Bowie: Even the blind man could see that's not so
Both: Love, love, love, love, love, love, love
Unknown: Rave

David Bowie: People on streets
Freddie: Ah, ah, ah
Freddie: Um, boom, bah, bay
Freddie: Um, boom, bah, bay
Freddie: Ba, ba, boom, bah, baby
Freddie: Why don't we give love that one more chance?

David Bowie: Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure
David Bowie: Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure

David Bowie: Pushing down on me
David Bowie: Pushing down on you, no man ask for
Both: Under pressure
Freddie: That burns a building down
Freddie: Splits a family in two
David Bowie: Puts people on streets

Freddie: Um, bah, bah, bay
Freddie: Um, bah, bah, bay
Freddie: Eh, day, dah
Freddie: Eh, day, dah
Freddie: That's OK

David Bowie: It's the terror of knowing
David Bowie: What this world is about
David Bowie: Watching some good friends screaming
Both: Let me out
Freddie: Pray tomorrow - gets me higher
David Bowie: Pressure on people - people on streets

Freddie: Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
Freddie: Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
Freddie: Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
Freddie: Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
Freddie: OK

Freddie: Chipping around - kick my brains around the floor (David Bowie: ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Freddie: These are the days, it never rains but it pours
Freddie: Eh, bay, bop (David Bowie: ooh-ooh-ooh)
Freddie: Eh, ba, ba, bop (David Bowie: ooh-ooh-ooh)
Freddie: Eh, doh, dop (David Bowie: ooh)
Freddie: Be, dop

Both: People on streets
Freddie: Eh, dah, dee, dah, day (David Bowie: ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
Both: People on streets
Freddie: Eh, dah, dee, dah, dee, dah, dee, dah (David Bowie: aahhhh)

David Bowie: It's the terror of knowing
David Bowie: What this world is about
David Bowie: Watching some good friends screaming
Both: Let me out
Freddie: Tomorrow - gets me higher, higher
David Bowie: Pressure on people (Freddie: high)
David Bowie: People on streets

Both: Turned away from it all like a blind man
Both: Sat on a fence but it don't work
David Bowie: Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn
Freddie: Why - why - why?

David Bowie: Love (love, love, love, love)
David Bowie: Insanity laughs under pressure we're cracking

Freddie: Can't we give ourselves one more chance
Freddie: Why can't we give love that one more chance
Freddie: Why can't we give love, give love, give love
Freddie: Give love, give love, give love, give love
David Bowie: Cause love's such an old fashioned word (Freddie: give love, give love)
David Bowie: And love dares you to
David Bowie: Care for the people on the
David Bowie: Edge of the night (Both: people on streets)
David Bowie: And love dares you to (Both: people on streets)
David Bowie: Change our way of
David Bowie: Caring about ourselves
David Bowie: This is our last dance
David Bowie: This is our last dance
David Bowie: This is ourselves

Both: Under pressure
Both: Under pressure
Both: Pressure

Club 2000 Remix
Available on a rare white label promo 12" only. Length 5:20
This remix is derived from the Rah Mix. It features new vocal and instrumental sections, but loses vocals from some sections.
Lyrics:
Freddie: We have the strangers running

Unknown: Rave
David Bowie: People on streets
Freddie: Ah, ah, ah
Freddie: Um, boom, bah, bay
Freddie: Um, boom, bah, bay
Freddie: Ba, ba, boom, bah, baby
Freddie: Why don't we give love that one more chance?

David Bowie: Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure
David Bowie: Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure

Both: Under pressure
Freddie: That burns a building down
Freddie: Splits a family in two
David Bowie: Puts people on streets

Freddie: Um, bah, bah, bay
Freddie: Um, bah, bah, bay
Freddie: Eh, day, dah
Freddie: Eh, day, dah
Freddie: That's OK

David Bowie: It's the terror of knowing
David Bowie: What this world is about
David Bowie: Watching some good friends screaming
Both: Let me out
Freddie: Pray tomorrow - gets me higher
David Bowie: Pressure on people - people on streets

Freddie: Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
Freddie: Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
Freddie: Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
Freddie: Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
Freddie: OK

David Bowie: Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
David Bowie: Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Both: People on streets
Freddie: Eh, dah, dee, dah, day (David Bowie: ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
Both: People on streets
Freddie: Eh, dah, dee, dah, dee, dah, dee, dah (David Bowie: aahhhh)

David Bowie: It's the terror of knowing
David Bowie: What this world is about
David Bowie: Watching some good friends screaming
Both: Let me out
Freddie: Tomorrow - gets me higher, higher
David Bowie: Pressure on people (Freddie: high)
David Bowie: People on streets

Both: Turned away from it all like a blind man
Both: Sat on a fence but it don't work
David Bowie: Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn
Freddie: Why - why - why?

David Bowie: Love (love, love, love, love)
David Bowie: Insanity laughs under pressure we're cracking

Freddie: Can't we give ourselves one more chance
Freddie: Why can't we give love that one more chance
Freddie: Why can't we give love, give love, give love
Freddie: Give love, give love, give love, give love
David Bowie: Cause love's such an old fashioned word (Freddie: give love, give love)
David Bowie: And love dares you to
David Bowie: Care for the people on the
David Bowie: Edge of the night (Both: people on streets)
David Bowie: And love dares you to (Both: people on streets)
David Bowie: Change our way of
David Bowie: Caring about ourselves
David Bowie: This is our last dance
David Bowie: This is our last dance
David Bowie: This is ourselves

Both: Under pressure
Both: Under pressure
Both: Pressure

Screensaver Version
Available on the Enhanced CD Single only.
The 'Enhanced Section' includes a special Screensaver, which shows the four faces of Queen, which are 'rolled' into each other. This is an edit of the 'Rah Remix' from approximately 0:18 to 0:22. The lead vocal has been removed, so the screensaver includes only a backing vocal. As it is a screensaver, the edit is infinitely looped.
Lyric:
People on streets

Mike Spencer Remix
Available on the Enhanced CD Single only. Length 3:51.
Remix and additional percussion by Mike Spencer
This version is heavier than normal, and adds additional percussion, keyboards, and other effects. It is still similar to the original version, but has a more polished and recent feel.
Lyrics:
David Bowie: Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Freddie: Um, boom, bah, bay (David Bowie: ooh-ooh-ooh)
Freddie: Um, boom, bah, bay (David Bowie: ooh-ooh-ooh)
Freddie: Ba, ba, boom, bah, baby (David Bowie: ooh, oooh)

David Bowie: Pressure pushing down on me
David Bowie: Pushing down on you, no man ask for
Both: Under pressure
Freddie: That burns a building down
Freddie: Splits a family in two
David Bowie: Puts people on streets

Freddie: Um, bah, bah, bay
Freddie: Um, bah, bah, bay
Freddie: Eh, day, dah
Freddie: Eh, day, dah
Freddie: That's OK

David Bowie: It's the terror of knowing
David Bowie: What this world is about
David Bowie: Watching some good friends screaming
Both: Let me out
Freddie: Pray tomorrow - gets me higher
David Bowie: Pressure on people - people on streets

Freddie: Day, day, dah
Freddie: Ah, ha
Freddie: Bah, dah, bap, ba, boom
Freddie: OK

Freddie: Chipping around - kick my brains around the floor (David Bowie: ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Freddie: These are the days, it never rains but it pours
Freddie: Eh, bay, bop (David Bowie: ooh-ooh-ooh)
Freddie: Eh, ba, ba, bop (David Bowie: ooh-ooh-ooh)
Freddie: Eh, doh, dop (David Bowie: ooh)
Freddie: Be, dop

Both: People on streets
Freddie: Eh, dah, dee, dah, day (David Bowie: ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
Both: People on streets
Freddie: Eh, dah, dee, dah, dee, dah, dee, dah (David Bowie: aahhhh)

David Bowie: It's the terror of knowing
David Bowie: What this world is about
David Bowie: Watching some good friends screaming
Both: Let me out
Freddie: Tomorrow - gets me higher, higher
David Bowie: Pressure on people (Freddie: high)
David Bowie: People on streets

Both: Turned away from it all like a blind man
Both: Sat on a fence but it don't work
David Bowie: Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn
Freddie: Why - why - why?

David Bowie: Insanity laughs under pressure we're cracking

Freddie: Can't we give ourselves one more chance
Freddie: Why can't we give love that one more chance
Freddie: Why can't we give love, give love, give love
Freddie: Give love, give love, give love, give love
David Bowie: Cause love's such an old fashioned word (Freddie: give love, give love)
David Bowie: And love dares you to
David Bowie: Care for the people on the
David Bowie: Edge of the night
David Bowie: And love dares you to
David Bowie: Change our way of
David Bowie: Caring about ourselves
David Bowie: This is our last dance
David Bowie: This is our last dance
David Bowie: This is ourselves

Both: Under pressure
Both: Under pressure
Both: Pressure