Chains

The Story Behind the Song

Two brief, brutal portraits -- a boy whose father is taken away in handcuffs, a girl whose mother dies from an abusive relationship -- of children inheriting suffering they didn't choose. "Baptized in pain" reframes trauma almost like a rite of passage nobody consents to. The only way out the song offers is the hardest one: naming the chains and choosing, deliberately, not to pass them on.

Performances

Sadie McCoy's "Hers" edition performs the same twelve songs with her own vocal performance; per-track durations for her edition aren't published yet.

Lyrics

A boy stands silent as the cuffs go on, “Don’t worry, junior, I won’t be gone long.” That was five years ago, ain’t heard nothin’ else, He misses his daddy, but not the leather belts. A girl holds on to her mama’s bruised hand, Swears she’ll never be with that kind of man. That was ten years ago, since mama’s been dead, On the streets since then, nowhere to lay her head. They’re just children—but they’re wrapped up in chains,  Born into sorrow—baptized in pain.  Wear 'em forever or cut 'em off here,  But walkin' through Hell means facin' our fears. Beaten down… beaten up… kicked around… All the tears… all the pain… in these chains you’re bound… Gotta get out, pick yourself up, and run for your life! Long is the road that out of Hell leads up to light. They’re just children—but they’re wrapped up in chains,  Born into sorrow—baptized in pain.  Wear 'em forever or cut 'em off here,  But walkin' through Hell means facin' our fears.