Pressure Drop

The Maytals

About Pressure Drop

"Pressure Drop" is a song recorded in 1969 by the Maytals for record producer Leslie Kong. The song appears on their 1970 album Monkey Man (released in Jamaica by Beverley's Records) and From the Roots (released in the UK by Trojan Records). "Pressure Drop" helped launch the band's career outside Jamaica when the song was featured on the soundtrack to the 1972 film The Harder They Come, which introduced reggae to much of the world. In 2004, Rolling Stone rated the song No. 453 in its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. This song has been covered often, most notably by the Specials, Keith Richards, Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds, and the Clash. "Pressure Drop" refers to the barometric pressure. This song predates modern weather forecasting, and at that time in the context of this song, island populations relied on the simple but reliable instrument (barometer) to predict adverse weather. The liquid barometer displays pressure as a measure of the fluid in a glass tube, and when the air pressure drops the fluid level "drops" accordingly. A rapid drop in air pressure indicates the severity of the approaching storm (hurricane), and is sometimes referred to as "the bottom dropping out". Attention to pressure changes could spell the difference between life and death for an island dweller. "Pressure drop" is used as a clever poetic device in this song, and is the artist's way of saying, "A storm is coming for you."The song was featured in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on the radio station K-Jah West. 


Year:
1969
2:57
#1

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It is you, oh yeah
It is you, oh yeah

I said a pressure drop,
Oh pressure, oh yeah
Pressure's gonna drop on you
I said pressure drop
Oh pressure, oh yeah
Pressure's gonna drop on you

I said when it drops
Oh you gonna feel it
Oh that you were doin' it wrong, wrong, wrong
Now when it drops
Oh you gonna feel it
That you were doin' it wrong and how

I said when it drops
You gonna feel it
That you've been doin' it wrong
Now when it drops, drop
You gonna feel it
That you've been doin' wrong

Now  when it drops, drop
Feel it
You make the wrong move
Now when it drops, drop
You gonna feel it
That you've been it doin' wrong

I said, pressure drop
Oh pressure, oh yeah
Pressure's gonna drop on you
Pressure drop
Oh pressure, oh yeah
Pressure's gonna drop on you

Now when it drops on your dirty little head
Where you gonna go?
It's you, you, you
When it drop on, oh you're gonna feel it
What you're doing is wrong, wrong, wrong
Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure
I said a pressure drop

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The Maytals

The Maytals, known from 1972 to 2020 as Toots and the Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group, one of the best known ska and rocksteady vocal groups. The Maytals were formed in the early 1960s and were key figures in popularizing reggae music. Frontman Toots Hibbert, who died in 2020, was considered a reggae pioneer on par with Bob Marley. His soulful vocal style was compared to Otis Redding, and led him to be named by Rolling Stone as one of the 100 Greatest Singers. After Hibbert's death, the Maytals indicated that they would continue as a working group.Their 1968 single "Do the Reggay" was the first song to use the word "reggae", coining the name of the genre and introducing it to a global audience. The Oxford English Dictionary credits Toots and the Maytals… more »

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Written by: Frederick Hibbert

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


4 facts about this song

Izzy Stradlin Version - 'Pressure Drop'
1. Izzy Stradlin, a former member of the rock band Guns N' Roses, released a version of "Pressure Drop" on his 2010 album "Wave of Heat". 2. The album was Stradlin's ninth solo album, and his version of the song is known for its distinct rock sound.
The Clash Version - 'Pressure Drop'
3. "Pressure Drop" was covered by the British punk rock band, The Clash, in 1979. 4. The Clash's version of the song was included as a b-side to their version of another reggae hit, "English Civil War." 5. Their version of "Pressure Drop" was later included on their compilation album, "Super Black Market Clash."
The Maytals Version - 'Pressure Drop'
6. "Pressure Drop" was originally written and performed by the Jamaican ska and reggae group, The Maytals. 7. The song was released in 1969 and is among the most well-known reggae songs worldwide. 8. "Pressure Drop" helped The Maytals gain an international following and is often considered one of their best songs. 9. The song gets its name from the term "pressure drop," which refers to a decrease in atmospheric pressure, often associated with bad weather or storms. The song is a metaphor for impending consequences.
The Specials Version - 'Pressure Drop'
10. The Specials, an English ska band, often included a cover of "Pressure Drop" in their live performances. 11. Their version of the song blends elements of punk and ska, characteristic of their 2-tone sound. 12. Although The Specials did not officially release their version of "Pressure Drop," live performances of the song by the band can be found online.

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