He was performing very much in the rock n roll piano style of his cousin Jerry Lee Lewis (and another cousin, the Reverend Jimmy Swaggart). He formed his own label, Astro in 1964 and cut an album named after a Lewis success "Down the Line". Re-issued on Paula, the album was a regional hit. The big time, however, continued to elude him although he had a minor hit with "Now I Can Live Again" from the album. At an Astro session he laid down a version of George Morgan's old hit "Room Full of Roses" which attracted airplay locally and was picked up for national release by Hugh Heffner's Playboy label. It hit No. 1 in the Country charts. After 12 further hits with the label, Playboy was taken over by Epic and Gilley moved there for his most consistent run of album and singles success.
He was now performing straight-up piano-led Country material. Gradually, he moved towards a more pop-orientated sound in the 1980s, which brought him further success on not just the Country charts, but also the Pop charts. Before that, however, he had a string of Country hits throughout the 70s, often revivals like "I Overlooked An Orchid" (Carl Smith - No. 1, 1974), "City Lights" (Bill Anderson - No. 1 1975), "Window Up Above" (George Jones - No. 1 1975), "Bring It On Home" (Sam Cooke - No. 1 1976). His mix of rockabilly, honky tonk and uptown Country provided more hits with "Chains of Love" (No. 9, 1977) "Honky Tonk Memories" (No. 4, 1977) and "Here Comes The Hurt Again" (No. 9,1978).
In all, Gilley had 33 Top 10 singles, 17 of which reached No. 1, on the US Country chart between 1974 and 1986. Amongst the biggest hits were "Don't the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time,"(No. 1) "Overnight Sensation" (No. 7, both 1976), remakes of the Ben E King hit "Stand By Me" and Buddy Holly's "True Love Ways" (both No. 1s in 1980).
In 1971 he lent his name to the opening the famous country nightclub Gilley's in Pasadena, Texas. His career received a big boost when both the club and his music featured prominently in the 1980 film "Urban Cowboy". The soundtrack included the Buddy Holly cover which went to No. 1. The club closed in 1989 and the building was heavily damaged by arson later that year. A new Gilley's club opened in 2003 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. And Gilley's Theatre and Diner in Branson saw the singer take up a successful residency in that Missouri city.
His most recent successful recording activity was in 1988 when he released "Chasin' Rainbows" on Airborne which produced his last Top 40 single to date when "She Reminded Me Of You" reached No 23 in the Country charts.
In July 2009, Gilly suffered a back injury in a fall and was airlifted to Houston for medical treatment but subsequently returned to Branson and performing in his theatre there. He has a Facebook information page on which he sends regular video messages to members. A recent joint biography about the three cousins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggert and Mickey, called "Unconquered" by J D Davis is a must for any fan of their music, rock n roll, Country and gospel music.
Chains Of Love
Mickey Gilley 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 the moon is shining bright
Yeah, three 'o clock in the morning
The moon is shining bright
I'm just sitting here wondering
Where can you be tonight.
The lyrics to Mickey Gilley's "Chains of Love" present a poignant portrayal of a man completely captivated by the power of love. In the opening lines, we see the singer admitting to his heart being tied to his lover by chains of love - simultaneously describing the object of his affection and his own condition. However, while he acknowledges the strength of his love, he also acknowledges the pain it brings - the emotional weight of the chains, which have made him feel blue.
As the song progresses, the singer presents a series of questions to his lover, almost pleading with her for clarity, assurance, and freedom. He wants to know if she will leave or stay, love him or break his heart. His state of mind is consumed by the chains of blues - which he knows will haunt him until the day he dies. He desperately pleads with his lover to set him free if she is going to leave him, yet at the same time, he cannot envision a future without her. The song concludes with him wondering about her whereabouts in the dead of night, the moon casting its light on his forlorn form.
Overall, the "Chains of Love" presents a stark and relatable depiction of the power dynamics at work in a relationship built on love and heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Chains of love
My heart is bound to you by devotion, creating a relationship that is binding and inescapable
Has tied my heart to you
Love's chains have ensnared me and anchored me to your affection
Have made me feel so blue
The weight of our relationship bears down on my soul and causes me great sadness
Well, now I'm your prisoner
I'm trapped in our love, unable to escape its hold on me
Tell me what you're gonna do
I'm at your mercy, uncertain of your intentions and hoping for reassurance
Are you gonna leave me
Are you planning to abandon me and break my heart?
Are you gonna make me cry
Will you hurt me emotionally and cause me to shed tears?
Are you gonna love me
Will you continue to show me affection and devotion?
These chains of blues gonna haunt me
My despair and emotional pain over our relationship will linger with me indefinitely
Until the day I die.
The emotional weight of our relationship and its aftermath will continue to affect me until the end of my life
Well, if you're gonna leave me
In the event that you choose to leave me
Please won't you set me free
I beg you to release me from the bondage of our relationship if it's no longer what you want
I can't stay here with these chains
I'm unable to continue in this relationship while feeling so emotionally restricted
Less'n you stay on here with me
Unless you choose to remain with me and keep our love alive
Well, three 'o clock in the morning
In the late hours of night
Baby the moon is shining bright
The moon's light offers a calmness that soothes my troubled thoughts
I'm just sitting here wondering
Lost in thought, pondering what the future holds for us
Where can you be tonight.
Curious about where you might be and what you might be doing without me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE DUCAS, ZACK TURNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind