Got Me Under Pressure

1983 song by ZZ Top

"Got Me Under Pressure"
Song by ZZ Top
from the album Eliminator
Released	1983
Recorded	1982
Genre	Hard rock^[1]
Length	4:00
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Billy Gibbons Linden Hudson
Producer(s)	Bill Ham

Audio video
"Got Me Under Pressure" on YouTube

"Got Me Under Pressure" is a song by ZZ Top from their 1983 album Eliminator.

Overview

The song was produced by band manager Bill Ham, and recorded and mixed by Terry Manning. David Blayney (ZZ Top's stage manager of 15 years), in his book Sharp Dressed Men, described how the song was pre-produced: Billy Gibbons and Linden Hudson (Houston engineer and songwriter) wrote the whole song and created a recorded demo all in one afternoon without either bassist Dusty Hill or drummer Frank Beard's knowledge. Linden created the bass on a synthesizer, created drums on a drum machine and helped Gibbons write the lyrics; Gibbons performed the guitars and vocals.^[2] In live performances of the song, Gibbons and Hill exchanged vocals with each alternate phrase.

Album appearances

Besides Eliminator, "Got Me Under Pressure" also appears on the following compilations.

Rancho Texicano
Chrome, Smoke & BBQ
Greatest Hits
ZZ Top Summer Holiday (EP)

Charts

Chart (1983)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	18

Uses in other media

In 2008, it was used in a TV commercial for Pennzoil.

Personnel

Billy Gibbons - guitar, vocals
Dusty Hill - bass
Frank Beard - drums
Linden Hudson - Preproduction Engineer

References

^ Daniels, Neil (2014). Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers: A ZZ Top Guide. Soundcheck Books. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-9571442-7-9.
^ Blayney, David (1994). Sharp dressed men : ZZ Top behind the scenes from blues to boogie to beards (1st ed.). New York: Hyperion. ISBN 0-7868-8005-8.

Bibliography

Frost, Deborah (1985). ZZ Top : bad and worldwide. photographs by Bob Alford. New York: Collier Books. ISBN 0020029500.
Sinclair, David (1986). The story of ZZ Top : Tres Hombres. London: Virgin. ISBN 0-86369-167-6.