Born in Baltimore, Turner was first taught piano by his mother when he was five. He moved to New York around 1925 and enjoyed much popularity among musicians in Harlem, working with June Clark (1927-1928), Benny Carter (1929), and Louis Armstrong (1930). He accompanied the singer Adelaide Hall in a piano duo with Alex Hill and then with Francis Carter; he and Carter toured Europe with Hall in 1931. Turner performed as a soloist throughout Europe until 1939, and then in the USA. After working as a member of an army band led by Sy Oliver (1944-1945) and with Rex Stewart (1946) he returned to Europe and played in Hungary (1948) and Switzerland (1949-1962). He then settled in Paris, where from 1962 he held a residency at La Calvados; he also performed in Great Britain, Switzerland, and the USA. Turner was influenced mainly by James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Art Tatum, and Erroll Garner.
Chains Of Love
Joe Turner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Has tied my heart to you
Chains of love
Have made me feel so blue
Well, now I'm your prisoner
Tell me what you're gonna do
Are you gonna leave me?
Are you gonna love me?
Are you gonna make me cry?
These chains of blues gonna haunt me
Until the day I die
Well, if you're gonna leave me
Please won't you set me free
Well, if you're gonna leave me
Please won't you set me free
I can't stay here with these chains
Less'n you stay on here with me
Well, three 'o clock in the morning
Baby, and the moon is shining bright
Yeah, just three 'o clock in the morning
The moon is shining bright
I'm just sitting here wondering
Where can you be tonight?
In the song "Chains of Love," Joe Turner sings about the painful experience of being bound to a love interest who is causing him distress. The chains of love represent the emotional connections that have tied his heart to this person who is making him feel blue. Despite feeling like a prisoner in this relationship, he is still hoping for a resolution. He poses questions to his love interest, hoping for clarity on whether they plan on leaving him, making him cry or love him. He expresses that the blues caused by these chains of love will continue to haunt him until the day he dies.
The chorus of the song shows Joe Turner pleading with his love interest to set him free if they plan on leaving him. He cannot bear being stuck in this relationship with these chains while they go off and leave him behind. Moreover, the final verse of the song highlights the sense of loneliness that Joe is feeling, particularly in the middle of the night when he is left wondering where his lover is at this moment. The moon shining bright serves to indicate that it is a peaceful night, yet the singer is troubled by the chains that are holding him down.
Line by Line Meaning
Chains of love
The intense emotions of love are restricting and controlling.
Has tied my heart to you
The singer's heart is bound to their lover through the chains of love.
Have made me feel so blue
The singer feels sad and depressed due to the intense emotions of love.
Well, now I'm your prisoner
The chains of love have made the artist a captive of their lover.
Tell me what you're gonna do
The artist wants to know what their lover has planned for them.
Are you gonna leave me?
The singer is uncertain about their lover's intentions and fears abandonment.
Are you gonna make me cry?
The singer is worried about the possibility of their lover causing them emotional pain.
Are you gonna love me?
The artist desires affection and love from their partner.
These chains of blues gonna haunt me
The emotions of love will continue to plague the artist for a long time.
Until the day I die
The emotions of love will persist throughout the artist's life.
Well, if you're gonna leave me
The singer is pleading with their lover to not abandon them.
Please won't you set me free
The artist wants to be released from the emotional chains of love.
I can't stay here with these chains
The intense emotions of love are making it difficult for the singer to stay in the relationship.
Less'n you stay on here with me
The singer is willing to endure the emotional chains of love if their lover stays with them.
Well, three 'o clock in the morning
The singer is awake and alone in the middle of the night.
Baby, and the moon is shining bright
The night sky is illuminated by the moon's light.
I'm just sitting here wondering
The artist is lost in thought and contemplation about their relationship.
Where can you be tonight?
The singer is unsure of their lover's whereabouts and is worried about their safety and well-being.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc
Written by: AHMET ERTEGUN, HARRY VAN WALLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thomaslombardo3401
My all-time favorite Joe Turner record. Love it ! 😊😊😊
@j.conroy2011
Big Joe has my vote, always. Listening to the godfather of modern music.
@SneakyCheeseThief
Makes me wanna drink bourbon and sit in a chair. Love it!
@srercrcr
Thdxbll3 How about one or the other?
@SneakyCheeseThief
Well, you're right - the odd rhythm in the flames version grows on you. I took your advice and listened before bed, and just woke up wanting to hear it again. But then I listened to Big Joe one more time, and I gotta say that's where my preference lies.
@srercrcr
To me it's hypnotic....stays with me all day!
@SneakyCheeseThief
The Flames version is definitely hypnotic. I've been listening all day. And I doubt I'd have stumbled on it without you, so much thanks.
@darrylevans4401
This is a great blues song from the late and great big boss man of the blues Joe Turner from 1950 after all we black folks invented blues music in this country i still play on my internet radio show Classic Soul me the Masterblaster
@gregoryholcomb9188
Got on the stage with Big Joe at The Zebra Club in Atlanta and helped him with gonna roll like a wheel in a Georgia Cotton Field and loved every minute of it. Way back about 1965.. GFH
@satinque
Chained, hooked and just wondering why I let him tie my heart to him forever?