It occurred to me we never had a Queen Break! Though I’m such a huge fan! So here it goes: Queen & David Bowie Under Pressure. It’s all about the 80s, right? So let’s have it full musical flavor!
So many Queen tunes I could listen to and still feel amazed by Freddie’s talent. The good ones really die too young. I won’t melt, no-no! There’s the weekend, and a long one! Thank you for this beautiful week and your great comments! Wish you have the most delightful weekend ever! (more info about the song right after the jump; also a Queen bonus to cheer you up : Crazy Little Thing Called Love and, of course, the cover of all Under Pressure covers : Ice Ice Baby!)
Queen & David Bowie released Under Pressure in 1981 so it completely, absolutely and undoubtedly fits in the current eighties groove. Written and composed by Freddie Mercury and reworked with David Bowie, some sources credit him for the unmistakably popular bassline that brought Under Pressure to unforgettable heights. There are sources, though, crediting Brian May and Roger Taylor (Queen’s guitarist and drummer) for this amazing composition. In the end, it still remains Freddie’s stroke of a genius, comme d’habitude.
Under Pressure was never performed live by Freddie Mercury and David Bowie, the only version available is the studio version one. Featured on numerous films and TV series soundtracks, Under Pressure is one of those fashionable above all fashions tunes of all times. And then there was Vanilla Ice’s Ice Ice Baby, sampling Under Pressure’s bassline and making it a smashing hit in 1989. Though he originally didn’t admitted that, he later publicly credited Under Pressure and paid his dues to Mercury and Bowie. And that’s how rock spawned hip hop!
10 comments
You are? You are a Queen fan? Awww, you rock girl!:)
How could one not love Freddie? I was broken hearted when he died. My god, I’ve a homage to Queen and Freddie on my YouTube channel.
No, no the honour for a rock band that adopted rap goes to no one else than Blondie with Rapture also released in the year 1981! And let us not forget the cooperation between Run DMC and Aerosmith! Walk This Way….awwww…the great 80’s….
I was mad at this Ice guy back then because he stole that great bass-line I struggled to learn LOL! There are a few stories around this fabulous bass-line. Also honouring Queen’s bass-player John Deacon. Ha, how I have researched that bass-line whatever, it is unmistakable one of the greatest bass-lines in rock history.
What a blessing it was the paparazzi were not that evil back then when Freddie was ill. Yes sorry people, I melt. That’s me…..Of course we understood what was going on. I’ve cried a lot during the tribute. There were only two singers who were really able to sing Freddie’s songs, George Michael and Axl Rose. But it didn’t matter that the rest was not that good they were there all my other heroes to honour Freddie. But his music lives still on. Believe it or not, Queen has a new young fan base who where babies or not even born whom love this kind of music and complain: “why are there no bands like this anymore”? True story. I know a young boy, he’s 13 years old. He loves my Queen stories and watching my Queen dvd’s with life-performances with me.
A real Queen lives on.
Kpriss, thank you for posting and honour His Majesty.
I wish you over there a wonderful long weekend.
I was never a big Queen fan, still not but I ADORE BOWIE! He is one of my favourites! :)
Thanks for this Kpriss! :)
And to everyone have a stellar weekend!
I ADORE Bowie also but this was more QUEEN to me……
I almost forgot but right on time it’s here still September 5 the day that Farrokh Bulsara aka Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar he would have been 64 now if he had lived on….
This made your Friday Break very remarkable Kpriss!
(Sorry, on some points I’m an adolescent forever, can’t help it, and you know what? I like it this way…..)
What do you know! Well that makes it quite an interesting Friday Break, then!
Ellington, at least there was something you loved about this Queen moment! Bowie! What an artist! (and what a beautiful wife he has!) I was this close to posting the Bohemian Rhapsody! Luckily I went for a shorter one, eh?
Adriana, it’s said that Vanilla was the first one sampling from rock and using the sample in hip hop. After years of denying and wrongfully declaring that it was his composition, he admitted that because his brother was a rock fan, he got to listen to Queen and hearing that remarkable bass line got him thinking he could use it in a more contemporary way.
I’m more a fan of outstanding music. Be it hip hop or rock, I bow to talent and hard work! Truly original and valuable inspiration is hard to find these days!
Kpriss, that’s possible true. I know that Vanilla Ice guy’s story. His short career had a tragic end….Although I think Bohemian Rhapsody is a masterpiece it would have been so…common….to post it. Strange choice of words in this case….I know. I don’t care either, I love music as long as it good and it moves me. This whole weekend as well Queen as David Bowie were on here!
Every Friday/Saturday I’m so curious what the choice is…….:D
Actually Kpriss, Rap icons RUN/DMC sampled rock in their music way before Vanilla did.
And before RUN/DMC brought it to a broader audience young hip hoppers did it in obscure underground clubs like the Bronx in the 70’s……
Blondie did understood very well what was going on……
Now that’s good to know! And RUN/DMC’s piece was a brilliant one! Rock’n’hip hop pieces were always so much fun!
Bohemian Rhapsody… What a stunning piece of music. Really! it’s almost a cliche, like you said, and still I can’t get over it! There’s such a dramatic feeling to this Rhapsody, I sometimes don’t even understand why I’m so magically dawned to tragic music. Maybe because there’s something so majestic about it. Take for instance this Requiem For a Dream piece I would never impose you on a Friday Break because it’s not funny. It only brings back the pain from that movie. And also the greatness. Were you familiar with the piece?
Yes! I wouldn’t mind to find that as a Friday Break. Pain is a part of life and that masterpiece showed it too us in all it’s ugliness in kind of beautiful way. As a warning, as something we can never forget about. Now that to me that is a high form of art and awareness.
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