"Chain Gang"
Single by Sam Cooke
from the album Swing Low
B-side	"I Fall in Love Every Day"
Released	July 26, 1960
Recorded	January 25, 1960
Studio	RCA Victor, New York City
Genre	Soul [1] pop [1]
Length	2:34
Label	RCA Victor
Songwriter(s)	Sam Cooke, Charles Cook Jr. [2]
Producer(s)	Hugo & Luigi
Sam Cooke singles chronology
"You Understand Me" (1960) "Chain Gang" (1960) " Sad Mood" (1960)

"Chain Gang" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, released as a single on July 26, 1960.

Background

This was Cooke's second-biggest American hit, his first hit single for RCA Victor after leaving Keen Records earlier in 1959, and was also his first top 10 hit since " You Send Me" from 1957, and his second-biggest pop single. The song was inspired after a chance meeting with an actual chain gang of prisoners on a highway, seen while Cooke was on tour. ^[3]

Chart history

The song became one of Cooke's most successful singles, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B Sides chart. ^{[4] [5]} Overseas, "Chain Gang" charted at number nine on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Cooke's first top-ten single there. ^[6]

Jim Croce medley

Jim Croce had his last Hot 100 hit in 1976 when Lifesong Records released "Chain Gang Medley", a medley which included this song as well as " He Don't Love You (Like I Love You)" and " Searchin'." The medley reached a peak of No. 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 after spending 9 weeks on the chart.

Other versions

American rhythm and blues/soul singer Jackie Wilson together with jazz pianist Count Basie released their version as a single in 1968, from the album Manufacturers of Soul. The song peaked at No. 84 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 37 on the Billboard R&B chart. ^{[13] [14]}

References