35 Years Ago Today – Queen & David Bowie Release “Under Pressure” (Watch Live at Wembley ’86)

35 years ago today (10/26/81), Queen and David Bowie released what many consider the greatest collaborative single ever – “Under Pressure.” With its iconic bass line and scat singing and triumphant vocal exchanges, “Under Pressure” is defiant and even became the focus of controversy when Vanilla Ice stole the bass line for “Ice Ice Baby” in 1990. “Under Pressure”, evolved from a jam session that Bowie had with the band at Queen’s studio in Montreux, Switzerland. It was credited as being co-written by the five musicians.  The composition later appeared on Queen’s 1982 LP Hot Space. Although the song was never performed live with both artists participating simultaneously, check out this version of Queen performing sans Bowie at London’s Wembley Stadium in 1986.

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