Chain Reaction (Diana Ross song)

"Chain Reaction" is a song by American singer Diana Ross, released on November 12, 1985, as the second single from her sixteenth studio album, Eaten Alive (1985). The song was written by the Bee Gees and contains additional vocals from Barry Gibb. Sonically, "Chain Reaction" is an R&B and dance-pop song. According to the Gibbs' biography, the brothers had initial reservations about offering the song to Ross in case it was too Motown-like for her.

"Chain Reaction"
Single by Diana Ross
from the album Eaten Alive
B-side"More and More"
ReleasedNovember 12, 1985
Genre
Length3:49
Label
Songwriter(s)Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb
Producer(s)Gibb-Galuten-Richardson
Diana Ross singles chronology
"Eaten Alive"
(1985)		 "Chain Reaction"
(1985)		 "Experience"
(1985)
Music video
"Chain Reaction" on YouTube

The single became Ross's second No. 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart. It also hit No. 1 in Australia—where it became the best selling single of 1986—Ireland, and Zimbabwe. In New Zealand, it peaked at No. 3 and it made the top 5 in South Africa. In 1993, the song entered the UK top 20 again, when it was re-released to commemorate Ross's 30th anniversary in show business. The song fared poorly in the US, where it initially peaked at No. 95 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1985. A few months later, a remixed version of the song was issued as a single (Ross performed this version of the song on the American Music Awards, which she hosted that year). The new version re-entered the chart and performed better, stalling at No. 66 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 77 on the Cash Box Top 100.

Music video

At the beginning of the accompanying music video for "Chain Reaction" in black-and-white, Ross enters a TV studio and proceeds to perform the song in front of dancing spectators in a '60s-style live TV. The performance is intercut with a view from the station control room where producers are shown additional scenes appearing in color, confounding them on where the scenes are coming from. Half-way through Ross is walking up a desolate street with barrels of fire littered around and dancers in the background. Careful lighting and fog help create the effect Ross is performing on a real street. It is the only time the street is shown and the video eventually returns to the TV studio performance. The final style of scene has Ross performing in what is supposed to be the glamorous front exterior of the TV studio. A quick shot of the control room is shown with the lead producing yelling in shock or frustration, before the scene continues. It's assumed the producers have lost control of the broadcast. The video ends with intercuts of the TV performance, the exterior, and the control room. The band finishes in the black and white scenes of their show, dancing with the audience and using a combination of both color scenes. A producer gets in a cab from a nervous breakdown.

Charts

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[24] Gold 677,000[25]

"Chain Reaction '93"
"Chain Reaction '93"
Single by Diana Ross
B-side"Upside Down"
ReleasedSeptember 27, 1993 (1993-09-27)[26]
Length3:50
Label
Songwriter(s)Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb
Producer(s)Gibb-Galuten-Richardson
Diana Ross singles chronology
"When You Tell Me That You Love Me"
(1991)		 "Chain Reaction '93"
(1993)		 "Take Me Higher"
(1995)

In 1993, Diana Ross released "Chain Reaction '93". Producing the remix herself, the single was also successful in the United Kingdom. This version's purely instrumental sound differs it from the original. A music video was not recorded for the song.

Track listings
  • CD single
  1. "Chain Reaction '93" – 3:47
  2. "Upside Down" – 4:07
  • 12-inch UK remix single
  1. "Chain Reaction" (Original 12-inch Version) – 6:50
  2. "Chain Reaction" (Reaction Dub, remix by E-Smoove) – 6:34
  3. "Chain Reaction" (Low End Mix, remix by Dewey B and Spike) – 6:15
  4. "Chain Reaction" (Low End Dub, remix by Dewey B and Spike) – 6:15
  5. "Chain Reaction" (Smoove Reaction Instrumental, remix by E-Smoove) – 8:40
  • French 2-track CD single
  1. Original Single Version – 3:47
  2. '93 remix
  • Italian 12-inch
  1. "Chain Reaction" (Original Single Version) – 3:47
  2. "Love Hangover" (Tribal Hangover – remix and additional production by Frankie Knuckles for Def Mix Productions) – 9:31
  3. "Upside Down" ('93 Remix – Remix and additional production by Satoshi Tomiie and David Morales for Def Mix Productions.) – 8:09
  4. "Upside Down" (Dub 2 – Remix and additional production by Satoshi Tomiie and David Morales for Def Mix Productions.) – 7:37
  5. "Someday We'll Be Together" ('93 Remix – Remix and additional production by Frankie Knuckles for Def Mix Productions) – 8:45

Charts
Chart (1993) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[27] 26
UK Singles (OCC)[28] 20

Steps version
"Chain Reaction"
Single by Steps
from the album Gold: Greatest Hits
B-side"Stop Me From Loving You"
ReleasedSeptember 24, 2001 (2001-09-24)
Length3:56
Label
Songwriter(s)Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb
Producer(s)
Steps singles chronology
"Here and Now / You'll Be Sorry"
(2001)		 "Chain Reaction"
(2001)		 "Words Are Not Enough" / "I Know Him So Well"
(2001)
Music video
"Chain Reaction" on YouTube

British pop group Steps covered "Chain Reaction" and released it as a single on September 24, 2001. The song reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.

Music video

The first scene is two paramedics lifting a patient from the ambulance onto the ground on a stretcher. H is the patient and Lee is one of the paramedics. Then, Lee pushes H into the hospital. The next scene is a receptionist and this turns out to be Claire. She sings her verse. Then, the camera goes over to a nurse who is Faye. She sings her verse. Then, the camera follows Faye over to Lee and H. We now know that Faye loves Lee so she touches his hand. Then Faye calls Claire over and they start making their way over to the operating theatre. Lee then calls a doctor over which turns out to be Lisa. We now also know that Lisa loves H.

The next scene is H singing his verse while the others are acting their parts. Then, Lisa sings her verse and then Faye holds the operating camera and the light shines into the camera. At this point, Steps are seen in a change of clothes which are brown and white. We also see them dancing. They have close up shots and are each seen with a particular piece of furniture. Claire appears with a corner sofa. Faye appears on a furry staircase. Lee appears with a set of five dining chairs. Lisa appears with three tall pillar lamps, while H appears with a high back armchair. The video ends with Steps close together singing the last line of the song. The video was filmed at Greenwich Hospital and a studio in London.

Track listings
  • UK CD1 and cassette single, Australasian CD single[29][30][31]
  1. "Chain Reaction" – 3:56
  2. "One for Sorrow" (Tony Moran US remix) – 3:29
  3. "Stop Me from Loving You" – 3:45
  1. "Chain Reaction" (Graham Stack extended mix) – 6:28
  2. "One for Sorrow" (Tony Moran extended club mix) – 6:38
  3. "One for Sorrow" (Sleazesisters 12-inch Anthem mix) – 6:48
  4. "One for Sorrow" (promotional video) – 3:56
  • European CD single[33]
  1. "Chain Reaction" – 3:56
  2. "One for Sorrow" (Tony Moran US remix) – 3:29

Personnel

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[41] Silver 200,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom September 24, 2001
  • CD
  • cassette
[42]
Australia January 28, 2002 CD [43]

Other cover versions
  • The Shadows did an instrumental version on Simply Shadows (1987).
  • Cliff Richard did a cover with Steps in 2001 on the ITV show Cliff Richard: The Hits I Missed.
  • Australian group Young Divas recorded a cover of the song for their second album New Attitude, released in 2007.
  • Swedish pop-dance singer Daniela Vecchia recorded cover of the song and released it as a stand-alone CD single in January 2010.
  • UK car insurance comparison site Confused.com covered the song on a 2011 advert starring Louise Dearman.[44]

See also

References
  1. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  2. "Diana Ross – Chain Reaction" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  3. Lwin, Nanda (2000). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Mississauga, Ontario: Music Data Canada. ISBN 1-896-594-13-1.
  4. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on March 30, 2014. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
  5. "European Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 15. April 19, 1986. p. 4. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  6. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Diana Ross". Sisältää hitin – 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 219. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  7. "Diana Ross – Chain Reaction" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  8. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Diana Ross". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  9. "Diana Ross – Chain Reaction". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  10. "Diana Ross – Chain Reaction" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  11. "Diana Ross – Chain Reaction". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  12. "SA Charts 1965 – March 1989". Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  13. "Diana Ross – Chain Reaction". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  14. "Diana Ross: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  15. "Diana Ross Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  16. "Diana Ross Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  17. "Diana Ross Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  18. "Diana Ross Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  19. "Offiziellecharts.de – Diana Ross – Chain Reaction" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  20. "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  21. "National Top 100 Singles for 1986". Kent Music Report. No. 650. December 1986. Retrieved January 24, 2023 – via Imgur.
  22. "End of Year Charts 1986". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  23. "Official Top 40 Best Selling Songs Of 1986". www.officialcharts.com/.
  24. "British single certifications – Diana Ross – Chain Reaction". British Phonographic Industry.
  25. Rob Copsey (April 16, 2021). "Official Top 40 best-selling songs of 1986". Official Charts. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  26. "Single Releases". Music Week. September 25, 1993. p. 25. Misprinted as September 20.
  27. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Chain Reaction". Irish Singles Chart.
  28. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  29. Chain Reaction (UK CD1 liner notes). Steps. Jive Records, Ebul Records. 2001. 9201422.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. Chain Reaction (UK cassette single sleeve). Steps. Jive Records, Ebul Records. 2001. 9201424.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  31. Chain Reaction (Australasian CD single liner notes). Steps. Jive Records, Ebul Records. 2001. 9201462.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  32. Chain Reaction (UK CD2 liner notes). Steps. Jive Records, Ebul Records. 2001. 9201442.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  33. Chain Reaction (European CD single liner notes). Steps. Jive Records, Ebul Records. 2001. 9201469.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  34. "Steps – Chain Reaction". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  35. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19, no. 42. October 13, 2001. p. 15. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
  36. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Chain Reaction". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  37. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  38. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  39. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  40. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2001" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  41. "British single certifications – Steps – Chain Reaction". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  42. "New Releases – For Week Starting September 24, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. September 22, 2001. p. 35. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  43. "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 28th January 2002" (PDF). ARIA. January 28, 2002. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 20, 2002. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  44. "Confused.com". February 2011. Archived from the original on January 13, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
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