Photo Credit:
Writers: Fleetwood Mac
Producers: Fleetwood Mac, Richard Dashut, and Ken Caillat
Recorded: Late summer/fall 1976 at studios in Los Angeles, North Hollywood, and Miami
Released: Spring 1977
Writers: Fleetwood Mac
Players: | Christine McVie–vocals, keyboards Lindsey Buckingham–guitar, vocals Stevie Nicks–vocals John McVie–bass Mick Fleetwood–drums |
Album: | Rumours (Warner Bros., 1977) |
"The Chain" was the only group-written song on Fleetwood Mac's Rumours album. The other 10 tracks were all penned individually either by Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, or Christine McVie.
Though it was not released as a single, "The Chain" is nevertheless one of Fleetwood Mac's most popular songs, receiving substantial airplay and opening many of its concerts.
Lindsey Buckingham told Rolling Stone that the song got its name because it was edited down from many different pieces of tape.
Though it appears in the middle of the album–the first song on side two of the original vinyl issue–it outlines the album's theme of romantic loss, relationship turmoil, and the resilience of bonds strong enough to withstand such tribulations.
The splintering of the couples within the band marks Rumours. Besides Nicks's split with Buckingham, Christine and John McVie also split up, while Mick Fleetwood's marriage went sour.
Nevertheless, Rumours was Fleetwood Mac's crowning achievement, spending 31 weeks at Number One on the Billboard 200 and launching five hit singles–an accomplishment unheard of in the mid- and late-'70s.
With more than 18 million copies sold, it's the top-selling album of all-original material ever released by a group.
It was also the first album by a group to produce four top 10 singles: "Dreams," "Go Your Own Way," "Don't Stop," and "You Make Loving Fun."
Rumours won a Grammy for album of the year and was named favorite album at the American Music Awards. The group also won the AMA for favorite pop/rock duo or group.