The Chain#Three Days Grace cover

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. "The Chain" began as a Christine McVie song, titled "Keep Me There", which was the first track Fleetwood Mac recorded for Rumours. Initial tracking took place on 2 February 1976, with Fleetwood on drums, John McVie on an Alembic bass, Christine McVie on organ, and Buckingham on a Fender Stratocaster. Ten microphones were placed around Fleetwood's drums, two were used to capture the bass guitar and the organ, and another three microphones captured Buckingham's guitar amplifiers. After the band rehearsed the song twice, Ken Caillat, who served as the producer for Rumours, recorded the band's third run-through of the song. In the middle of this take, John McVie played the bassline that was ultimately used in the final version of "The Chain".{{cite book|title=Making Rumours: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album|author=Caillat, Ken & Stiefel, Steve|pages=[https://archive.org/details/makingrumoursins00cail/page/46 46-49, 55]|year=2012|publisher=Wiley & Sons|isbn=9781118218082|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/makingrumoursins00cail/page/58}} The ending section was the only part from the original recording that the band kept for "The Chain".{{cite web |last=Crowe |first=Cameron |date=24 March 1977 |title=The True Life Confessions of Fleetwood Mac |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/the-true-life-confessions-of-fleetwood-mac-120867/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241214184812/https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/the-true-life-confessions-of-fleetwood-mac-120867/ |archive-date=14 December 2024 |access-date=5 April 2025 |website=Rolling Stone}} McVie recorded a vocal take in that session and replaced it with a new vocal the following day.

When Fleetwood Mac reworked "Keep Me There" into "The Chain", they removed the blues-style motif originally found on the verses and retained the chord progression. Lindsey Buckingham recycled the intro of an earlier song from a duet with Nicks, "Lola (My Love)", originally released on their self-titled 1973 album.{{cite web |title=Penn's Picks: Fleetwood Mac – The Chain |url=https://www.hitsongsdeconstructed.com/hsd_wire/penns-picks-fleetwood-mac-chain/ |website=Hit Songs Deconstructed |access-date=22 April 2018}} During the verses, Buckingham instructed Fleetwood to play a straight quarter note pattern on the kick drum. The Dobro, a type of resonator guitar, supplied the verse riff.{{cite web |last=Bosso|first=Joe|date=December 13, 2022|title=Fleetwood Mac Rumours track-by-track with co-producer Ken Caillat |url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/fleetwood-mac-rumours-interview-track-by-track |access-date=2024-01-26 |website=MusicRadar}}

Stevie Nicks had written the lyrics separately, which were originally part of an entirely different song that included the lyrics "if you don't love me now, you will never love me again". Buckingham asked Nicks to donate these lyrics for the verses, which she agreed to.{{cite web |last=Willman |first=Chris |date=25 October 2020 |title=Stevie Nicks on Her New Concert Film, the Crazy Resurgence of Dreams and Staying in Touch With the Spirits of Prince and Tom Petty |url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/stevie-nicks-24-karat-gold-concert-film-interview-1234815282/ |access-date=30 October 2024 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{cite book |last=Blake |first=Mark |title=Dreams: The Many Lives of Fleetwood Mac |publisher=Pegasus Books |year=2024 |isbn=978-1-63936-732-0 |location=New York |pages=218-219}} Nicks and Christine McVie then reworked lyrics to create the first section of the tune. Nicks' lyrics referenced the breakup of her relationship with Buckingham, a theme of many of Nicks' and Buckingham's lyrics on Rumours.{{cite web|title=Top 10 Lindsey Buckingham Fleetwood Mac Songs|date=9 December 2022|author=Zeiler, Millie|access-date=16 January 2023|publisher=Classic Rock History|url=https://www.classicrockhistory.com/top-10-lindsey-buckingham-fleetwood-mac-songs/}}

Due to the spliced nature of the record (the drums and guitar were the only instruments recorded in each other's company){{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Heather |title=First hand news: Fleetwood Mac co-conspirator Richard Dashut reflects on recording and mixing Rumours |url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A202437363/GRGM?u=nysl_ca_dmvacces&sid=GRGM&xid=47047a19 |website=EQ |publisher=General Reference Center GOLD |access-date=5 December 2018}} 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. Nicks maintained that "The Chain" was primarily her song and claimed ownership of the melody and a large portion of the lyrics. In an interview with Paul Zollo, Buckingham questioned whether Fleetwood contributed significantly to the song, but acknowledged that all five members nonetheless received writing credits.{{Cite web |last=Zollo |first=Paul |date=1997 |title=Songwriters On Songwriting, Expanded Edition (1997), (Book Excerpt) |url=http://bla.fleetwoodmac.net/index.php?page=index_v2&id=145&c=9 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151230161910/http://bla.fleetwoodmac.net/index.php?page=index_v2&id=145&c=9 |archive-date=30 December 2015 |access-date=10 March 2015 |website=The Blue Letter Archives}} 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 Chain" has received favourable reviews from music critics. The Guardian and Paste ranked the song number ten and number one, respectively, on their lists of the 30 greatest Fleetwood Mac songs.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/may/19/fleetwood-mac-ranked-30-best-songs|title=Fleetwood Mac's 30 greatest songs – ranked!|first=Alexis|last=Petridis|work=The Guardian|date=19 May 2022|access-date=10 August 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/fleetwood-mac/30-best-fleetwood-mac-songs|title=The 30 Greatest Fleetwood Mac Songs|first=Matt|last=Mitchell|work=Paste|date=7 August 2023|access-date=10 August 2023}} Billboard placed the song sixth out of eleven on its list ranking every track on Rumours. They deemed the song a cornerstone of Fleetwood Mac's discography and highlighted the "heartbeat-like bass drum" and John McVie's bass playing during the coda.{{Cite magazine |last=Unterberger |first=Andrew |date=4 February 2017 |title=Every Song on Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' Ranked |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/fleetwood-mac-rumours-stevie-nicks-ranked-anniversary-7678007/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117043648/https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/fleetwood-mac-rumours-stevie-nicks-ranked-anniversary-7678007/ |archive-date=17 November 2021 |access-date=28 October 2024 |magazine=Billboard}}

In 1997, Fleetwood Mac released a live album called The Dance, which featured the reunion of the Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac members. That album's rendition of "The Chain" reached number 30 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Additionally, the studio version began appearing on the British charts in 2009, where it debuted at number 94. Two years later, the song peaked at number 81.{{cite web|title=Fleetwood Mac full Official Chart History Official Charts Company|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/28702/fleetwood-mac/|access-date=25 October 2020|website=www.officialcharts.com}} In October 2023, the song was certified quadruple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales and streams of over 2,400,000 units.

• Lindsey Buckingham – electric guitar, dobro, vocals
• Stevie Nicks – vocals
• Christine McVie – harmonium, Hammond organ, vocals
• John McVie – fretless bass guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums, tambourine

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{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=single|artist=Fleetwood Mac|title=The Chain|award=Gold|certyear=2021|id=10598|access-date=21 September 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|type=single|title=The Chain|artist=Fleetwood Mac|award=Gold|relyear=1977|certyear=2023|access-date=12 November 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Fleetwood Mac|title=The Chain|award=Platinum|number=8|type=single|relyear=1977|id=2025-06-23|source=newchart|access-date=2025-06-23|certyear=2025|certref={{cite web |title=Official Catalogue Singles 20-26 June 2025 |url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/catalogue-singles/2025-06-20 |website=aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz |access-date=23 June 2025}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry |region=Spain|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1977|certyear=2024|artist=Fleetwood Mac|title=The Chain|access-date=January 13, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Fleetwood Mac|title=The Chain|award=Platinum|number=4|relyear=2007|certyear=2023|id=13037-1472-1|access-date=6 October 2023|refname="bpi"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|title=The Chain|artist=Fleetwood Mac|nocert=true|salesamount=721,186|note=digital|salesref={{cite news|url=http://www.defjampromo.com/files/2009/10/BB-Digital-Songs-Chart-Wk.-Ending-5-13-17.pdf|title=Nielsen SoundScan charts – Digital Songs – Week Ending: 5/13/2017|publisher=Nielsen SoundScan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921145412/http://www.defjampromo.com/files/2009/10/BB-Digital-Songs-Chart-Wk.-Ending-5-13-17.pdf|archive-date=21 September 2017|access-date=15 June 2021}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|title=The Chain|artist=Fleetwood Mac|nocert=true|salesamount=260,541|note=digital Remastered LP version|salesref={{cite news|url=http://www.defjampromo.com/files/2009/10/BB-Hot-Digital-Tracks-Wk.-Ending-6-01-17.pdf|title=Nielsen SoundScan charts – Digital Songs – Week Ending: 6/1/2017|publisher=Nielsen SoundScan|access-date=15 June 2021}}}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

{{listen |filename=TheChain ending.ogg|right|title=The ending of "The Chain" |description=The ending as used by the BBC's Formula 1 coverage and other media outlets}}

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.{{cite web |url=http://www.crash.net/Formula+One/News/143325/1/bbc_unveils_2009_f1_coverage__and_return_of_the_chain.html |title=BBC unveils 2009 F1 coverage – and return of The Chain |publisher=crash.net |date=24 February 2009 |access-date=24 February 2009 }} 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. Excerpts from The Chain were also used in the official trailer for the film F1 (2025), a film based around Formula One.{{Cite magazine |author=Jazz Tangcay |author2=Angelique Jackson |author3=Matt Donnelly |date=13 March 2025 |title=F1 Trailer: Brad Pitt and Damson Idris Electrify the Racing Circuit in Heart-Pounding New Footage |url=https://variety.com/2025/film/news/f1-trailer-brad-pitt-damson-idris-joseph-kosinski-1236335232/ |access-date=17 March 2025 |magazine=Variety}}

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".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/inside-the-guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-2-soundtrack-w477515|title=Inside the 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' Soundtrack|last=Hiatt|first=Brian|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=19 April 2017|access-date=19 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419192817/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/inside-the-guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-2-soundtrack-w477515|archive-date=19 April 2017|url-status=live}} "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, and featured prominently in the 2017 film I, Tonya.

{{Infobox song

| name = The Chain

| cover = Tantric_-_The_Chain_cover_art.png

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Tantric

| album = After We Go

| released = February 10, 2004

| recorded = January 2004

| studio = The Blue Room

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 4:21

| label = Maverick

| writer = {{flatlist|

• Lindsey Buckingham
• Mick Fleetwood
• Christine McVie
• John McVie
• Stevie Nicks

}}

| producer = Toby Wright

| prev_title = Hey Now

| prev_year = 2003

| next_title = After We Go

| next_year = 2004

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|dMXfWCCZ0pc|"The Chain"}}}}

}}

In 2004 the American alternative rock band Tantric released their cover of "The Chain" as the second single from their second album titled After We Go and peaked at number 36 on the US Mainstream Rock chart for the week of May 15, 2004.{{cite web |title=Tantric's cover of the Fleetwood Mac classic "The Chain" debuts at #46 on Billboard Mainstream Rock chart |url=https://genius.com/Tantric-the-chain-lyrics |website=Genius |publisher=Outcast Media |access-date=13 March 2025}}

Tantric initially completed recording their second album After We Go after two extensive recording sessions in late 2003, believing they had delivered a finished product they turned in their final version to their label. However, Maverick Records was not entirely satisfied with it and insisted that the band return to the studio for a third session to record at least three more songs. This final round of recording resulted in more tracks, including the eventual singles "Hey Now" and "The Chain."{{cite web |title=Tantric - The Chain on Allmusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/after-we-go-mw0000325387 |website=Allmusic |publisher=Maverick Records |access-date=18 March 2025}}

Lead singer Hugo Ferreira later reflected on the difficult process, stating, "This record was a long and painful process to make. We were under a lot of pressure from our label to spit something out." As part of the label's demands, Tantric was required to include a cover song on the album, though no specific song was suggested. Instead of spending time deliberating, the band decided to make the selection completely random—by tuning in to a classic rock radio station and picking the first song that played. That song happened to be Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain."{{cite web |title=Tantric Released Fleetwood Mac Cover Song The Chain |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230808162741/https://www.mtv.com/news/ry6xe1/tantrics-pain-pal-nuno-bettencourt-help-create-hey-now |website=MTV |publisher=Jon Wiederhorn |access-date=30 December 2003}}

Guitarist Todd Whitener recalled the gamble in an interview with the Houston Chronicle saying, "This could be a very bad thing by taking this approach." He explained that the band had trouble agreeing on a song where all four members had only positive things to say, so they let fate decide. Fortunately, they all felt that "The Chain" could be molded into their sound.{{cite web |title=Tantric pulled its 'Chain' by chance from the radio |url=https://www.chron.com/entertainment/music/article/tantric-pulled-its-chain-by-chance-from-the-1619803.php |website=Chron |publisher=Bard Barnes |access-date=13 January 2004}}

Tantric's cover of "The Chain" was produced by long-time Alice in Chains producer Toby Wright.{{cite web |title=Tantric - The Chain (Production Credits) |url=https://music.apple.com/us/song/the-chain/5559820 |website=Apple Music |publisher=Maverick Records |access-date=13 March 2025}}

Tantric's cover of the song was used as the theme song for the 2004 HBO Documentary series Family Bonds.Zahlaway, Jon [http://www.livedaily.com/news/6995.html?t=22 Tantric takes another swing on U.S. club circuit] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325145749/http://www.livedaily.com/news/6995.html?t=22 |date=25 March 2009 }} LiveDaily.com (26 August 2004). Retrieved 22 March 2008.

{{Clear}}

{{Infobox song

| name = The Chain

| cover =

| alt =

| type =

| artist = Three Days Grace

| EP = Lost in You

| released = 15 March 2011

| recorded = 2011

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 3:50

| label = Jive Records

| writer =

• Lindsey Buckingham
• Mick Fleetwood
• Christine McVie
• John McVie
• Stevie Nicks

| producer =

• Howard Benson

}}

The song was recorded by the Canadian rock band Three Days Grace, released from their EP, Lost in You. It was released on 15 March 2011.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/ca/album/lost-in-you-ep/424614240|title=Lost in You - EP by Three Days Grace|website=Apple Music|access-date=24 January 2022}} The song peaked at number 45 on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/three-days-grace/chart-history/rkt/|title=Three Days Grace Chart History (Rock Digital Song Sales)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=24 January 2022}}

{{Infobox song

| name = The Chain

| cover = Evanescence - The Chain.png

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Evanescence

| album =

| released = 22 November 2019

| recorded = 2019

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 4:12

| label = BMG

| writer = * Christine McVie

• John McVie
• Lindsey Buckingham
• Mick Fleetwood
• Stevie Nicks

| producer = Bobby Tahouri

| prev_title = Hi-Lo

| prev_year = 2018

| next_title = Wasted on You

| next_year = 2020

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|M2kgcpZX42w|"The Chain"}}

}}

}}

American rock band Evanescence released a cover version of the song. The song was released as a standalone digital download on 22 November 2019 by BMG.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-chain-from-gears-5-single/1486662803 |title=The Chain (From "Gears 5") - Single by Evanescence |publisher=Apple Music |access-date=2 July 2020 |archive-date=28 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028091809/https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-chain-from-gears-5-single/1486662803}} (This cover version had been used to promote the Xbox game Gears 5 – part of the Gears of War franchise – which was released in early September 2019.){{cite web |last=Hampp |first=Andrew |date=2019-12-17 |title=Songs for Screens: Amy Lee Talks 'Gears 5' and Evanescence's First Album in Nine Years |url=https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/evanescence-amy-lee-gears-5-songs-for-screens-1203444776/ |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{Cite magazine |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |date=2019-11-25 |title=Listen to Evanescence Transform Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain' Into a Turbulent Goth Epic for 'Gears of War 5' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/evanescence-fleetwood-mac-the-chain-gears-of-war-5-8544699/ |access-date=2024-08-05 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}

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."{{cite web|author=Scott Munro |title=Evanescence share video for their epic cover of Fleetwood Mac's The Chain|url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/evanescence-share-video-for-their-epic-cover-of-fleetwood-macs-the-chain|access-date=13 April 2021|website=Metal Hammer Magazine|date=9 January 2020}}

An official music video to accompany the release of "The Chain" was first released onto YouTube on 9 January 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2kgcpZX42w|title=Evanescence - The Chain (from Gears 5) [Official Music Video]|date=9 January 2020 |publisher=YouTube|access-date=2 July 2020}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Digital download

| title1 = The Chain

| note1 = From "Gears 5"

| length1 = 4:12

}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{cite book | title=Making Rumours: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album | publisher=John Wiley & Sons | last=Caillat | first=Ken | year=2012 | isbn=978-1-118-21808-2 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/makingrumoursins00cail }}

{{Refend}}

• {{YouTube|P160_odTwyY|Fleetwood Mac - The Chain}}

{{Fleetwood Mac}}

{{Tantric}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chain, The}}

Category:1977 songs

Category:Fleetwood Mac songs

Category:Songs written by Christine McVie

Category:Songs written by Mick Fleetwood

Category:Songs written by Lindsey Buckingham

Category:Songs written by John McVie

Category:Songs written by Stevie Nicks

Category:1997 singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Ken Caillat

Category:Song recordings produced by Richard Dashut

Category:Live singles

Category:Warner Records singles

Category:Maverick Records singles

Category:BMG Rights Management singles

Category:Island Records singles

Category:Tantric (band) songs

Category:2004 singles

Category:Songs about heartache

Category:Sports television theme songs

Category:Breakup songs