Chain Reaction (song)

"Chain Reaction" is a melodic R&B song, sung by Diana Ross, written by the Bee Gees, who also provided the backing vocals for the single. The track was released on the album Eaten Alive in 1985 and as a single twice - in 1985 and again in 1986.

According to the Gibbs biography, the brothers had initial reservations about offering the song to Diana in case it was too Motown-like for her.

The single became her first #1 single in the UK since I'm Still Waiting in 1971. The song also reached #1 in Australia and was the top selling single of the year (1986) in that country. In New-Zealand, it peaked at #3. The song fared less well in the USA where it initially peaked at #95 on the Billboard Hot 100 late in 1985. A few months later, a remixed version of the song was issued as a single (Ross performed this version of the song on the American Music Awards, which she hosted that year). The new version re-entered the chart and performed better, but with the diminished momentum, it stalled at #66. Twenty-five years later - 2011 - it stands as Diana's last appearance on the Hot 100.

Music video

At the beginning of the video, Diana Ross performs the song on a stage in front of spectators, while we see scenes in color and black-and-white photography. The scenes in black-and-white photography are live performances by the Supremes on video dar. the way Ross has the hit on a street with background dancers in a studio. While the band finished in the black and white scenes of their show, dancing with the audience and using a combination of both color scenes a producer gets in a cab from a nervous breakdown.^[1]

Charts

Chain Reaction '93

In 1993, Diana Ross released Chain Reaction '93. Producing the remix herself, the single was also successful in the United Kingdom. This version's purely instrumental sound differs it from the original. A music video was not recorded for the song.

Track listing

CD single

1. Chain Reaction '93 - 3:47
2. Upside Down - 4:07

12" UK remix single

1. "Chain Reaction" (Original 12" Version) - 6:50
2. "Chain Reaction" (Reaction Dub, remix by E-Smoove) - 6:34
3. "Chain Reaction" (Low End Mix, remix by Dewey B and Spike) - 6:15
4. "Chain Reaction" (Low End Dub, remix by Dewey B and Spike) - 6:15
5. "Chain Reaction" (Smoove Reaction Instrumental, remix by E-Smoove) - 8:40

French 2-track CD single

1. Original Single Version - 3:47
2. '93 Remix

• Italy 12"

1. "Chain Reaction" (Original Single Version) - 3:47
2. "Love Hangover" (Tribal Hangover - remix and additional production by Frankie Knuckles for Def Mix Productions) - 9:31
3. "Upside Down" ('93 Remix - Remix and additional production by Satoshi Tomiie and David Morales for Def Mix Productions.) - 8:09
4. "Upside Down" (Dub 2 - Remix and additional production by Satoshi Tomiie and David Morales for Def Mix Productions.) - 7:37
5. "Someday We'll Be Together" ('93 Remix - Remix and additional production by Frankie Knuckles for Def Mix Productions) - 8:45

Charts

Steps cover version

In 2001, British pop group Steps covered "Chain Reaction". The song reached #2 in the UK. The song was performed by the Top 4 Finalists on American Idol (season 6).

Music video

The first scene we see is two paramedics lifting a patient on a stretcher out of the back of an ambulance and take him inside the hospital. We first see Claire starting the song and then Faye sings. Then we get to see the band members together. We soon realize that H is the patient and gets up and starts singing. Then Lisa sings her part. Finally, we see the whole group singing featuring two men playing the drums. In the makings of Chain Reaction, it was said that H wanted to be on stetcher so he didn't have to move around

Track listings

CD1

1. Chain Reaction - 3:56
2. One for Sorrow [Tony Moran US Remix] - 3:29
3. Stop Me From Loving You - 3:45

CD2 (Limited Edition Club Mixes CD - Sold Out On Day Of Release)

1. Chain Reaction [Graham Stack Extended Mix] - 6:28
2. One for Sorrow [Tony Moran Extended Club Mix] - 6:38
3. One for Sorrow [Sleazesisters 12" Anthem Mix] - 6:48

Cassette

1. Chain Reaction - 3:56
2. One for Sorrow [Tony Moran US Remix] - 3:29

Australian CD Single (JIVE/EBUL)

1. Chain Reaction 3:56
2. One For Sorrow (Tony Moran US Remix) 3:29
3. Stop Me From Loving You 3:45

CDR UK EBUL/JIVE, 2001 [PROMO ONLY]

1. Chain Reaction (Kool De Sac Mix) 8.03
2. Chain Reaction (Xenomania Remix) 6.19
3. Chain Reaction (Xenomania Trance Remix) 7.33
4. Chain Reaction (Hit Squad Remix) 6.30
5. Chain Reaction (Tribal Remix) 4.19.

Remixes

• Chain Reaction (Almighty Mix) - Promo
• Chain Reaction (Hit Squad Remix) - Promo
• Chain Reaction (Kod De Sac Remix) - Promo

Chart performance

The song entered the UK charts at #2 and spent 11 weeks in the top 75. It became their biggest selling single since they released "Say You'll Be Mine / Better the Devil You Know" two years earlier.

Chart positions

End-of-year charts

Other cover versions

• The Shadows did an instrumental version on Simply Shadows (1987).

• Cliff Richard did a cover with Steps in 2001 on the ITV show 'Cliff Richard-The Hits I Missed'.

• Australian group Young Divas recorded a cover of the song for their second album New Attitude, released in 2007.

• U.K bubblegum pop duo Same Difference performed this song on semi-final night on The X Factor. After a lavish performance which featured almost an entire circus, they were voted into the final but did not win, Leon Jackson later won but Same Difference did release their first album Pop on 1 December 2008.

• Irish pop group The Nolans covered this song in 2009 as part of the one-off reunion tour. It was released on the follow-up album I'm in the Mood Again (2009)

• Swedish pop-dance singer Daniela Vecchia recorded cover of the song and released it as a standing-alone CD-single in January 2010.

• U.K Indie Rock Band Noisettes Performed a rock cover during their February/March 2010 U.K tour.

• UK car insurance comparison site Confused.com covered the song on a 2011 advert starring Louise Dearman. ^[6]

See also

• List of Number 1 singles from the 1980s (UK)

References