Peak
2
Weeks
16
Score
3,491
Chart Year
1960
Chain Gang peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 after its release on 26th July 1960. The song was apparently inspired by a moment whilst Cooke was on tour, when he handed out cigarettes to a chain gang of prisoners who were working on the side of the road with his brother. The track would most notably be covered eight years later by Jackie Wilson and Count Basie, who saw minor chart success with the song
[Intro] Hoh ah, hoh, I hear something saying Hoh ah, hoh ah Uh ah, uh ah [Chorus] Well don't you know That's the sound of the men Working on the chain gang That's the sound of the men Working on the chain gang [Bridge] All day long they're saying, huh ah Huh ah, uh ah, uh ah [Chorus] Well don't you know That's the sound of the men Working on the chain gang That's the sound of the men Working on the chain gang [Verse 1] All day long they work so hard Till the sun is going down Working on the highways and byways And wearing, wearing a frown You hear them moaning their lives away Then you hear somebody say; [Chorus] Well don't you know That's the sound of the men Working on the chain gang That's the sound of the men Working on the chain gang You might also like Love From The Other Side Fall Out Boy Wonderful World Sam Cooke Thinkin’ Bout Me Morgan Wallen [Verse 2] Can't you hear them singing, mmm huh hah I'm going home one of these days huh hah I'm going home, see my woman huh hah Whom I love so dear But meanwhile, I gotta work right here huh hah [Chorus] Well don't you know That's the sound of the men Working on the chain gang That's the sound of the men Working on the chain gang [Outro] All day long they're singing, mm huh ah My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my work is so hard huh ah Gimme water, I'm thirsty, my, my work is so hard huh ah Woah oh, y, my, my, my, my, my, my My work is so hard huh ah
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 15, 1960 | 79 | 47 |
| 2 | Aug 22, 1960 | 54 | 72 |
| 3 | Aug 29, 1960 | 33 | 93 |
| 4 | Sep 5, 1960 | 22 | 104 |
| 5 | Sep 12, 1960 | 6 | 120 |
| 6 | Sep 19, 1960 | 5 | 121 |
| 7 | Sep 26, 1960 | 3 | 123 |
| 8 | Oct 3, 1960 | 2 | 124 |
| 9 | Oct 10, 1960 | 2 | 124 |
| 10 | Oct 17, 1960 | 3 | 123 |
| 11 | Oct 24, 1960 | 5 | 121 |
| 12 | Oct 31, 1960 | 5 | 121 |
| 13 | Nov 7, 1960 | 12 | 114 |
| 14 | Nov 14, 1960 | 20 | 106 |
| 15 | Nov 21, 1960 | 25 | 101 |
| 16 | Nov 28, 1960 | 46 | 80 |