AES88 The Chain

"Mind you, they did make some of their best music back then." 

"Rumours?" 

"No, it's all true."

It was a very difficult time for the famous band Fleetwood Mac in the year 1976. Everything seems to be going wrong for the five band members; Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were in a complicated on and off again relationship, Christine and John McVie were going through a divorce, like Mick Fleetwood and his wife. Throughout all this heavy interpersonal relationship drama, some of them also struggled with serious drug addiction, which seems to be common with many rock and roll bands in the 70s. The band was also under pressure from studios and the media, who hounded them relentlessly over professional and even personal matters.

Through all this strife, love, hate (and a lot of drugs), they managed to make Rumours; one of the best albums ever recorded in history. Every single song in it was a major hit, and it sold more than 40 million copies. One of the most iconic songs from Rumours is The Chain, which is actually the only song on the album that featured writing credits from all of the band members. 

The Chain is one of the very few perfect rock songs, evoking so much passion, conflict and emotion. Who knew that during their darkest days where they couldn’t stand each other, Fleetwood Mac managed to make such an iconic album, filled with legendary songs. 

And if, you don't love me now

You will never love me again

I can still hear you saying

You would never break the chain

What I love most about this song is at the end, where everything quiets down until we hear a powerful bass riff that I love, leading into one of the most explosive and emotional guitar solos by Lindsey Buckingham, seemingly pouring the band’s frustrations, pain and anger with each other. And the song ends with the repeated lyrics: 

Chain, keep us together (running in the shadows)

An interlinked chain symbolizes a strong unbreakable bond, but it also represents feelings of imprisonment and inescapability. For Fleetwood Mac, the chain that binds them all together is what brought them together in the first place, their music. No matter how much they hate each other and get torn apart, their music will keep them together, forevermore.