The sky looks pissed
The wind talks back
My bones are shifting in my skin
And you my love are gone

My room feels wrong
The bed won't fit
I cannot seem to operate
And you my love are gone

So glide away on soapy heels
And promise not to promise anymore
And if you come around again
Then I will take,
Then I will take the chain from off the door

I'll never say that I'll never love
But I don't say a lot of things
And you my love are gone

So glide away on soapy heels
And promise not to promise anymore
And if you come around again
Then I will take, the chain from off the door

So glide away on soapy heels
And promise not to promise anymore
And if you come around again
Then I will take the chain from off the door

So glide away on soapy heels
And promise not to promise anymore
And if you come around again
Then I will take the chain from off the door

So glide away on soapy heels
And promise not to promise anymore
And if you come around again
Then I will take the chain from off the door

So glide away on soapy heels
And promise not to promise anymore
And if you come around again
Then I will take
Then I will take
Then I will take the chain from off the door


Lyrics submitted by sleepingxin

The Chain Lyrics as written by Ingrid Michaelson

Lyrics © Spirit Music Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

The Chain song meanings
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32 Comments

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  • +7
    Song Meaning

    I have a different interpretation of the "fly away on soapy heels" line. The first thought I had when I heard this line was that it was Peter Pan reference. At the beginning of the story, Wendy discovers Peter trying to reattach his shadow by applying soap to his heels. I think this is meant to imply that her lover left her for childish reasons or that he has a Peter Pan complex. Fear of commitment because he didn't want to grow up.

    darkguybon December 20, 2010   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    i absolutely love this song. it has a haunting feel to it, but so beautiful.

    i think the soapy heels part might be a reference to the fact that the man who left her left so quickly and suddenly. i mean, if you have soap on your heels, you could obviously slide across the floor pretty quickly. it's like he didn't give any warning, and then suddenly he was gone. i don't know, it's the only explanation i could think of.

    saranadeon November 03, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i love this song. the meaning is really obvious; her mannnn is gone. she's closing her heart and chaining it, and won't really love anyone..but if he comes back, she'll open it for him. i love it i love it.

    loisjoneson April 07, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song, to me, is about that big argument a lot of couples go through. Here's my breakdown:

    The sky looks pissed/the wind talks back -the actual argument between you and your lover

    The bones are shifting in my skin/ and you my love, are, gone. -That awkward feeling of being "shaken" after an argument with your bf/gf and they end up storming off.

    My room seems wrong/ the bed won't fit -an interpretation of how one feels when your alone in a room that you used to share with your significant other, the room "seems" wrong. The part that touches me the most is the line "the bed won't fit" I feel that the actual bed won't fit in the room, but the loneliness one feels when you lye in bed and it feels so big without the other person next to you, the bed itself when you lye on it doesn't seem to fit, if anything it feels too big.

    I cannot seem to operate/ and you my love are gone -you've gotten so used to doing everything with your bf/gf that even simple tasks seem difficult to preform. when their gone

    RERERERERERERERE This is a RE: Response to the conundrum of the line "so glide away on soapy heels" I was first introduced to this song through a friend who sang this to me, beautifully if i might add, and she sang this line differently, and in no disrespect to Michaelson, but i much prefer my friend's re-verse.

    instead of "so glide away and so be heeled" -something i can never wrap my mind around

    in replace with "so fly away and so be healed" -meaning, let your bf/gf go to think about the argument. let them reflect on what was said, what one should have or shouldn't have said.

    and promise not to promise anymore

    • the cause of the argument, breaking promises

    and if you come around again/then i will take the chains from off the door -When your bf/gf has come to realize what went wrong, and has summed up enough courage to come back and apologize, only then, shall you take the chains from off the door. the door whether meaning literally (door of the aparatment), or the door to your heart, both interpretation suffice in my book.

    Let me know what you think, THANKS!

    ubtalkn2joelon July 18, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i believe that this song is about a carousel, and people on the carousel spinning around and around. if you do not believe me, play this song whilst watching this video (with audio down).

    youtube.com/watch

    largewaffleon June 08, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's so pretty. It's very clearly about keeping your heart closed, waiting for that person to come back and make you take off the chains.

    WittyWitchon June 19, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's so pretty. It's very clearly about keeping your heart closed, waiting for that person to come back and make you take off the chains.

    WittyWitchon June 19, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    it's funny how the carousel video matches up slightly... haha.

    but yes, it is obviously what loisjones & wittywitch both said. keeping your heart "chained" and waiting for the person to come back & unlock the chains for him.

    natty27on August 12, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The carosel theory is so cool. What's been bothering me is the soapy heels part. I think that image is crazy creative, but she's referring to a guy. Think about your ex with heels on on a soapy floor. I still love that line, but sometimes I just can't take it serioiusly.

    The three part round at the end reminds me of a Gregorian chant in their shared mysterious beauty and the way they both can haunt you.

    I've been playing this song almost non-stop for the past 72 hours, and I can't get sick of it. "The Chain" is so mesmerizing, I can't let go.

    hannahjordanon October 26, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Was listening to this today for the first time in a while and I thought how nice it was that she was singing a "round" song about wanting someone to come back "around".

    And in the round part at the end it made me think about this person who left having done so many times and the round is symbolic of her sadness being reoccuring.

    WittyWitchon March 26, 2009   Link

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