The Chain

"The Chain" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on their 1977 album Rumours.[1][2][3] It is the only song from the album with writing credits for all five members (Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood).

For other uses, see The Chain (disambiguation).

"The Chain"
Song by Fleetwood Mac
from the album Rumours
Released4 February 1977
Recorded1976
GenreRock
Length4:28
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Audio sample
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"The Chain" was created from combinations of several previously rejected materials, including solo work by Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, and Christine McVie. The song was assembled, often manually by splicing tapes with a razor blade, at the Record Plant in Sausalito, California, with engineers Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut.[4]

Following the critical and commercial success of Rumours, "The Chain" has become a staple of the band's live shows, typically the opening song. It was featured as the opening track on The Dance, a 1997 live concert CD/DVD release, as well as several of the band's greatest hits compilations. The song has attained particular fame in the United Kingdom, where the instrumental section has been used as the theme tune for the BBC and Channel 4's television coverage of Formula One.[5][6]

Background

According to interviews on the writing of Rumours, the final section of "The Chain"—beginning with a bass progression—was created by John McVie and Mick Fleetwood.[4] Stevie Nicks had written the lyrics separately and thought they would be a good match; she and Christine McVie did some reworking to create the first section of the tune.[4] Nicks' lyrics referenced the breakup of her relationship with Buckingham, a theme of many of Nicks' and Buckingham's lyrics on Rumours.[7] Other elements were worked in from an early project of Christine's called "Keep Me There", which removed the blues-style motif, but retained the chord progression.[4] To complete the song, Buckingham recycled the intro from an earlier song from a duet with Nicks, "Lola (My Love)", originally released on their self-titled 1973 album.[8]

Due to the spliced nature of the record (the drums and guitar were the only instruments recorded in each other's company)[9] and its sporadic composition and assembly from different rejected songs, "The Chain" is one of only a few Fleetwood Mac songs whose authorship is credited to all members of the band at the time.[4] The finished song has a basic rock structure, although it has two distinct portions: the main verse and chorus, and the outro. Influences of hard rock, folk, and country are also present. The Dobro, a type of resonator guitar, supplies the verse riff.[4][10] The song is in E minor, which is the relative minor key of G major.[11] The vocal range is G3 to C♯5.

Release and reception

Rumours garnered widespread critical acclaim upon its release. Subsequent analysis of "The Chain" has also led many to cite it as one of the most evocative expressions of the internal fracture among various band members at the time. Buckingham and Nicks were ending their years-long relationship at the same time that John and Christine McVie's marriage broke down, as did that of Fleetwood and his wife, Jenny Boyd.[4] The Guardian and Paste ranked the song number ten and number one, respectively, on their lists of the 30 greatest Fleetwood Mac songs.[12][13]

In 1997, Fleetwood Mac released a live concert CD/DVD package called The Dance, which featured the reunion of the Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac members. The rendition of "The Chain" reached number 30 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Additionally, the studio version began appearing on the charts in 2009, where it debuted at number 94 in the UK. Two years later, the song peaked at number 81.[14] In March 2022, the song was certified quadruple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales and streams of over 2,400,000 units.[15]

Personnel

Charts

The Dance version
Chart (1997) Peak
position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[16] 51
Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[17] 22
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[18] 30

Original version

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[27] Gold 45,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[28] 6× Platinum 180,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[15] 4× Platinum 2,400,000‡
United States
digital 		— 721,186[29]
United States
digital Remastered LP version 		— 260,541[30]

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Other media

The BBC's Formula One coverage used the ending bass line as a theme tune from 1978 until 1996 and again from 2009 to 2015, thus making the song highly recognisable in the United Kingdom.[31] On 29 March 2009, the song re-entered the UK Chart at number 94 through downloads, following confirmation from the BBC that it would be reintroduced, the BBC having regained broadcasting rights from ITV. On 20 March 2011, "The Chain" peaked higher at number 81 in the UK chart following a campaign on Facebook to try to get the song to number 1 for the start of the 2011 Formula One season.[5]

In the 2017 Marvel Studios film, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, director James Gunn has said that "The Chain" was "most deeply embedded into the fibers of the film".[32] "The Chain" was also used as the closing song to the first season episode "We Gull Way Back" of the HBO Max series Our Flag Means Death.

Tantric cover
"The Chain"
Single by Tantric
from the album After We Go
ReleasedWinter 2004
Genre
Length4:21
LabelMaverick
Songwriter(s)
Tantric singles chronology
"Hey Now"
(2003)		 "The Chain"
(2004)		 "After We Go"
(2004)

The song was recorded by the American rock band Tantric, released as the second single from their 2004 second album, After We Go. However, even though the song was released as a single, it lacked much promotion, and debuted at number 36 on the US Mainstream Rock chart.

Tantric's cover of the song was used as the theme song for the 2004 HBO Documentary series Family Bonds.[33]

Three Days Grace cover
"The Chain"
Song by Three Days Grace
from the EP Lost in You
Released15 March 2011
Recorded2011
Length3:50
LabelJive Records
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

The song was recorded by the Canadian rock band Three Days Grace, released from their EP, Lost in You. It was released on March 15, 2011.[34] The song peaked at number 45 on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart.[35]

Charts
Chart performance for "The Chain"
Chart (2011) Peak
position
US Rock Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[35] 45

Evanescence cover
"The Chain"
Single by Evanescence
Released22 November 2019
Recorded2019
Length4:12
LabelBMG
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Bobby Tahouri
Evanescence singles chronology
"Hi-Lo"
(2018)		 "The Chain"
(2019)		 "Wasted on You"
(2020)
Music video
"The Chain" on YouTube

American rock band Evanescence released a cover version of the song. The song was released as a digital download on 22 November 2019 by BMG.[36]

Background

Amy Lee, the lead vocalist of Evanescence said, "This cover was so fun to make. We love Fleetwood Mac and wanted to paint a dark and epic picture with our take on 'The Chain'. The lyrics make me feel the power of standing together against great forces trying to pull us apart, perhaps even from the inside. I really wanted to drive that home in our version, and even made everyone in the band sing by the end of it! We're beyond excited to share this with our fans and I'm really looking forward to playing it live."[37]

Music video

An official music video to accompany the release of "The Chain" was first released onto YouTube on 9 January 2020.[38]

Track listing
Digital download[36]
No.TitleLength
1."The Chain" (From "Gears 5")4:12

Charts
Chart (2019–20) Peak
position
Czech Republic (Modern Rock)[39] 16
Scotland (OCC)[40] 61
UK Singles Sales (OCC)[41] 53
UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[42] 53
US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[43] 20
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[44] 9
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[45] 36

Release history
Region Date Format Label
United States 22 November 2019[36] Digital download BMG

References
  1. "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. 31 May 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  2. "100 Greatest Albums Of All Time - No.2 - Rumours". The Sound. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  3. "How Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' Became One of the Best Albums Ever". Observer. 3 February 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  4. Carroll, Cath (2004). Never Break the Chain: Fleetwood Mac and the Making of Rumours. Vinyl Frontier. pp. 134–136. ISBN 1556525451.
  5. "BBC Formula One coverage to bring back Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain'". The Daily Telegraph. 24 February 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
  6. Klein, Jamie (12 February 2016). "Channel 4 to keep 'The Chain' as F1 theme song". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  7. Zeiler, Millie (9 December 2022). "Top 10 Lindsey Buckingham Fleetwood Mac Songs". Classic Rock History. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  8. "Penn's Picks: Fleetwood Mac – The Chain". Hit Songs Deconstructed. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  9. Johnson, Heather. "First hand news: Fleetwood Mac co-conspirator Richard Dashut reflects on recording and mixing rumours". EQ. General Reference Center GOLD. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  10. Garbarini, Vic (March 1998). "Interview with Lindsey Buckingham". Guitar World. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  11. "The Chain by Fleetwood Mac @ Song Key Finder". Songkeyfinder.com. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  12. Petridis, Alexis (19 May 2022). "Fleetwood Mac's 30 greatest songs – ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  13. Mitchell, Matt (7 August 2023). "The 30 Greatest Fleetwood Mac Songs". Paste. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  14. "Fleetwood Mac | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  15. "British single certifications – Fleetwood Mac – The Chain". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  16. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3396." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  17. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 3402." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  18. "Fleetwood Mac Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  19. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  20. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 19 October 2020". The ARIA Report. No. 1598. Australian Recording Industry Association. 19 October 2020. p. 4.
  21. "Top 100 Singles: Week Ending 16 Oct 2020". IRMA – Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  22. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100: Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  23. "Fleetwood Mac Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
  24. "Billboard Global 200: October 24, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  25. "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  26. "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  27. "Danish single certifications – Fleetwood Mac – The Chain". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  28. "New Zealand single certifications – Fleetwood Mac – The Chain". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  29. "Nielsen SoundScan charts – Digital Songs – Week Ending: 5/13/2017" (PDF). Nielsen SoundScan. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 September 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  30. "Nielsen SoundScan charts – Digital Songs – Week Ending: 6/1/2017" (PDF). Nielsen SoundScan. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  31. "BBC unveils 2009 F1 coverage – and return of The Chain". crash.net. 24 February 2009. Retrieved 24 February 2009.
  32. Hiatt, Brian (19 April 2017). "Inside the 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' Soundtrack". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  33. Zahlaway, Jon Tantric takes another swing on U.S. club circuit Archived 25 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine LiveDaily.com (26 August 2004). Retrieved 22 March 2008.
  34. "Lost in You - EP by Three Days Grace". Apple Music. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  35. "Three Days Grace Chart History (Rock Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  36. "The Chain (From "Gears 5") - Single by Evanescence". Apple Music. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  37. January 2020, Scott Munro09 (9 January 2020). "Evanescence share video for their epic cover of Fleetwood Mac's The Chain". Metal Hammer Magazine. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  38. "Evanescence - The Chain (from Gears 5) [Official Music Video]". YouTube. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  39. "CZ - RADIO - TOP 20 MODERN ROCK - EVANESCENCE - The Chain" (in Czech). IFPI Czech Republic. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  40. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  41. "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. 29 November 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  42. "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  43. "Evanescence Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  44. "Evanescence Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  45. "Evanescence Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
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