Chain Reaction (song)

"Chain Reaction"
Single by Diana Ross
from the album Eaten Alive
B-side "More And More"
Released November 12, 1985 (US)
February 13, 1986 (UK)
Format Vinyl (7" & 12")
Recorded 1985
Genre Soul, R&B, New Wave
Length 3:47
Label RCA Records, Capitol in the UK
Writer(s) Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb
Producer Albhy Galuten
Barry Gibb
Karl Richardson
Diana Ross singles chronology
"Eaten Alive"
(1985)
"Chain Reaction"
(1986)
"Experience"
(1986)

"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.

Contents

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

Chart (1985/86) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 66
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 85
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks 25
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 7
UK Singles Chart 1
Canadian RPM 100 Singles 40[2]
German Singles Chart 11 [3]
Swiss Singles Chart 20[4]
French Singles Chart 20
Dutch Top 40 40
Australia Kent Music Report 1
New Zealand Singles Chart 3

Chain Reaction '93

"Chain Reaction '93"
Single by Diana Ross
B-side Upside Down
Released June 1993
Format CD-Single
Recorded 1992
Genre Dance
Length 3:50
Label Motown Records
Writer(s) Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb
Diana Ross singles chronology
"Heart (Don't Change My Mind)"
(1993)
"Chain Reaction '93"
(1993)
"Your Love"
(1993)

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
  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

Chart (1993) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 20
Preceded by
"When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going" by Billy Ocean
UK number one single
March 2, 1986 for 3 weeks
Succeeded by
"Living Doll" by Cliff Richard & The Young Ones
Preceded by
"When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going" by Billy Ocean
Australian Kent Music Report number-one single
April 21, 1986 for 3 weeks
Succeeded by
"Living Doll" by Cliff Richard & The Young Ones

Steps cover version

"Chain Reaction"
Single by Steps
from the album Gold: Greatest Hits
B-side "Stop Me From Loving You"
Released September 24, 2001
(UK)
Format 2 CDs, cassette
Genre Pop
Length 3:56
Label Jive Records
Writer(s) Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb
Producer Graham Stack & Mark Taylor
Steps singles chronology
"Here And Now / You'll Be Sorry"
(2001)
"Chain Reaction"
(2001)
"Words Are Not Enough / I Know Him So Well"
(2001)

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

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

Chart (2001) Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart 41
Irish Singles Chart 8
UK Singles Chart 2

End-of-year charts

End of year chart (2001) Position
UK Singles Chart[5] 37

Other cover versions

See also

References