Chains of Love
Ryan Adams Lyrics


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Walk away slowly
You don't have to take this
In the spaces in between sadness on the faces
I can see the chains of love
The chains
Talking 'bout the chains of love
Can't take us away
Storms are brewing in your heart
I don't wanna waste it
Better to have tried it all
Least we got to taste it
Locked up in the chains of love
We change
Caught up in the chains of love
Can't take us away

Clouds moving over the house
I think about those days
Wish I had something to relax my mind
Send me off to heaven
I've got nothing but time

Lightning in the sky above
Blinking, see the traces
Everything you are to me is bigger than the spaces
Between us in the chains of love
The chains
Locked up in the chains of love
Can't take us away
Can't take us away




Can't take us away
Can't take us away

Overall Meaning

In "Chains of Love" by Ryan Adams, he addresses a partner who seems to be struggling with sadness and is stuck in a vicious cycle in a relationship. The lyrics "Walk away slowly, you don't have to take this" show that the character is aware of the toxicity of their relationship and tries to suggest a way out. However, the chorus repeats "the chains of love" indicating that even though they may be aware of the issues, they are in a complicated web of emotions and maybe even codependency.


There's a sense of pessimism in the overall lyrics, and the line "storms are brewing in your heart, I don't wanna waste it" shows that even though there may be problems, the character is not willing to give up on the relationship. They would rather face the difficulties head-on, knowing that it's better to encounter storms than to never go through them at all. The final verse shows a longing for something to relax the mind while reminiscing about the times gone by. The song recognizes both the positive and negative aspects of being in love, and how it can result in feeling trapped while also being the only thing keeping two people together.


Line by Line Meaning

Walk away slowly
Leave the situation gradually and carefully


You don't have to take this
You're not obligated to endure this pain or suffering


In the spaces in between sadness on the faces
Amid the sorrowful expressions of people around us


I can see the chains of love
I can see how love can bind and restrict us


The chains
The emotional shackles that bind us to each other


Talking 'bout the chains of love
Discussing how love can both liberate and imprison us


Can't take us away
Our love cannot be destroyed or dismantled


Storms are brewing in your heart
You're feeling a lot of emotional turbulence within


I don't wanna waste it
I don't want to squander our time together


Better to have tried it all
It's preferable to have experienced everything fully


Least we got to taste it
At least we had a brief encounter with love


Locked up in the chains of love
Trapped within the bonds of our affection


We change
We adapt to the pressures and hardships of love


Caught up in the chains of love
Entangled and restricted by the ties of our affection


Clouds moving over the house
A metaphor for the transience and unpredictability of life


I think about those days
Reflecting on the past with nostalgia and longing


Wish I had something to relax my mind
Desiring a way to calm and quiet the mind


Send me off to heaven
Expressing a desire for relief and transcendence


I've got nothing but time
Feeling as though there is nothing to do but wait for a release from pain


Lightning in the sky above
The intense and dramatic nature of love and emotion


Blinking, see the traces
Seeing the remnants or consequences of our actions


Everything you are to me is bigger than the spaces
Your significance and impact on me transcends the distance or obstacles between us


Between us in the chains of love
Despite the restrictions and limitations of our love


Can't take us away
Our love cannot be destroyed or dismantled


Can't take us away
Our love cannot be destroyed or dismantled


Can't take us away
Our love cannot be destroyed or dismantled


Can't take us away
Our love cannot be destroyed or dismantled




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RYAN ADAMS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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