Released: March 22, 1963

Songwriter: Goffin and King Gerry Goffin Carole King

Producer: George Martin

[Chorus]
Chains, my baby's got me locked up in chains
And they ain't the kind that you can see
Whoa, 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

[Verse 1]
I wanna tell you, pretty baby
I think you're fine
I'd like to love you
But, darlin', I'm imprisoned by these

[Chorus]
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

[Verse 2]
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

[Chorus]
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

[Outro]
Chains, chains of love
Chains of love
Chains of love

The Beatles

The Beatles are arguably the most famous, critically-acclaimed, and successful rock band of all time—certainly the preeminent group of the 20th century. They started out as four teenagers playing grimy basement clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg, but they progressed to become world-beating rock stars who are still influential to this day.

John Lennon first formed a skiffle group called The Quarrymen in March 1957. A fifteen-year-old Paul McCartney joined shortly thereafter, eventually inviting his friend George Harrison to audition for the band. After finally impressing John with his guitar skills, George was asked to join—but this juncture would be short-lived as John’s departure to college signaled the other quarrymen to go their separate ways.

By 1960, Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison had re-branded from ‘Johnny & the Moondogs’ to ‘The Silver Beetles’ at the behest of their new bass player, Stuart Sutcliffe. The name would eventually evolve into ‘The Silver Beatles’ by July of that year, before settling on ‘The Beatles’ come August—just in time for their trip to Hamburg with new drummer, Pete Best. Though club residencies in Germany would prove fundamental to the group’s progress as a whole, the tour turned out to be a blessing and a curse, following the deportation of a then-seventeen-year-old George Harrison, and the eventual tragic death of Stuart Sutcliffe.

more tracks from the album

The U.S. Albums