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Daniel Lanois — The Unbreakable Chain
Album: For The Beauty Of Wynona
Avg rating:
6.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 658









Released: 1993
Length: 4:15
Plays (last 30 days): 3
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You wake up and there's something there tugging at your sleeve
It's not the pitter-patter of the one in your dreams
Held on by the chain, the unbreakable chain
Held there by the chain, the unbreakable chain

You walk and you know that the wind is not passing you by
It's speaking and you listen and the tears don't come now when you cry
Cry, cry, crying won't break the unbreakable chain
Crying won't break the unbreakable chain

It's thirty years ago and you live with your decision
You talk to him in a prayer, you send out your transmission
But a prayer won't break the unbreakable chain
Your prayers won't break the unbreakable chain

Your baby's not yours but he walks the streets of your city
He wants to know you, there's no self pity
It's pulling at your heart, the unbreakable chain
Pulling at your heart, with the unbreakable chain

And you, you put an ad in the paper, it's foolish but maybe
Maybe he'll see cause he's searching for mama mi
Oh mama here, mama feel the unbreakable chain
Mama feel the unbreakable chain

You can't believe that it's now, it's turned itself around
You're frightened of the way that you look, but you meet him there in town
Oh the joy and the fear of the unfailable pain
The joy and the fear of the unfailable pain

He stares at you and you step back and no words are spoken
You say hello to your boy and he says, "Mama, you've awoken"
Ah yes, you have broken the unbreakable chain
Yes, you have broken the unbreakable chain
You have broken the unbreakable chain
Yeah, you have broken the unbreakable chain
Comments (47)add comment
Lanois stands for Legend!  
Posted 4 months ago by geonuine    [ Reply ]
 rascal420 wrote:

Wynona needs to shop lift some clothes?

...& some cheezburgers with fries and then some cake with ice cream for dessert

Posted 1 year ago by dischuckin    [ Reply ]
As talented as an artist as a producer!  One of the best! And one of the most unique guitarists I've seen. 
Posted 1 year ago by surfool    [ Reply ]
sad lyrics.
Posted 1 year ago by lily34    [ Reply ]
Yikes...

That's quite a provocative album cover 

naked woman with a switchblade knife
Posted 1 year ago by idiot_wind    [ Reply ]
I haven't heard Daniel's vocals much before, and find the voice intriguing. I can't work out who he reminds me of. There are I think several singers who could follow on from this following the husky vibe (any pun unintentional), but I can't name them offhand. 
Posted 2 years ago by kbs    [ Reply ]
 Harry_Tuttle_99 wrote:
Hahaha! The "American Edition" covers up her nipple - Glad someone is thinking of the children!
'Where's lunch?' thinks Junior...

Posted 2 years ago by kbs    [ Reply ]
Don't know what to make of the album cover. Am I supposed to feel lust or bloodlust? Is that the point - some kind of relationship between beautiful women who are capable of wounding you? Don't know the artist's intention but if that's an artful way of pointing out one the first things you learn when dating - every date could go South real fast - universal but not original.
Posted 2 years ago by itsme_bygolly    [ Reply ]
Hahaha! The "American Edition" covers up her nipple - Glad someone is thinking of the children!
Posted 2 years ago by Harry_Tuttle_99    [ Reply ]

We are not getting any younger . . . . .
Posted 2 years ago by sfyi2001    [ Reply ]
Deceptive marketing! I expect they'll get a refund on that chain. ;p
Posted 3 years ago by ziggytrix    [ Reply ]
 mach-hog wrote:
Love this album, it is truly awesome. Good Catholic mix of violence and sex.

This song resonated when a new family member was discovered in '94 and I could kind of link his story of being born out of wedlock and abandoned by his birth mother to an adoptive family. Nice to hear Lanois on RP.
 
Not the best choice of words, unless you have specific knowledge of the situation. As an adoptee I have issues with that generalization, or frankly any generalization about adoption - every case is different.
Regardless, glad you found your family member, hope it's worked out well for all involved.
Peace,
c.
Posted 3 years ago by cc_rider    [ Reply ]
There’s a trove of magnificent songs from him. As well as instrumental pieces. Always enjoy them when they are played.
Posted 3 years ago by lugocvls    [ Reply ]
Play this anytime you want. 
Posted 3 years ago by Randy    [ Reply ]
Lanois always creates at the master's level, and the story told by this song is certainly no exception.
Posted 3 years ago by DaveDalzell    [ Reply ]
All I hear is silence.  
Posted 4 years ago by Laptopdog    [ Reply ]
 maggierob wrote:
I’m also getting only silence on this track.
 

Yep.  I would have liked to hear it.  oh well.
Posted 4 years ago by khardog145    [ Reply ]
I’m also getting only silence on this track.
Posted 4 years ago by maggierob    [ Reply ]
Still silence today (8 July 2020)
Posted 4 years ago by reijkman    [ Reply ]
Winona says "I will cut you"!
Posted 4 years ago by kazoo    [ Reply ]
Still silence today (8 June 2020)
Posted 4 years ago by dwhayslett    [ Reply ]
silence!
and she needs a sammich or three
Posted 4 years ago by jpfueler    [ Reply ]
Love this album, it is truly awesome. Good Catholic mix of violence and sex.

This song resonated when a new family member was discovered in '94 and I could kind of link his story of being born out of wedlock and abandoned by his birth mother to an adoptive family. Nice to hear Lanois on RP.
Posted 4 years ago by mach-hog    [ Reply ]
 htimsmk wrote:
This entire song was silence for me.
 
Me too, but two hours later...  I'd like to hear it.
Posted 4 years ago by alanthecowboy    [ Reply ]
This entire song was silence for me.
Posted 4 years ago by htimsmk    [ Reply ]
On this record, there are many much better songs than this one.  It's too bad we couldn't listen to the title track, or Beatrice, or Still Learning how to Crawl...
Lanois is a deep, talented musician, songwriter and performer.  This choice of song doesn't quite do him justice.
Posted 5 years ago by stretcher    [ Reply ]
More Lanois Please.
Anything from Acadie or Wynona.
He is in a league of his own.
Posted 5 years ago by ace-marc    [ Reply ]
One of the few songs about adoption and reunion. Maybe the only one. And it's real.
Posted 5 years ago by RabbitEars    [ Reply ]
 Xeric wrote:
Dig that bass!
 
The fantastic Daryll Johnson

Posted 5 years ago by RabbitEars    [ Reply ]
How odd.  This very moment I'm making a post in the song comments for a Blind Faith song where the cover art is being discussed so much.  I'm writing about the music though, not the cover.  The nudity of the original cover is no longer shown.  Instead we get the American cover.  Over here it's acceptable.  Eh ?

obtw, I'll give this song a 7 for an opener ...
Posted 5 years ago by kurtster    [ Reply ]
I see a lot of negative comments about the repetitiveness of the lyrics here and I‘m just sitting here enjoying some beautiful guitar and bass playing. Sometimes the instrumentalization of a piece can actually compensate the lyrics quite a bit I find.
Posted 5 years ago by michael.wagner91    [ Reply ]
Dig that bass!
Posted 20 years ago by Xeric    [ Reply ]
Wynona needs to shop lift some clothes?
Posted 20 years ago by rascal420    [ Reply ]
trixie wrote:
What is with that album cover? It scares me :-s
Bjork?
Posted 20 years ago by stubbsz    [ Reply ]
What is with that album cover? It scares me :-s
Posted 20 years ago by trixie    [ Reply ]
toastee wrote:
this is a bit slow & repetative, but nothing could suck as bad as Michael Bolton
To put Lanois and Bolton in the same category is just plain ignorant! I agree, very little sucks as much as Bolton.
Posted 20 years ago by Pyro    [ Reply ]
neuraljazz wrote:
BooooooooRrrrrrring. this is supposed to be eclectic intelligent ROCK? Micheal Bolton's better than this repetitive loser. A lot of this is beginning to sound a lot like a xtian music Krap.
this is a bit slow & repetative, but nothing could suck as bad as Michael Bolton
Posted 20 years ago by toastee    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by KohlDaddy: Nice song from a great album and an exceptional artist. Lanois creates an immersive enviromental sound that is haunting and engaging. May I suggest you also play the stunning title track from this album. Good to hear.
Interesting comment. But you gave Mercy Street a 1.. what the heck do you know about haunting and engaging. More interesting yet is that Lanois had a little to do with a certain Peter Gabriel Album that Mercy Street was on.
Posted 21 years ago by stubbsz    [ Reply ]
BooooooooRrrrrrring. this is supposed to be eclectic intelligent ROCK? Micheal Bolton\'s better than this repetitive loser. A lot of this is beginning to sound a lot like a xtian music Krap.
Posted 21 years ago by neuraljazz    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by KevDog: I very much admire Daniel Lanois' work in front of the microphone. This is a good album, but I much prefer Acadie. I guess it is the French Canadian in me.
I have never taken much time to gain an impression much more than neutral for Lanois' solo recordings. Obviously, he has a great ear for music and is a producer of high skill. Hearing this in Paradise moves that thinking to positive, at least for the sound presented by this song.
Posted 21 years ago by mperry    [ Reply ]
HUH? I guess everyone can have an opinion...He's a great musician,producer, and lyricist.
Originally Posted by PhysicsGenius: This is usually a codephrase for "can't play a melody or hold a tempo" and this seems to be no exception.
Posted 21 years ago by patrick_larson    [ Reply ]
Nice song from a great album and an exceptional artist. Lanois creates an immersive enviromental sound that is haunting and engaging. May I suggest you also play the stunning title track from this album. Good to hear.
Posted 21 years ago by KohlDaddy    [ Reply ]
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I\'ve been hoping to hear some cuts from this album on RP.
Posted 21 years ago by eric    [ Reply ]
This song has a kind of undescribable tension in it... I love it! Well, ok, I admit to uploading it...
Posted 21 years ago by heeb    [ Reply ]