In December 1962, a new single by The Cookies was climbing the Billboard Hot 100.
“Chains” was one of a long string of hits by the songwriting team of Gerry Goffin and Carole King. Although The Everly Brothers were the first to record it, their version remained in the vault until it was finally released in 1984.
The Cookies were the first to release a studio recording of “Chains” (four months after The Everlys recorded their unreleased original), and they took it as high as #17 during the last week of the year.
“Chains” is a relatively simple song, but it’s undeniably catchy. One listen is all it takes to get it lodged in one’s head, something that George Harrison noticed when he heard it that holiday season. Harrison bought the single, and by mid-January The Beatles were performing it live in concert and on the radio.
By mid-February, they’d recorded “Chains” in the studio and released it on their debut album.
A famous fan of both 1960s girl groups and The Fab Four, Bruce Springsteen was almost certainly familiar with both The Cookies’ and The Beatles’ versions, but his one documented cover performance of “Chains” reflects an arrangement all his own.
Commonly attributed to Steel Mill, the recording below almost certainly dates later than that–most likely mid-to-late 1971. (David Sancious’ honky tonk piano is a Bruce Springsteen Band dead giveaway.)
Bruce’s version of “Chains” is loose and sloppy–almost drunken–and based on the fact that Bruce only seems to know the words to one verse (which he sings over and over again), there’s a good argument to be made for this being an audible. It doesn’t swing like the original, but it grooves and swaggers for a good eight minutes (almost four times the length of the original), and the band seems to be having a fine time with it.
As far as we know, this was a true one-off: “Chains” hasn’t turned up in Bruce’s sets before or since.
Chains
First performed: Unknown (probably mid-1971)
Last performed: Unknown (probably mid-1971)
fabulous rarity among rarities – thanks!
Excellent research on “Chains” and Beatle George”. His vocals on both the BBC and official recording are great! Also, am not sure I’ve heard Bruce’s (Steel Mill?) version until now. Great as well. Wonder who shared the first singing solo with Bruce? Bruce sounds fantastic on the second solo vocal and throughout with the harmonies. Nice lead guitar work from Bruce as well on the 8′ recording. A fun “Cover Me”!