Chained Lyrics
[Verse 1: Oliver Sim, Oliver Sim & Romy Madley Croft]
I watched you breathe in
And I wished you'd stop
Only for long enough
Long enough
[Refrain: Romy Madley Croft]
It's
Hard
To
Say
[Verse 2: Oliver Sim, Romy Madley Croft]
Separate or combine?
I ask you one last time
Did I hold you too tight?
Did I not let enough light in?
[Refrain: Oliver Sim & Romy Madley Croft]
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
[Verse 3: Oliver Sim]
If a feeling appears
If your mind should sway
It's not a secret you should keep
I won't let you slip away
I watched you breathe in
And I wished you'd stop
Only for long enough
Long enough
[Refrain: Romy Madley Croft]
It's
Hard
To
Say
[Verse 2: Oliver Sim, Romy Madley Croft]
Separate or combine?
I ask you one last time
Did I hold you too tight?
Did I not let enough light in?
[Refrain: Oliver Sim & Romy Madley Croft]
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
[Verse 3: Oliver Sim]
If a feeling appears
If your mind should sway
It's not a secret you should keep
I won't let you slip away
[Chorus: Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim & Romy Madley Croft]
We used to be closer than this
We used to be closer than this
We used to get closer than this
Is it something you miss?
We used to be closer than this
We used to be closer than this
We used to get closer than this
Is it something you miss?
[Verse 4: Oliver Sim, Romy Madley Croft]
Winged or chained?
I ask you, "Would you have stayed?"
Did I hold you too tight?
Did I not let enough light in?
[Refrain: Oliver Sim & Romy Madley Croft]
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
We used to be closer than this
We used to be closer than this
We used to get closer than this
Is it something you miss?
We used to be closer than this
We used to be closer than this
We used to get closer than this
Is it something you miss?
[Verse 4: Oliver Sim, Romy Madley Croft]
Winged or chained?
I ask you, "Would you have stayed?"
Did I hold you too tight?
Did I not let enough light in?
[Refrain: Oliver Sim & Romy Madley Croft]
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
About
Genius Annotation
The second track from the xx second album, Coexist, reads like a dialogue between quarreled lovers.
The song is a lament of a couple’s distance from each other. Croft and Sim finish each other’s lines through their interplay on the song.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
What did The xx say about "Chained"?
Genius Answer
Romy Madley Croft on Spin:
“Chained” is one of the first songs we wrote [for Coexist]. Oliver and I wrote together in a room, which was a new way of working for us. I was playing keys and he was playing bass, and then we took it to Jamie. The beat he plays on it took the song on a complete different turn, which was a nice moment of collaboration.
Credits
Producer
Writers
Lyricist
Engineer
Mixing Engineer
Mastering Engineer
Bass Guitar
Label
MPC
Beats
Guitar
Vocals
Keyboards
Recorded At
The xx's Studio (London, UK)
Release Date
August 7, 2012
Chained Samples
Chained Covers
Chained Live Performances
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