E - Thoughts on "The Chain" By Fleetwood Mac
some words
Fleetwood Mac is one of the most famous bands of all time, whose biggest album “Rumours” is about the love and breakup of the two lead singers. This text will mostly revolve around my own thoughts and interpretation of “The Chain”.
Going up on stage every night singing songs you wrote bout pain and heart break, beside the person you broke up with must be difficult. In many live recordings from concerts, Lindsey Buckingham can be seen physically shaking while singing and playing, and still playing his fanatically difficult guitar licks. If he’s shaking because of rage or an extreme cocaine addiction, is unknown.
"Analysis"
“The Chains” introduction, a tricky contraption made up of country-esque rhythms, quick finger-picking and a psychedelic feel, conveys a mysterious tone to us as listeners, and leaves us begging to find out what is happening in the next verse. The heavy kick drum starts us off with a constant beat that continues throughout the song.
In the walkdown to the first verse the gritty Les Paul tone breaks through the dominant acoustic guitar. Paired with the first stanza of the song: “Listen to the wind blow, watch the sun rise”, the acoustic and Les Paul gives a sense of a new beginning, or perhaps a realization of previous events. Throughout the first verse the same beat and melody is used, continuing until the powerful transition of the chorus. The transition includes the satisfying introduction of the rhythm section. The listener has been kept on edge with only a kick drum and the light rhythm from the acoustic guitar, and the total introduction underlines the meaning of the chorus.
The chorus is built up by layers of vocals, and a heavy bass that finally comes to light. This ultimate introduction of the rhythm section paired with the lyrics “And if you don’t love me now, you will never love me again”, reinforces the realization mentioned in the transition to the first verse. The layers of vocals and variety of instruments used emphasizes the seriousness of the setting, the realization that “*You will never love me again’”.
In the final part of the song the band uses a buildup that today is very “Red Hot Chili Pepper”-esque, with the bass being the foundation, and the electric guitar joining in and suddenly jumping an octave. This goes to show the band’s influence on rock and pop music, even two decades later. The lyrics “Chain keep us together”, paired with this build up accentuates the eternality of the two vocalists’ love life, perhaps because of their music. The lyrics can also be seen as a hymn to drug addiction, though their love has ended, their addiction to drugs keeps them together.
The album went on to top charts in the US and UK, and today “The Chain” is their second most streamed song on Spotify. Though it’s probably painful, singing about your raw heartbroken feelings every night seems to work out fine.