How Fleetwood Mac Wrote "The Chain" 

Producer: "Umm, guys, I don't think you can write an entire album fueled entirely by drugs and infidelity." Fleetwood Mac: "Hold our cocaine."

If queen and Elton John movies are being made..Fleetwood Mac definitely needs one. You know how big that’s be

"Rumors, an album written for and by people cheating on each other."

They need to have a big-budget movie about them

"Mind you, they did make some of their best music back then." "Rumours?" "No, it's all true."

Lot's of coke, and Stevie and Lindsay being very pissed at each other. Love and hate and drugs, and voila, a masterpiece. (don't try this at home. your results may vary)

Fleetwood Mac literally gave a shout out to their coke dealer in the liner notes of Rumours. That pretty much sums up how they wrote it.

It’s 2019 and we still don’t have a Fleetwood Mac biopic. We are truly living in the worst timeline.

Forgot to add that Mick was sleeping with Stevie behind Lindsey’s back too. They were a mess. The chain is one of the most dynamic rock songs of all time. Never gets old

I think this story could become a movie called "The Chain", telling how they recorded this album in all this trouble between them...

nobody: lead singers in the 70s: T A M B O U R I N E

Fleetwood Mac is like the high school of bands: tons of drama, bad relationships, filled with people acting like they like each other

You could have used the footage of the Mirage tour where you see Lindsey and Stevie screaming the lyrics at each other with rage filled looks.

"How can I ever change things that I feel?" Is such a good question

This song genuinely gives me the chills every time I listen to it

"We've all been through breakups" Me, always been single: :(

The bondage they felt, enslaved to each other, not able to be apart. Amazing song

stevie’s ‘the chain’ demo is so beautiful.

It always amazed me how in a dark time in the bands lives, they came out with the greatest album of their career, channeling their pain into their music

Christine didn't get the credit she deserved until she went and created her own album.

Just the fact that they stayed together because of how well they made music despite everything else. True inspiration.

“An album by and for people cheating on each other”- John Mulaney

So we get a Queen documentary, but no Fleetwood Mac. I am not Happ

The Chain is the perfect anthem for Fleetwood Mac. This line up of band memebers has been rocking for almost 45 years now and has definitely shared the most success. Hopefully they'll work out their differences with Lindsey and the fab 5 will be back together again!

Right now I can’t get enough Fleetwood Mac, Beatles and Beach Boys.

I think an analysis of White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane is right up your alley

Their best song hands down amazing & an almost flawless classic album

Thanks for this, I paused right at "iconic bass line" and just grabbed my acoustic to do a cheap imitation of it. Such a tune that builds and builds.

Sounds like a testament to the professionalism of these guys. They were able to withstand the emotional pain they inflict on each other until they have worked together to pour their hearts into great album. That universal message was the result communicating the emotional pain.

God only knows how they stayed together but I'm glad they did

If anyone is intrigued by their story, u should read "Daisy Jones and the Six" by Taylor Jenkins Reid....the book is loosely based of the band

I just did the maths, and as of 2019, Fleetwood Mac has spent 36 of the past 42 years (since Rumours) with broadly the same lineup as on Rumours ("broadly the same" here meaning either all 5 of them, or 4 out of the 5, with or without additional members to compliment them)... That chain really did keep them together, I guess...

the most underrated guitarist ever.

A video on the making of London calling album by the clash would be cool

"The Chain" is definitely a song of two halves. One is the upbeat, driving rock and roll that had been at the epicenter of FM's muse almost since day one. HOWEVER, the eerie harmonies, the spare keyboard, throbbing bass/drum arrangement and EXPLOSIVE guitar solo blend together to paint a picture of vitriol, melancholy and anger, moreso than anything else they've released. The two halves should let each other down, but the opposite happens: they build each other up. The naggingly insistent drums mesh with the bass and keyboards to create a rock-solid melodic hook, while the guitars and particularly the vocals, dissonant and discordant even in their harmonies, rip apart that melodic hook bit by bit, until nothing is left but bloody pot shots, anger and spiraling rage. When they sing "The chain will keep us together", what they SEEM to mean is "I carry this chain and you can't have it, asshole!"

That great how they re-cycled the bass line from a different song... very eco-friendly move

We learned about Rumours in school. It was our teacher's favourite album.

Might be one of my favourite songs of all time. The build up in the end is amaaaazing and they've just put so much feeling in it

"Rumours" - one of the greatest pop rock music albums of all time. Interestingly, it came out the same year as the Eagles' "Hotel California". Wow!! That was a helluva year for music. McVie and Fleetwood are a tremendous rhythm section!!

Lindsey Buckingham is such an underrated guitarist... Another great video! Keep making these “Behind the Song” videos. I NEED MOAR!!

I NEED that Pink Floyd video

Do something about Pink Floyd, I always love your classic rock videos

If you love the stories behind the album's creation and the "soap opera" that it has become - I would HIGHLY recommend the book Daisy Jones and The Six - a book about rock and roll, sex, drugs, love, inidelty and destruction (in the late 60s and 70s). As you can imagine it is hugely inspired by Fleetwood Mac

I love Fleetwood Mac. One of my all time favorite bands. Please do a video on Rush or Metallica please!

I can imagine the glares of hatred between each other as they recorded the final take.

Okay picture this: a musical written around Fleetwood mac music

Rumours. Best album ever. The Chain...best song ever.

This channel is gold :) the research and argumentation is thought out so well. I don't care what music you're talking about; with this video quality I'll watch all your vids without hesitation

Thank you, thank you. I'm a musical teacher and a fan of Fleetwood Mac since Rhiannon. I like The Chain very much but never knew everything bout its backgrond. Thanks!

The Nicks demo was a great version as well.

Great insight my man. This was my first album bought with my own money in 1976. Been listening to The Chain for decades but never put that together like you did. Makes perfect sense! They def were held together by an unseen chain ( thank god for us they were) and it was magical. Miss you Christine ❤

This is the channel I always wanted to watch. Can't wait to hear more about classic rock from someone as well-informed as you. Looking forward to it!!

The demo of the chain was beautiful....great song any which way...i enjoy hearing raw versions simplicity is beauty💐💐💐💐💐💐💐

I always loved "Rumours" by Fleetwood Mac. And I love the beautiful Stevie Nicks.

One of my favorite songs, and I so immensely appreciate your commentary on it. You have a great channel. Keep up the good work.

Cannot thank you enough for coming up with this video, Polyphonic!

The Chain is absolutely my fav Fleetwood Mac song

Imagine someone uploading a video in 2047 called:"how Cardi B made "i like it""

You really do your research, and express your opinion based on much more than just your extensive music background. Well done, and I am now Subscribed!

This song always has and will stike me down by its intense beauty. Thanks for your insights Polyphonic.

please do something about the velvet underground? love you videos! always makes me exited!

The live version ‘82 of The Chain is NUTS

I'm about 3 vids deep in your collection. I really dig what you're doing. Well done!

You are my favorite channel right now. Keep up the fantastic work.

Your work is so well put together. By far one of my favorite channels!

That no one member was as important as the whole was why Peter Green insisted the band be called fleetwood Mac, and why he was so annoyed when it was first named Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac.

Absolutely brilliant, yet again. Well done!

The quality of your videos is outstanding. Incredible content i'm always eager to watch!

When you're through with Pink Floyd, how about some REM; Mike Mills bass playing (nonconventional compared to most bass players) and their use of rounds (of 3) especially in their choruses. Other possibilities; Modest Mouse, Frank Zappa and The Who. Awesome channel!!! Really enjoy your videos and appreciate the time and effort you put in them.

That Demo with Nick's lyrics is incredible

Well done. I always knew there was more to this song and you have analyzed it well.

Your videos continue to inspire and educate. Thank you for being one of the best channels on RU-vid

The chain is the accidental masterpiece

One of the absolute best songs in music history

I love this channel so much. Super excited for your future vids!!

That was a Beautiful critique... thanks. I always loved this song.

I think chains has to be in the top 5 songs of the 1970s the bass and guitar solo just amazing it's the one thing that gripped me to the song

Would love to hear an episode on Tool’s music, they’re notoriously cryptic but cover a wide array of topics ranging from personal issues to politics and to religion.

This was the first video from Polyphonic I watched. Now I'm hooked!

I love all your videos. They're so well put together. Keep them coming I look forward to who you dissect next.

💖Fleetwood Mac💖 “The Chain” is my favorite song! Thanks for posting.

The lyrics are much more VAGG now

Dude, killer stuff, I already loved this song, but knowing this makes it so much better. You've got another Patron my friend, keep up the good stuff!

LOVE this channel - I subbed years ago - Hope you go on doing this forever man :) xxx from NSW Australia

Who else would love him to do a video on one of the following: Genesis/Peter Gabriel Black Sabbath Dio Joy Division Rush Yes

"And if you dont love me now, You will never love me again"

You are so good, Polyphonic. Thanks for the information and analysis.

Man you did a great job on this take of this great song! keep it up!

This is a REALLY good piece. I have been a diehard Fleetwood Mac fan for 40 years...yet you reported things I had never heard of. You breakdown of what components went into this song is first rate--the repurposing of other tunes and lyrics. I'm interested in more detail on how this developed. Stevie's demo is beautiful and haunting as it is. I wonder why she'd donate it to the cause.

3:32 much more vague now??? Vagg??

I really like this channel. Well done on one my favorite groups, album and song!

I'm so glad I found your channel, dude! Keep up with the awesome work! :D

How Tame Impala wrote 4 albums completely alone in his bedroom.

I've been sleeping on this band for too long. thanks for the video.

Yours are some of the best music video essays I've seen, very interesting and well researched. Instant subscribe! How do you not have more subs?

Another fantastic video as always!

amazing! this guy can really tell a story, his voice is great. Apart from that his analysis is superb. Thanks for sharing this

Thank you Guardians of The Galaxy, for introducing me to this masterpiece. The soundtrack of the film is a masterpiece.

I LOVE BOTH OF THE SONGS THE FIRST AND THEN THE REMAKE. BEAUTIFUL.

Man you are good! This was very entertaining!