My Gen X Playlist: Under Pressure – Queen and David Bowie

One of the reasons why I love shopping at Trader Joes is because it reminds me of my niece who works there part time. She is a ray of sunshine and I can imagine her being chatty as she he helps bag groceries. The other day, I was in the check out line and a young cashier asked me what I had going on that day. The easy answer was . . . nothing. I was going to go home to cut up the delicious watermelon I was buying, but I don’t think that counts. When I returned the question to her, she rattled off a list of things for the next few days. Wow. That made me smile. I wish I was young again.

I admit to feeling a little self-conscious about my lack of fun things on my to do list. When I was younger, at least I had a list. In my adult years, I could always lean on the excuse that I was swamped working and that it leant little time for much else. Now on sabbatical, I no longer have the crutch to lean on. I’ve become Danny LaRusso in the Karate Kid and I inadvertently made the call to sweep the leg. Maybe this is a good thing to learn sooner rather than later. There are endless opportunities in this season of life. I refuse to let Cobra Kai win.

Young people must have it tough. I can’t imagine the pressures from social media of constantly doing something exciting and leading an interesting life. That’s an impossible high bar that’s become too far out of reach. We can’t all be sunning in the Bahamas 24/7, sipping drinks with little umbrellas with the perfect backdrop of the sun setting in the background. I’m sure in reality behind the scenes, everyone is dealing with their own shit, we just don’t see the complete roll of film posted on Instagram. Social media sites are fun and interesting, but can also be a mirage as well. Reality can be so well hidden, there are very few who are able to crawl up to the edge for a drink only to be surprised by a mouthful of sand. Not all things may be as they seem and everything should be taken with a grain of salt. The long of the short of it is, it’s OK to admit we lead a normal life, sprinkled with moments of fun. Just my take.

David Bowie and Queen collaborated and topped the charts with Under Pressure in 1981. The theme of the song may be similar to what the social media influenced youths are grappling with today.

“Under Pressure” is a song about the impact pressure has on our lives. The lyrics delve into the existential dread and tragic consequences of living under pressure.

– SongStoriesMatter

Interestingly enough, in making the song, the lyrics were almost cut and pasted together.

‘When the backing track was done, David said, ‘Okay, let’s each of us go in the vocal booth and sing how we think the melody should go—just off the top of our heads—and we’ll compile a vocal out of that’.”

“And that’s what we did. Some of these improvisations, including Mercury’s memorable introductory scatting vocal, would endure on the finished track. Bowie also insisted that he and Mercury shouldn’t hear what the other had sung, swapping verses blind, which helped give the song its cut-and-paste feel.”

– FarOutMagazine

I’m sure if you looked at the cutting room floor, you’ll find a few layers of Bowie’s and Mercury’s discards, only allowing the best to come through. It’s kind of like social media today. In a world where people are cutting and pasting their picture perfect lives online, it might be healthy to take a break and enjoy the honesty that most of us just live normal everyday lives. And that’s OK. Back in the day, there was a thing called keeping up with the Jones’. That’s no way to live. I actually grew up with the Jones family that lived in the corner house on our block. He was a 7th grade science teacher and he was a normal regular good guy. The only pressure I felt from Mr. Jones was feeding his pet snake, Alice, when his family went on vacation. Those poor little mice.

Long ago, a friend once told me, “Don’t compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to yourself.” Such wise words. Maybe a little easier said than done, but something worth striving towards.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

Mmm num ba de
Dum bum ba be
Doo buh dum ba beh beh

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

Um ba ba be
Um ba ba be
De day da
Ee day da

That's OK

That's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends screaming
"Let me out!"

Tomorrow gets me higher
Pressure on people, people on streets

Day day de mm hm
Da da da ba ba
OK

Chippin' around, kick my brains 'round the floor
These are the days: it never rains but it pours

Ee do ba be
Ee da ba ba ba
Um bo bo
Be lap

People on streets
Ee da de da de
People on streets
Ee da de da de da de da

It's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends screaming
"Let me out!"

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 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