I just heard this song for the first time, after buying the album earlier today. At first I thought it was a love song, about some problems with his girlfriend/wife/whatever. But after looking at the lyrics above I realised there must be a deeper meaning to the song. It seems to me that this song is about the feelings of "oppresion by the man" and the yearning to "break free" in the 60s. In regard to Steve's comment above, I think that the chains may be a reference to all the people being "oppresed by the man" in the 60s, and them breaking free, not just black people in particular. In anycase, I love the song.
I just heard this song for the first time, after buying the album earlier today. At first I thought it was a love song, about some problems with his girlfriend/wife/whatever. But after looking at the lyrics above I realised there must be a deeper meaning to the song. It seems to me that this song is about the feelings of "oppresion by the man" and the yearning to "break free" in the 60s. In regard to Steve's comment above, I think that the chains may be a reference to all the people being "oppresed by the man" in the 60s, and them breaking free, not just black people in particular. In anycase, I love the song.