Pressure (song)
| Muse song | |
|---|---|
| Name | Pressure |
| Album/single |
|
| Length | 3:55 (Album Version), 4:04 (Ft. UCLA Bruin Marching Band) |
| Alternative titles | Unknown |
| First live performance | 24th September 2018 |
| Latest live performance | |
| Recorded | 2017/2018 - Shangri La Studios, Malibu, CA, USA 2018 - Evelyn & Mo Ostin Music Center, LA, CA (UCLA Ver.) |
| Writer/composer | Matthew Bellamy |
| Producer | Muse |
| Chart position | Unknown |
| Song Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Dark Side | < | Pressure | > | Propaganda |
| Album Nav | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drones (2015) | < | Simulation Theory (2018) | > | |
Description
A hard rock song combining elements of power pop.
Name of the song was mentioned on radio.com on July 19th, 2018. According to Bellamy it's the last song that will be released before the album. Described as "rock track, back to Muse's classic sound".
Matt wrote the song while playing for the Dr. Peppers Jaded Hearts Club Band, he doesn't remembers if he wrote it first on the bass or with the 4 bottom strings of the guitar, it started sounding like a Beatles' bassline, even though the song doesn't sound like a 'Beatles' song now. In the process of recording it sounded like a 'Old Muse' song, it was Dom's idea to add the brass.[1]
Matt indicated on Twitter that the song could be about feeling pressured about making more rock songs that fans love but also described that it made to reference to other kind situations on which he feels pressured.[2]
Bellamy described it as having "a different riff every 10 seconds"[3] One of these riffs, which begins at 0:42, is similar to the Jimmy Jam.
Pressure (Ft. UCLA Bruin Marching Band)
This version contains more brass, given by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruin Marching Band. This version was arranged for brass and woodwind by Gordon Henderson, the director of the marching band, while the percussion was arranged by Kelly Flickinger, the assistant director. It was recorded at UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music at the Evelyn & Mo Ostin Music Center music and rehearsal studio facilty.
Pressure with UCLA brass band features some stadium crowd samples. The samples are from England Vs Colombia World Cup penalty shoot out (crowd cheering when England won). [4]
Alongside the marching band, Matt's vocals and Chris's backing vocals, a faint guitar playing the main verse riff is also noticeable, as is Chris's clean bass sound during the "Pressure building" parts.
An excerpt of this version was played at the beginning of a sport event in the USA (NFL Thursday Night Football: Vikings VS Rams), used as background music after commercial break. The commenters promote Simulation Theory. To see songs used in media go here.
You can see the official lyric video of this version here.
Additional information
The song was released on 27 September 2018. The date was confirmed by lyrics phone bot. Although, the audio was leaked on 24 September.
Recording
The song was recorded in Shangri La studios in Los Angeles and produced by Rich Costey.
It's heavily based on guitar, bass and drums, with a brass section making an appearance throughout the intro, verses and the outro, and an arppegiated synth during the chorus.
The claps were recorded outdoor, making them sound dry and "old-school".
Live
It was played for the first time on the French TV show Taratata on 24th September.
More here
Music Video
Terry Crews, a famous U.S. actor, known from movies like 'White Chicks' and 'Brooklyn 99', appears in the music video.
Access the music video page for more info here
Lyrics
I'm trapped and my back's up against the wall I see no solution or exit out I'm grinding it out, no one can see The pressure's growing exponentially
I'm trying to keep up to speed with you Your lane changing is oscillating me I'm hitting the ground and I'm sprinting I'm falling behind now, I'm tuning out
Pressure building
Pressure building
Pressure building
Don't push me (Aah) Don't push me (Aah) Let me get off the ground (Don't push me) To you I'm no longer bound (Ooh wee aah)
Don't stop me (Ooh wee aah) Don't choke me (Ooh wee aah) I need you out of my head (With your pressure) You've got me close to the edge (With your pressure)
I'm feeling the pressure, I can't break out No one can hear me scream and shout Get out of my face, out of my mind I see your corruption, I'm not blind I'll carry the burden and take the strain And when I am done I will make you pay
Pressure building
Pressure building
Pressure building
Don't push me (Aah) Don't push me (Aah) Let me get off the ground (Don't push me) To you I'm no longer bound (Ooh wee aah)
Don't curb me (Ooh wee aah) Don't thwart me (Ooh wee aah) I need you out of my head (With your pressure) You've got me close to the edge (With your pressure)
Pressure building
Pressure building
Pressure building
Don't push me (Aah) Don't push me (Aah) Let me get off the ground (Don't push me) To you I'm no longer bound (Ooh wee aah)
Don't stop me (Ooh wee aah) Don't block me (Ooh wee aah) I need you out of my head (With your pressure) You've got me close to the edge (With your pressure)
Pressure building
Pressure building
References
- ↑ John Kennedy for Radio X. (2018). John Kennedy - Radio X in conversation with Muse. Retrieved 2018-07-12 from Youtube.
- ↑ Matthew Bellamy. (2018-07-20). Twitter / marA: @MattBellamy Matt this is important, have you ever felt pressured to make rock songs?. Twitter. Retrieved 2018-07-20 from twitter.com.
- ↑ Radio X. (2018-07-22). YouTube / Matt Bellamy Teases Details Of Muse's New Album and Next Single: Pressure. YouTube. Retrieved 2018-07-28 from youtube.com.
- ↑ Matthew Bellamy. (2018-09-11). Twitter / Matt Bellamy: @anja tell us a fun fact about recording this album.... Twitter. Retrieved 2018-12-11 from twitter.com.