Chain Gang

Written By: Sam Cooke and Charles Cooke    [Abkco Music Ltd. 1960]

Studio Version

Recorded January 25, 1960 in RCA Studio A in New York

Information    

• As Luigi explained to Rolling Stone, when Sam was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1985, "We made one record with him and nothing happened. Then we said, 'Listen, Sammy, you write some things and bring them in the next time we do a session.' So he did. He came by and played several things. Not everything he wrote was good. We just said, 'That's nice, what else have you got?' He said, 'Well, I'm working on a thing and it goes like, 'Uh, ah, uh, ah, I hear the sound of the men working on the chain gang.' So we postponed the session, he finished that, and of course 'Chain Gang' was a smash for him."  (From the booklet of the Hits! CD)
• The inspiration came when Sam and Charles saw a chain gang in one of the Carolinas. The brothers gave them a few cartons of cigarettes.
• It was his first single on RCA that really sold well.
• Theola Kilgore recorded an answer-song called 'Chain Gang (The Sound Of My Man)'

Produced by: Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore

Orchestra Conducted By: Glenn Osser

Billboard Review: Cooke has been hot with "Wonderful World" on his former label, and the new Victor coupling can move him right up again. "Chain Gang" is a smart, rhythmic side that can go (August 1, 1960)

MP3

• Amazon.com
• Amazon.com also has a karaoke version
• and the live version as well: Amazon.com

Charts    

• #2 in both the American Pop and R&B charts   
• UK #9

EP's   

• RCA 20030 - RCA 47146 with Another Saturday Night, Cupid and It's Got The Whole World Shakin'      
• RCA 49872 with Wonderful World, Cupid and A Change Is Gonna Come
• RCA LPC 126: "Sam Cooke Sings" with 'If You Were The Only Girl', 'Teenage Sonata' & 'You Understand Me'

Singles    

• b/w Cupid: RCA 0576 - RCA 61034
• b/w Farewell My Darling: RCA 7783 
• RCA 1202  b/w I Fall In Love Every Day, U.K. 1960: 
• with You Send Me and Another Saturday Night: RCA 2256 
• with Wonderful World - RCA 49871-51455
• PD 49455, CD-Single from April 1987
• HMV Pop 574    with Wonderful World  / Cupid / A Change Is Gonna Come (12", March 86)

Albums:    

• Swing Low (original album)
• The Best of Sam Cooke
• The One And Only Sam Cooke
• The Man And His Music
• Portrait Of A Legend
• This is Sam Cooke
• Hits!
• All Hits
• Chain Gang
• Forever
• The Golden Age of Sam Cooke
• Greatest Hits
• Sam's Soul
• 16 Most Requested Songs
• 20 Golden Greats
• 20 Greatest Hits
• Wonderful World
• The Best Of (Paradiso)
• 20 Greatest Hits (TeeVee)
• Wonderful World, The Very Best of Sam Cooke 1957-1960

Live Version

Albums: 

• Live At The Harlem Square Club
• The Man Who Invented Soul (Box)

Lyrics    /    Chords

(hooh! aah!) 4x

(Well, don't you know)
That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang
That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang

All day long they're singing (hooh! aah! 4x)

(Well, don't you know)
That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang
That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang

All day long they work so hard
'till the sun is going down
Working on the highway and byways
and wearing, wearing a frown
You hear them moaning their live away
Then you hear somebody say

That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang
That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang

Can't you hear them saying
Mm, I'm going home one of these days
I'm going home see my woman
Whom I love so dear
But meanwhile I got to work right here

(Well, don't you know)
That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang
That's the sound of the men working on the chain gang

All day long they're singing
my, my, my, my, my , my, my work is so hard
Give me water, I'm thirsty

FADE
My work is so hard

Covered By:

Alexx	Street Elite	a cappela. Get it at Amazon.com
Gerald Alston	Sings Sam Cooke
The Band	High on the Hog	Get it at Amazon.com
Blackstone Reggea All Stars	King Sound Legacy	Get it at Amazon.com
The Chaperals	Hot 'N' Hip Harmony
Jim Croce		Part of a medley
Rick Danko	Times Like These (2000)	Get it at Amazon.com
Deas Guys	Live at the Jazz Corner	Part of a Sam Cooke medley. Get it at Amazon.com
Fish Heads & Rice	Something Smells Fishy (1997)
Winston Francis
Guz	We Do Wie Du (1999)	German song with part of Chain Gang in it. Get it at Amazon.com
Ted Hawkins
Jay-Ray & Gee	A'Capella New Orleans	Get it at Amazon.com
King Curtis
Ladysmith Black Mombasa
The Nylons	Happy Together (1987)	Get it Amazon.com
Vel Omarr	Here's My Soul
The Persuasions	We Came To Play (1971)
Lou Rawls
Otis Redding	The Soul Album (1966)	Get it at Amazon.com
Robert Reich	Stranger Than Fiction (1999)
Bobby Scott
Showaddywaddy	Step Two (1975)
The Supremes	We Remember Sam Cooke
Howard Tate		Get it at Amazon.com
Texax Chainsaw Orchestra	Texas Chainsaw Orchestra (1997)
Jackie Wilson		Get it at Amazon.com