"Chains of Love" is a song by English synth-pop duo

Erasure Erasure () is an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1985, consisting of lead vocalist and songwriter Andy Bell with songwriter, producer and keyboardist Vince Clarke, previously known as co-founder of the band Depeche Mode and a membe ...

, released in May 1988 as their ninth single overall. It was written by

Vince Clarke Vincent John Martin (born 3 July 1960), known professionally as Vince Clarke, is an English synth-pop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been the main composer and musician of the band Erasure since its inception in 1985, and was previously ...

and Andy Bell, and released by Mute Records as the second single from Erasure's third studio album, '' The Innocents'' (1988). In the United States,

Sire Records Sire Records (formerly Sire Records Company) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Records. History Beginnings The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehre ...

released it as the first single. The chorus is memorable for Bell's use of falsetto. The album version was produced by

Stephen Hague Stephen Hague (born 1960) is an American record producer most active with various British acts since the 1980s. Early life Hague was born in Portland, Maine in 1960. Early career Hague started his musical career in the mid-1970s as a session ...

and was slightly remixed for its single release (most notably the album version starts cold, while the radio version contains a short synthesizer pattern as an intro). The accompanying

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...

featured Clarke and Bell performing the song while being hoisted through the air by thick, metal chains.

Composition

"Chains of Love" is an uptempo dance-oriented synth-pop track with Clarke's signature analogue sound and Bell's lyrics about breaking through any restrictions or stereotypes of what love should be. The lyrics allude subtly to Bell's desire for wider acceptance of gay couples, his pain evident from the opening lines "How can I explain when there are few words I can choose/How can I explain when words get broken".

Critical reception

Chris Gerard from '' Metro Weekly'' described the song as an "uber-catchy pop masterpiece" with a "soulful chorus". Pan-European magazine '' Music & Media'' viewed it as "a highly contagious, straight pop song that immediately sticks in your head. Their best choice for a single to date."

Chart performance

"Chains of Love" became Erasure's sixth consecutive top 20 hit on the

UK singles chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

, just missing the top 10 by peaking at number 11. In the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, it became Erasure's mainstream breakthrough by climbing to number 12 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and becoming the group's first entry on the ''Billboard'' Modern Rock Tracks chart. It also hit number four on the ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. "Chains of Love" remains Erasure's highest-charting single in the United States.

Track listings

* 7", Mute / MUTE83 (UK) # "Chains of Love" (single mix) – 3:38 # "Don't Suppose" – 3:27 * 12", Mute / 12MUTE83 (UK) # "Chains of Love" (Foghorn mix) – 6:24 # "Don't Suppose" (Country Joe mix) – 5:57 # "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" ( Ennio Morricone) – 3:15 * 12", Mute / L12MUTE83 (UK) # "Chains of Love" (Truly in Love with the Marks Bros. mix) – 7:20 # "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (The Dangerous mix) (Morricone) – 4:43 # "Don't Suppose" – 3:27 * 12", Sire / 20953-0 (US) # "Chains of Love" (The Unfettered mix) – 8:22 # "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" (Morricone) – 3:15 # "Chains of Love" (Foghorn mix) – 6:24 # "Chains of Love" (Truly in Love with the Marks Bros. mix) – 7:20 # "Don't Suppose" (Country Joe mix) – 5:57 # "Chains of Love" (Fetter dub dub) – 5:10 * 12", Sire / PRO-A-3186 (US) # "Chains of Love" (The Unfettered mix) – 8:22 # "Chains of Love" (Fetter dub dub) – 5:10 # "Chains of Love" (Shep Pettibone radio remix – edit) – 3:38 # "Chains of Love" (Truly in Love with the Marks Bros. mix) – 7:20 # "Chains of Love" (Shep Pettibone instrumental dub) – 3:50 # "Chains of Love" (Shep Pettibone radio remix) – 3:56 * CD, Mute / CDMUTE83 (UK) # "Chains of Love" (Foghorn mix) – 6:24 # "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (The Dangerous mix) (Morricone) – 4:43 # "Don't Suppose" (Country Joe mix) – 5:57 * CD, Mute / EBX 2.4 (UK) # "Chains Of Love" (remix) # "Don't Suppose" – 3:27 # "Chains of Love" (Foghorn mix) – 6:24 # "Don't Suppose" (Country Joe mix) – 5:57 # "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" (Morricone) – 3:15 # "Chains of Love" (Truly in Love with the Marks Bros. mix) – 7:20 # "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (The Dangerous mix) (Morricone) – 4:43 * part of UK CD single box set * CD, Sire-Reprise / PRO-CD-3140 (US) # "Chains of Love" (7" remix) – 3:40 # "Chains of Love" (Shep Pettibone radio remix) – 3:56 # "Chains of Love" (The Unfettered mix) – 8:22 # "Chains of Love" (Truly in Love with the Marks Bros. mix) – 7:20

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{authority control 1988 singles Erasure songs LGBT-related songs Songs written by Andy Bell (singer) Songs written by Vince Clarke Mute Records singles Sire Records singles 1988 songs