The Chain Lyrics

Lyric discussion by rlschult 

Cover art for The Chain lyrics by Fleetwood Mac

The way this song came about is pretty interesting. John McVie had created the famous bass line which you hear the second half of the song. But that was all they had. Stevie Nicks added the lyrics, which she had written while she and Lyndsey Buckingham performed together before they came to Fleetwood Mac. From there, everybody contributed. The "backwoodsy" guitar solo and drum beat at the beginning were Lyndsey's work. This is really the only song from the Rumours album where everyone from the band contributed. Good stuff.

When performed live, it seemed like Lyndsey and Stevie were having a screaming match when Lyndsey would repeat the lyrics after Stevie. Crazy.

@rlschult Yes - spot on on the 'separation' with the construction of the song (apparently). BUT - thoroughly agree with your obs on Stevie and Lindsey! Here's a good live performance (if it shows up ok as a link - to uTube). Though Lindsey is doing all the power (along with Mick feeling it all) - it looks almost like an exorcism (!) - but I think some of their songs were? (purging themselves of the other?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6P2_i0Y6ms

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@rlschult Actually you're wrong. You must have confused this song with "I Don't Wanna Know" because that's that song which Nicks and Buckingham played before Fleetwood Mac. And "The Chain" was written during "Rumours" period. I have read that Stevie came up with it in a car and I think it was the same moment when she learned that "Silver Springs" would not be on an album. Later she played that song on guitar and cought Lindsley's attention. He asked her about the name of that song and if she agree to put it on the album. And this song...