Chains of Love (Erasure song)

"Chains of Love"
Single by Erasure
from the album The Innocents
B-side	"Don't Suppose", "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"
Released	May 31, 1988 (1988-05-31)
Format	12", 7", CD
Recorded	1987
Genre	Synthpop
Length	3:36
Label	Mute (UK) Sire (U.S.)
Writer(s)	Vince Clarke, Andy Bell
Producer	Stephen Hague
Erasure singles chronology
"Ship of Fools" (1988) "Chains of Love" (1988) "A Little Respect" (1988)

"Chains of Love" is a song by British synthpop duo Erasure, released in May 1988 as their ninth single overall.

The song was released by Mute Records as the second single from Erasure's third studio album The Innocents. In the United States, Sire Records released it as the first single. The album version was produced by Stephen Hague 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).

"Chains of Love" became Erasure's sixth consecutive Top 20 hit on the UK singles chart, just missing the Top 10 by peaking at number eleven. In the United States, it became Erasure's mainstream breakthrough by climbing to number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming the group's first entry on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It also hit number four on the U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. "Chains of Love" remains as Erasure's highest-charting U.S. pop hit.

The song, written by Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, 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 homosexual 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". The chorus is memorable for Bell's use of falsetto. The music video featured Clarke and Bell performing the song while being hoisted through the air by thick, metal chains.

Track listings

7": Mute / MUTE83 (UK)

1. "Chains of Love" (Single Mix) - 3:38
2. "Don't Suppose" - 3:27

12": Mute / 12MUTE83 (UK)

1. "Chains of Love" (Foghorn Mix) - 6:24
2. "Don't Suppose" (Country Joe Mix) - 5:57
3. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" - 3:15

12": Mute / L12MUTE83 (UK)

1. "Chains of Love" (Truly In Love With The Marks Bros. Mix) - 7:20
2. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (The Dangerous Mix) - 4:43
3. "Don't Suppose" - 3:27

12": Sire / 20953-0 (US)

1. "Chains of Love" (The Unfettered Mix) - 8:22
2. "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" - 3:15
3. "Chains of Love" (Foghorn Mix) - 6:24
4. "Chains of Love" (Truly In Love With The Marks Bros. Mix) - 7:20
5. "Don't Suppose" (Country Joe Mix) - 5:57
6. "Chains of Love" (fetter dub dub) - 5:10

12": Sire / 20953-0 (US)

1. "Chains of Love" (The Unfettered Mix) - 8:22
2. "Chains of Love" (Fetter Dub Dub) - 5:10
3. "Chains of Love" (shep pettibone radio remix - edit) - 3:38
4. "Chains of Love" (Truly In Love With The Marks Bros. Mix) - 7:20
5. "Chains of Love" (shep pettibone instrumental dub) - 3:50
6. "Chains of Love" (shep pettibone radio remix) - 3:56

• US promo 12"

CD: Mute / CDMUTE83 (UK)

1. "Chains of Love" (Foghorn Mix) - 6:24
2. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (The Dangerous Mix) - 4:43
3. "Don't Suppose" (Country Joe Mix) - 5:57

CD: Mute / EBX 2.4 (UK)

1. "Chains Of Love" (remix)
2. "Don't Suppose" - 3:27
3. "Chains of Love" (Foghorn Mix) - 6:24
4. "Don't Suppose" (Country Joe Mix) - 5:57
5. "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" - 3:15
6. "Chains of Love" (Truly In Love With The Marks Bros. Mix) - 7:20
7. "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly" (The Dangerous Mix) - 4:43

• part of UK CD single box set

CD: Sire-Reprise / PRO-CD-3140 (US)

1. "Chains of Love" (7" remix) - 3:40
2. "Chains of Love" (Shep Pettibone Radio Remix) - 3:56
3. "Chains of Love" (The Unfettered Mix) - 8:22
4. "Chains of Love" (Truly In Love With The Marks Bros. Mix) - 7:20

• promo CD

Remixers

Stephen Hague

1. "Chains of Love" (7" remix) - 3:40

Phil Legg

1. "Chains of Love" (foghorn mix) - 6:24

Mark Moore & Mark McGuire

1. "Chains of Love" (truly in love with the marks bros. mix) - 7:20

Shep Pettibone

1. "Chains of Love" (Shep Pettibone Radio Remix) - 3:56
2. "Chains of Love" (Shep Pettibone Radio Remix - edit) - 3:38
3. "Chains of Love" (the unfettered mix) - 8:22
4. "Chains of Love" (fetter dub dub) - 5:10
5. "Chains of Love" (Shep Pettibone instrumental dub) - 3:50

• Radio and instrumental mixes released on US promos only.

Robert Gordon

1. "Don't Suppose" (country joe mix) - 5:57

Eric Radcliffe

1. "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" (the dangerous mix) - 4:43

Cover versions

• A cover of the song was recorded in the late 1990s by Canadian pop-dance musical group, Temperance for their 1999 album If You Don't Know.
• A techno cover of the song was recorded by Liquid360.

Chart performance

Chart (1988)	Peak position
Canadian Singles Chart	14
Dutch Singles Chart	85
German Singles Chart	18
Irish Singles Chart	6
New Zealand Singles Chart	31
Singapore Singles Chart	2
Swiss Singles Chart	16
UK Singles Chart	11
US Billboard Hot 100	12
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	4