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Nicholas Hargett

Shelby Stanard

English 1201

3 July 2021

The Chain that Keeps Us Together

“The Chain”, performed originally by Fleetwood Mac and later covered by The Show

Ponies, illustrates the toughness of both groups and underscores the strong companionship

between their respective members. Following the devastating breakup of the two lead singers

Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac wrote “The Chain” to demonstrate their

love for rock music and commitment to the band despite their challenging past. Years later, The

Show Ponies covered the hit song in a video echoing Fleetwood Mac’s idea. Since the original

1977 release of the album “Rumors”, which featured “The Chain”, many classic rock bands have

covered the song and its inspiring hidden meaning. The Show Ponies’ rendition modernized the

1977 classic and presented itself with a sleek, modern background, while also featuring new

instrumentation.

Fleetwood Mac wrote “The Chain” in response to internal conflict within the group,

making the song even more empowering and meaningful. The two lead singers Lindsey

Buckingham and Stevie Nicks found themselves in the middle of a difficult breakup, and the

future of the band was uncertain. In the official music video performance, the two singers engage

in a post-relationship show down and exchange glares during the entire performance. This

tension only strengthens the meaning of the song. It highlights the fact that despite conflicts

within, the band continued to perform and make music. The creation of the song “The Chain” is
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proof that the members of Fleetwood Mac are committed to each other and genuinely enjoy

creating music. In addition to this expressive performance, the lyrics provide thoughtful insight

into the deeper meaning of the song. The lyrics “Chain keep us together” illustrates the

importance of the “chain” in keeping the group together. In this case, the chain is referring to the

band, which means that the band’s love of rock music and companionship keep them together.

This message is shared in The Show Ponies' rendition of “The Chain”.

The Show Ponies’ cover of “The Chain” echoes the message of Fleetwood Mac and

demonstrates the group’s love for classic rock by adding new instruments. In addition, The Show

Ponies modernized one of Fleetwood Mac’s staple songs by using a more modern and sleek

background. Although The Show Ponies did not face internal conflicts like Fleetwood Mac, the

singers Andi Carder and Clay Chaney echoed Fleetwood Mac’s message. Musically The Show

Ponies did not change anything, apart from the introduction of a trio and a violinist. The

featuring of a trio and a violinist demonstrates the attraction and dedication they have for classic

rock. This dedication is shared by Fleetwood Mac and is the reason why “The Chain” is a song

today. Contrarily, unlike the setting of the Fleetwood Mac performance, where strobe lights are

beaming and speakers are set at full volume, The Show Ponies offer a more modest setting. The

Show Ponies use a very neutral background, with very little beaming colors, a stark contrast to

the official music video. This choice of background, in addition with the new instrumentation,

helped modernize “The Chain”. Despite these differences, the message remains the same, the

love of classic-rock and companionship keeps The Show Ponies together.

Both music videos generate pathos for their respective viewers, however Fleetwood

Mac’s performance also displays great ethos. Fleetwood Mac utilizes the tension between lead

singers Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks to give off the feeling of uneasiness, while The
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Show Ponies use their unique instrumentation that come together so nicely to evoke the feeling

of strength. Not only does Fleetwood Mac display pathos in their performance, they also exhibit

great ethos. Fleetwood Mac wrote the song to bring their camaraderie to attention after

experiencing tremendous hardships. They sing about how, despite experiencing differences, they

keep making music together because of that sense of companionship.

Fleetwood Mac released “The Chain” along with 10 other songs in the award-winning

album “Rumors” in 1977. This retro style of music has dwindled in popularity, and with

Fleetwood Mac performing an outdated style of music, their target audience still largely remains

people from the time of peak Fleetwood Mac. The Show Ponies’ rendition of “The Chain”

presents this style of music in a new light. With its sleek and modern background and innovative

musical features, The Show Ponies target a younger audience.

Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” and The Show Ponies rendition of the classic both share

one overarching claim: their love of music and feeling of companionship are what keeps both

groups together. In the lyrics “Chain keep us together”, the chain refers to the band and what

they all love about it. Since the original release in 1977, “The Chain” came to represent the

toughness of groups that sing it, especially Fleetwood Mac. In the years following, The Show

Ponies covered the classic rock hit and modernized it, bringing the song back under the spotlight

once again.
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Works Cited

YouTube. (2018). Fleetwood Mac - The Chain (Official Music Video). YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBYHwH1Vb-c. Accessed 3 July 2021

YouTube. (2015). The Show Ponies | The Chain (Fleetwood Mac). YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=504tvZzoT-c. Accessed 3 July 2021