Chain Gang

♦  The name of a song written and recorded by Sam Cooke. When released as a single in 1960, the song performed very well, reaching #2 in the United States pop and R&B charts, and #9 in the United Kingdom.

I hear somethin’ sayin’

(Hooh! aah!) (hooh! aah!)
(Hooh! aah!) (hooh! aah!)

(Well, don’t you know)
That’s the sound of the men working on the chain ga-a-ang
That’s the sound of the men working on the chain gang

All day long they’re singin’
(Hooh! aah!) (hooh! aah!)
(Hooh! aah!) (hooh! aah!)

(Well, don’t you know)
That’s the sound of the men working on the chain ga-a-ang
That’s the sound of the men working on the chain gang

All day long they work so hard
Till the sun is goin’ down
Working on the highways and byways
And wearing, wearing a frown
You hear them moanin’ their lives away
Then you hear somebody sa-ay

That’s the sound of the men working on the chain ga-a-ang
That’s the sound of the men working on the chain gang

Can’t ya hear them singin’
Mm, I’m goin’ home one of these days
I’m goin’ home see my woman
Whom I love so dear
But meanwhile I got to work right he-ere

(Well, don’t you know)
That’s the sound of the men working on the chain ga-a-ang
That’s the sound of the men working on the chain gang

All day long they’re singin’, mm
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my work is so hard
Give me water, I’m thirsty
My work is so hard

↓  LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO

∞  «Back on the Chain Gang»  ↓  [London]

A successful single by The Pretenders released in November 1982. The memorable chain-gang chant heard during the chorus echoes a similar chant on Sam Cooke’s song «Chain Gang.»

I found a picture of you, oh oh oh
What hijacked my world that night
To a place in the past we’ve been cast out of, oh oh oh

Now we’re back in the fight
We’re back on the train, hey
Oh, back on the chain gang

A circumstance beyond our control, oh oh oh
The phone, the TV and the news of the world
Got in the house like a pigeon from hell, oh oh oh
Threw sand in our eyes and descended like flies

Put us back on the train, yeah
Oh, back on the chain gang

The powers that be – That force us to live like we do
Bring me to my knees – When I see what they’ve done to you

But I’ll die as I stand here today, knowing that deep in my heart
They’ll fall to ruin one day for making us part

I found a picture of you, oh oh oh
Those were the happiest days of my life
Like a break in the battle was your part, oh oh oh
In the wretched life of a lonely heart

Now we’re back on the train, yeah
Oh, back on the chain gang