Written by: Gerry Goffin/Carole King
Recorded: 11 February 1963
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith
Released: 22 March 1963 (UK), 22 July 1963 (US)
George Harrison: vocals, lead guitar
John Lennon: vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica
Paul McCartney: vocals, bass
Ringo Starr: drums
Available on:
Please Please Me
Written by the Brill Building songwriting team of Gerry Goffin and Carole King, Chains was recorded during the 13-hour session of 11 February 1963 in which The Beatles recorded the bulk of the Please Please Me album.
The song had been a minor hit in 1962 for The Cookies, Little Eva's backing singers. Although not a huge commercial success, the song was frequently covered by Liverpudlian bands of the time.
It remained in The Beatles' live repertoire for only a short time, however, and was jettisoned once they assembled a superior set of their own songs. They did, however, record it for several BBC radio shows, including Pop Go The Beatles, Side By Side and Here We Go.
The Beatles recorded four takes of the song, although the first was deemed to be the best. George Harrison sang lead vocals - the first of two Please Please Me songs in which he took centre stage - with Lennon and McCartney providing backing harmonies.
John Lennon played the harmonica introduction, and the song was faded out during the album's edit session on 25 February.
Lyrics
Chains, my baby's got me locked up in chains
And they ain't the kind that you can see
Whoa, oh, these chains of love got a hold on me, yeah
Chains, well I can't break away from these chains
Can't run around, 'cause I'm not free
Whoa, oh, these chains of love won't let me be, yeah
I wanna tell you, pretty baby
I think you're fine
I'd like to love you
But, darling, I'm imprisoned by these
Chains, my baby's got me locked up in chains
And they ain't the kind that you can see
Oh, oh, these chains of love got a hold on me
Please believe me when I tell you
Your lips are sweet
I'd like to kiss them
But I can't break away from all of these
Chains, my baby's got me locked up in chains
And they ain't the kind that you can see
Whoa, oh, these chains of love got a hold on me, yeah
Chains, chains of love...
Worst song on the album by far.
You have to be kiddin!
Nah, I think "Anna" is worse.
"Anna" sucks, I agree, but the dreadful line "And they ain't the kind that you can see" just makes it impossible for me to listen to this song any further than that.
You mad, "Anna" is fab!
Not a bad song, but the lads went a bit too far with their girl group covers in the early going.
This song is awesome! Please Please Me didnt neccessarily have a great lineup of songs, but they were damn good to just sing along/ dance to.
It's a typical filler song, but I see why it was given to George. It couldve gone to anybody not named Ringo & been about the same. It wasn't one of their best cover choices, but it goes well with his voice & it's a good chance to get George in the mix. If all else failed, which it didn't, the harmonies are good.
the song is great, and the vocal lead of George too
George's voice retains its huskiness from all those gigs played in the Cavern and elsewhere. And that's why I like Chains - it's full of youthful exuberance - the boys' excitement is clearly audible.
And as M. Whitener says above, the harmonies are good.
But is that an organ I can hear just before the second bridge ("I want to tell you pretty baby..")? Sounds like someone sweeping their hand across the keyboard.
Love the way the guitar amp breaks up throughout this recording. I don't think this was an effect they went after and perhaps if they weren't so busy they may have redone it, but it remained their grittiest record until the "Revolution" single five years later.
You have to remember, when The Beatles were still a club band, not only did they play what they liked, but they also played the hits of the day, and in the early '60's, girl groups were quite popular. To a point, you have to compromise & play something for the audience too. When this was cut, the boys were not yet the world-shakers they later became. Once they hit it big, songs like this were dropped. You never saw them returning to songs like "I'll Remember You", "Beautiful Dreamer" or "A Picture Of You " either.
To expand on this, once they became famous, the majority of their pre-fame stage repertoire was never returned to, as far as commercially-released recordings were concerned, anyway.
I think it's a sweet song, and George sang it sweetly as well..