"Chain Gang" is a song by American singer-songwriter

Sam Cooke Samuel Cooke (; January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964) was an American singer and songwriter. Considered one of the most influential soul music, soul artists of all time, Cooke is commonly referred to as the "King of Soul" for his distin ...

, released as a single on July 26, 1960.

Background

This was Cooke's second-biggest American hit, his first hit single for

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic ...

after leaving

Keen Records Keen Records was an American independent record label, founded by John and Alex Siamas in 1957 in Los Angeles. John Siamas was a successful businessman in the aerospace industry, and, as a music aficionado, started Keen as a side business. They ...

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.

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. Overseas, "Chain Gang" charted at number nine on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Cooke's first top-ten single there.

Jim Croce medley

Jim Croce James Joseph Croce (; January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973) was an American Folk music, folk and rock singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he released five studio albums and numerous singles. During this period, Croce took a series of o ...

had his last Hot 100 hit in 1976 posthumously 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

In 1966,

Otis Redding Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. ...

released a version of the song for his fourth studio album, '' The Soul Album''. In addition, American rhythm and blues/soul singer Jackie Wilson together with jazz pianist

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

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.

In popular culture

A version of the song is chanted by the marching inmates, in the 1990 film '' Cadence''.

References

{{authority control 1960 songs 1960 singles 1968 singles Sam Cooke songs Jackie Wilson songs Jim Croce songs Songs written by Sam Cooke Song recordings produced by Hugo & Luigi Songs about prison Songs about labor RCA Victor singles American rhythm and blues songs