Besides crafting over thirty CDs of original music, Tabacco has sang lead vocals for The Ed Palermo Big Band, and Stealin’ Dan 2 as well as vocals and drums for the Beatles Magical Orchestra, and the Beatle’s tribute band Mostly Moptop.
When not vocalizing or recording he plays host to a free form college radio show mysteriously entitled CLAM RADIO on WUSB, Stony Brook University.
Like an unfolding musical diary / puzzle, Tabacco’s music and art are constantly being re-worked, juxtaposed and intertwined. His style is a melding of pop, jazz, rock, r&b, avant-garde, aleatory, and neoclassical sprinkled with a good measure of absurd humor.
Main influences : The Beatles, Frank Zappa, Steely Dan, Firesign Theatre, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Stravinsky, Thelonious Monk, Brian Wilson, Captain Beefheart
Chains
John Tabacco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And they ain't the kind that you can see.
Whoa, it's chains of love got a hold on me. Yeah!
Chains, well I can't break away from these chains,
Can't run around 'cause I'm not free.
Whoa, these chains of love won't let me be. Yeah!
I'd like to hold you, but, darling, I'm imprisoned by these
Chains, my baby's got me locked up in chains,
And they ain't the kind that you can see.
Whoa, it's chains of love got a hold on me, Yeah!
I wanna tell you pretty baby, your lips look sweet.
I'd like to kiss them, But I can't break away from all these
Chains, my baby's got me locked up in chains,
And they ain't the kind that you can see.
Whoa, it's chains of love got a hold on me, Yeah!
The lyrics to John Tabacco's song "Chains" paint the picture of the singer being in love and feeling trapped in a relationship. He describes it as being "locked up in chains," but not the kind that are physical or visible. These are chains of love that have a hold on him and prevent him from breaking free. The song's chorus repeats this idea, emphasizing the singer's inability to escape.
Despite his confinement, the singer still finds his partner attractive and desires to be close to them. However, even the possibility of a kiss seems impossible due to his imprisonment in these emotional chains.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of longing and frustration. The singer is clearly in love, but the intensity of the emotion has become overwhelming and suffocating. He is unable to experience the freedom and independence he craves, and instead remains locked up in these chains of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Chains, my baby's got me locked up in chains, And they ain't the kind that you can see.
The singer's lover has a strong hold on them, even though there are no physical restraints present. The chains are metaphorical, symbolizing the power of their love.
Whoa, it's chains of love got a hold on me. Yeah!
The singer is emphasizing the all-consuming, powerful nature of their love, which is capable of locking them up in metaphorical chains.
Chains, well I can't break away from these chains, Can't run around 'cause I'm not free.
The singer cannot escape the emotional hold their lover has on them, and as a result, they feel trapped and unable to be free.
Whoa, these chains of love won't let me be. Yeah!
The strong love the artist and their lover share makes it impossible for them to break away from the emotional chains that bind them together.
Now believe me when I tell you I think you're fine. I'd like to hold you, but, darling, I'm imprisoned by these
The artist wants to show affection towards their lover but seems physically imprisoned and, therefore, unable to do so.
Chains, my baby's got me locked up in chains, And they ain't the kind that you can see.
The singer is emphasizing the invisible nature of their chains, heightening the emotional tension they face and how it limits their freedom.
I wanna tell you pretty baby, your lips look sweet. I'd like to kiss them, But I can't break away from all these
The singer's affection towards their lover is genuine, but their emotional chains prevent them from expressing it as they wish.
Chains, my baby's got me locked up in chains, And they ain't the kind that you can see. Whoa, it's chains of love got a hold on me, Yeah!
The artist reiterates the intense emotional hold their lover has over them, expressing how they feel locked up despite no physical chains, highlighting their vulnerability and their lover's power over them.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Gerry Goffin, Carole King
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind