Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys is clearly a man who likes to keep busy, han… Read Full Bio ↴Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys is clearly a man who likes to keep busy, handling plenty of production assignments and backing like-minded artists during his downtime from the band, and in 2015, after the Black Keys took some time off after drummer Patrick Carney suffered a shoulder injury, Auerbach decided to make productive use of the hiatus by launching a new side project. The Arcs were formed by Auerbach and Leon Michaels, a multi-instrumentalist who was part of the studio crew on Auerbach's production projects for Dr. John and Lana Del Rey. Telling the press "I just wanted to do my thing and get extra weird," Auerbach headed into the studio with Michaels and a handful of friends and colleagues, including Nick Movshon, Homer Steinweiss, Richard Swift, and Kenny Vaughan. The Arcs made their debut with a 7" vinyl single released to independent music stores to commemorate the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao title fight in May 2015. A-side "Stay in My Corner" and the flip "Tomato Can" were songs inspired by Auerbach's passion for boxing, and "Stay in My Corner" also appeared on the Arcs' debut album, Yours, Dreamily, which was recorded in a handful of freewheeling sessions lasting less than two weeks. Yours, Dreamily appeared on Nonesuch Records in September 2015.

Biography by Mark Deming

Chains Of Love
The Arcs Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Makin' the notion
Will never swim
Get you more work than you ever planned
Give me some time now
To settle down
I got a new world
To wrap this head around

I had a cold companion
I was her net to land in
She knew what she was doin'
I felt a storm was brewin'

Chains, the chains, of love
Chains, the chains, of love
Chains, the chains, of love

Tell you the reason I go alone
'Cause even the debt seemed to do me wrong
Tell you my secret
You tell me your lies
Keep you clean just like an alibi

I had a cold companion
I was her net to land in
She knew what she was doin'
I felt a storm was brewin'

Chains, the chains, of love
Chains, the chains, of love
Chains, the chains, of love

Chains, the chains, of love
Chains, the chains, of love

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Arcs’ song Chains Of Love appear to explore relationship dynamics and the emotions and consequences that come with them. The lines “Makin’ the notion/Will never swim/Get you more work than you ever planned” suggest that the idea or concept of love requires effort and commitment. It involves risks and uncertainties as demonstrated in the lines “I was her net to land in/She knew what she was doin’/I felt a storm was brewin’”. The use of the metaphor “storm” suggests turbulence and chaos - perhaps a reference to the emotional turmoil that often accompanies a love relationship.

The lyrics also seem to reflect on the negative effects of love as demonstrated in the lines “Tell you the reason I go alone/’Cause even the debt seemed to do me wrong”. This could suggest that the cost of loving someone outweighs the benefits, or love can come with a high price that is not always worth paying. The repetition of “Chains, the chains, of love” in the chorus emphasizes the idea that love can bind us and hold us hostage, creating a sense of captivity and helplessness.

Overall, the song appears to be a reflection on the complexities of love and its ability to both enrich and constrain our lives. It suggests that while love can be a powerful force that brings people together, it can also be a double-edged sword that causes pain and heartache.

Line by Line Meaning

Makin' the notion
Putting together a plan

Will never swim
Will never succeed

Get you more work than you ever planned
Will require more effort than originally anticipated

Give me some time now
Please be patient with me

To settle down
To calm down and focus

I got a new world
I have entered a new phase of life

To wrap this head around
To comprehend and adjust to

I had a cold companion
I was in a relationship with someone who was emotionally distant

I was her net to land in
I provided emotional support for her

She knew what she was doin'
She was aware of the dynamics of our relationship

I felt a storm was brewin'
I sensed that something was wrong or about to go wrong

Chains, the chains, of love
The entrapment of being in love

Tell you the reason I go alone
I am explaining why I prefer to be single

'Cause even the debt seemed to do me wrong
Even things that seemed like a good idea ended up hurting me

Tell you my secret
Sharing a personal piece of information

You tell me your lies
Someone else reciprocating by lying to me

Keep you clean just like an alibi
Trying to hide the truth and keep up appearances

Chains, the chains, of love
The entrapment of being in love

Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dan Auerbach, Leon Michels, Richard Swift

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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