'Under Pressure' Remixes


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Queen 'Under Pressure' Rah Remix

This page includes details of all of the remixes of the track 'Under Pressure'. All remixes were produced in 1999 for the 'Greatest Hits III' album and single release.

The track was a collaboration with David Bowie, and was released in October 1981, becoming Queen's second number one, and David Bowie's third. Roger Taylor felt the song was too rushed and under-produced, so he reworked it with Brian as the 'Rah Remix', and it 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.

 

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.
This remix features additional percussion, guitars, other effects, and some new vocals.

Available Versions:
1. Rah Remix (4:06) (on 'Greatest Hits III' and also the white label 12" promo)
2. Rah Remix Edit (3:37) (on all formats of the reissue single, and in the 'Queen Singles Collection 4' boxed set; 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', and the 'Hot Space' 2011 iTunes LP as a bonus video; similar to the Rah Remix, but features audience noise and a repeated 4 second instrumental section about 18 seconds into the track)

Lyrics: (the lyrics in white are sung by Freddie, those in red by David Bowie, and those in blue are jointly sung. The 'Rave' at the start is a new lyric, and the Rah Edit begins with 'why don't we give love that one more chance')
You say New York, New York is dangerous
'Cos you read that, well you may

Even the blind man could see that's not so
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love
Rave!

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


Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure
Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure

Pressure pushing down on me
Pushing down on you, no man ask for

Under pressure
That burns a building down
Splits a family in two

Puts people on streets

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


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

Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
OK


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

People on streets
Eh, dah, dee, dah, day (ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
People on streets
Eh, dah, dee, dah, dee, dah, dee, dah (aahhhh)

It's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends screaming

Let me out
Tomorrow - gets me higher, higher
Pressure on people (high)
People on streets

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


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

'Cos love's such an old fashioned word (give love, give love)
And love dares you to
Care for the people on the
Edge of the night
(people on streets)
And love dares you to (people on streets)
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

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: (the lyrics in white are sung by Freddie, those in red by David Bowie, and those in blue are jointly sung; the 'Rave' at the start is a new lyric)
We have the strangers running

Rave!


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


Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure
Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure


Under pressure
That burns a building down
Splits a family in two

Puts people on streets

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


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

Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
Day, day, dah, day, de, dah
OK


Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh

People on streets
Eh, dah, dee, dah, day (ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
People on streets
Eh, dah, dee, dah, dee, dah, dee, dah (aahhhh)

It's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends screaming

Let me out
Tomorrow - gets me higher, higher
Pressure on people (high)
People on streets

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


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

'Cos love's such an old fashioned word (give love, give love)
And love dares you to
Care for the people on the
Edge of the night
(people on streets)
And love dares you to (people on streets)
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

Screensaver Version


Available on the enhanced CD single (CD2) only.
This is a screensaver, which shows the four faces of the members of Queen, which are 'rolled' into each other. It features an edit of the 'Rah Remix' from approximately 0:18 to 0:22, with the lead vocal removed, but it retains the backing vocal. As it is a screensaver, the edit loops infinitely.

Lyrics:
People on streets

Mike Spencer Remix


Available on the enhanced CD single (CD2) and in the 'Queen Singles Collection 4' boxed set. Length 3:51.
Remix and additional percussion by Mike Spencer.
This version is much 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: (the lyrics in white are sung by Freddie, those in red by David Bowie, and those in blue are jointly sung)
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Um, boom, bah, bay (ooh-ooh-ooh)
Um, boom, bah, bay (ooh-ooh-ooh)
Ba, ba, boom, bah, baby (ooh, oooh)

Pressure pushing down on me
Pushing down on you, no man ask for

Under pressure
That burns a building down
Splits a family in two

Puts people on streets

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


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

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


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

People on streets
Eh, dah, dee, dah, day (ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
People on streets
Eh, dah, dee, dah, dee, dah, dee, dah (aahhhh)

It's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends screaming

Let me out
Tomorrow - gets me higher, higher
Pressure on people (high)
People on streets

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?

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

'Cos love's such an old fashioned word (give love, give love)
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