The Chain is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac. It was released on their 1977 album Rumours and is the only song on that album where all five members of the band (Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood) have been given writing credits.
Songwriters: Lindsey Buckingham Mick Fleetwood Christine McVie John McVie Stevie Nicks
Producers: Fleetwood Mac Ken Caillat Richard Dashut
Label: Warner Bros.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS
The hit song is truly a fine example of when the band members collaborated to create songs:
- John McVie and Mick Fleetwood developed the bass progression that formed the final section of The Chain.
- The lyrics were written by Stevie Nicks, focusing on her thoughts and feelings around how here relationship with Lindsey Buckingham was falling apart at the time. Mick Fleetwood is quoted as saying “Originally. we had no words to it. And it really only became a song when Stevie…walked in one day and said, 'I've written some words that might be good for that thing you were doing in the studio the other day.'”
- Elements of a song by Christine McVie, called ‘Keep Me There’, were worked into the song. Chritine also worked with Stevie to polish the first section of the song.
- Lindsey Buckingham was able to contribute by recycling an intro from a song he had previously written and recorded with Stevie in 1973 called ‘Lola (My Love)’.
Not long after the release and success of the Rumours album, the fan favourite song became the opening number at most of the band’s concerts for over thirty years.
In interviews, Mick Fleetwood noted that John McVie’s distinctive bassline was the initial core to the song, which “basically came out of a jam”. That bassline was part of the BBC’s Formula One Grand Prix theme music for many years.
Christine McVie left the band in 1998, going into her own form of semiretirement, but returned after 16 years for the ‘On with The Show’ tour, which started in late 2014. Christine has mentioned that The Chain has a special meaning to her, as it reminds her of a silver chain bracelet given to her by Stevie Nicks. She told The New Yorker “Stevie gave me this chain…it’s a metaphor, you know. That the chain of the band will never be broken. Not by me, anyways. Not again by me.”
The Chain has been featured on several TV shows, including Heroes (2009), Glee (2011) and The Americans (2015). It was also an important part of two scenes in the film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. (2017). Each time involved all five members of Fleetwood Mac viewing footage of the scenes, and then agreeing to the song being used.
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]Listen to the wind blow
Watch the sun rise
Run in the shadows
Damn your love, damn your lies
[Chorus]
And if you don't love me now
You will never love me again
I can still hear you saying
You would never break the chain (Never break the chain)
And if you don't love me now (You don't love me now)
You will never love me again
I can still hear you saying (Still hear you saying)
You would never break the chain (Never break the chain)
[Verse 2]
Listen to the wind blow
Down comes the night
Run in the shadows
Damn your love, damn your lies
Break the silence
Damn the dark, damn the light
[Chorus]
And if you don't love me now
You will never love me again
I can still hear you saying
You would never break the chain (Never break the chain)
And if you don't love me now (You don't love me now)
You will never love me again
I can still hear you saying (Still hear you saying)
You would never break the chain (Never break the chain)
And if you don't love me now (You don't love me now)
You will never love me again
I can still hear you saying (Still hear you saying)
You would never break the chain (Never break the chain)
[Guitar & Bass Solo]
[Outro]
(Chain, keep us together) Run in the shadow
(Chain, keep us together) Runnin' in the shadow
(Chain, keep us together) Runnin' in the shadow
(Chain, keep us together) Run in the shadow
(Chain, keep us together) Run in the shadow
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