Song of the Week #6 - Under Pressure - Queen & David Bowie

Thanks to Stefano for choosing this week's track, Under Pressure the 1981 single by Queen & David Bowie. The song was a number one hit all over the world and features on Queen's album Hot Space (1982) and David Bowie's greatest hits album, The Singles Collection. Think about how the song could help you with your English - look at the vocabulary (especially fixed expressions, metaphors, idioms and collocations), the pronunciation features (rhythm and rhyme), the meaning, importance, background to the song or what the song means to you personally.

Some things to think about:

• What does the multi-word verb to come up with mean?
• What is the difference between the verbs slash and torn?
• What is the difference in meaning between to see/watch someone do something and to see/watch someone doing something?

Pressure pushing down on me
Pressing down on you no man ask for
Under pressure that brings a building down
Splits a family in two
Puts people on streets

It's the terror of knowing
What the world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming 'Let me out'
Pray tomorrow gets me higher
Pressure on people people on streets

Chippin' around - kick my brains around the floor

These are the days it never rains but it pours

People on streets 

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 higher high

Pressure on people 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 give love give love

'Cause 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 loves (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

     Pressure