1960 Songs: Chain Gang
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (86661)
United States
April 4, 2025 11:20am CST
Home and dry, as Gerry Rafferty sang. We’ve had nonstop flash flood warnings, resulting in a minor mudslide in the southern part of the county. I just stayed home and enjoyed soup and a grilled cheese sandwich, and now I’ll leave it for you to enjoy this song that’s now as old as I am! Here’s today’s 1960 song.
Chain Gang - Sam Cooke
Too bad they didn’t have the guys in Cool Hand Luke singing this. 
This was Sam Cooke’s second-biggest hit (behind “You Send Me”). It’s also one of his most memorable tunes. Given the times, this had a deeper meaning than just the superficial “sound of the men working on the chain gang.” Later in the 60s, this became an anthem (along with another Cooke song, “A Change is Gonna Come”) for both the civil rights movement and prison reform.
It still stands as a great song on its own.
Chain Gang
Written by Sam Cooke
Recorded by Sam Cooke
From Swing Low, 1960
Give me water:
This was Sam Cooke’s second-biggest hit (behind “You Send Me”). It’s also one of his most memorable tunes. Given the times, this had a deeper meaning than just the superficial “sound of the men working on the chain gang.” Later in the 60s, this became an anthem (along with another Cooke song, “A Change is Gonna Come”) for both the civil rights movement and prison reform.
It still stands as a great song on its own.
Chain Gang
Written by Sam Cooke
Recorded by Sam Cooke
From Swing Low, 1960
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15 people like this
13 responses
@TheHorse (238305)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 Apr 25
@FourWalls What happened to Sam Cooke? Didn't he have a difficult "ending"?
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
4 Apr 25
I like his husky voice, I am hearing it for the first time like many other songs that you post
2 people like this
@FourWalls (86661)
• United States
5 Apr 25
Glad you enjoyed it! And I’m always happy to share the music…it doesn’t always appeal to everyone, though, but that’s the truth about everything.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
5 Apr 25
@FourWalls Yes, appreciating something new might not come all of a sudden. But sometimes something appeals at once, the voice appealed here.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
5 Apr 25
A profound song for us paupers too.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174405)
• United States
4 Apr 25
I've heard this song before... Wasn't there a movie by the same name back in the late 60s or early 70s? Dad watched it so we kids watched it, too. (Actually, I was reading a book while the watched it but I still heard the song.)
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174405)
• United States
4 Apr 25
@FourWalls I must be misremembering it then... The movie I remember was being watched by dad and my brothers. Dad passed away when I was 15, so around 1978, I think. I was born in October 1963.
It's not the kind of movie I'd watch on my own.
2 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (122132)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
4 Apr 25
I remember listening to this song on the radio but I had no idea that the song related to the civil rights movement.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86661)
• United States
5 Apr 25
People associated it with old slavery. I don’t know that it was written specifically as a civil rights song. There were lots of movies about chain gangs and prisons at the time.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (122132)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
5 Apr 25
@FourWalls I did not know that.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86661)
• United States
5 Apr 25
I’m glad you enjoyed it. His vocals on “You Send Me” were amazing.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (97990)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
4 Apr 25
I know the song but never liked it,
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86661)
• United States
5 Apr 25
They can’t all be big hits for everyone.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86661)
• United States
5 Apr 25
Or maybe I just finally found the good songs. 
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
4 Apr 25
Unfortunately I know this one.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86661)
• United States
5 Apr 25
Uh-oh, sorry it doesn’t appeal (or brings back bad memories).
@LindaOHio (222314)
• United States
5 Apr 25
I remember this one well. Good song.
1 person likes this
