Released May 1951 Length 3:12 Writer(s) A. Nugetre | Genre Blues Label Atlantic | |
B-side "After My Laughter Came Tears" | ||
"Chains Of Love", a 12-bar blues, was actually written by Doc Pomus (a.k.a. Jerome Solon Felder) who sold the copyright to Ahmet Ertegun in 1950 for $50.00 (referencing Doc Pomus and his family). Since Mr. Ertegun owned the copyright from that point forward, he had every right to claim the song as his own which he did using the pseudonym "A. Nugetre". The song has charted numerous times in the US and abroad the first by 'Big' Joe Turner (as Joe Turner) in 1951 reaching number 2 on the Billboard R&B chart (see the Billboard Chart Archives Database).
Turner's version was his first success on the Atlantic label established by Ertegun. In 1956, the song was covered by Pat Boone, whose version made no. 10 on the Billboard Top 100. Another commercially successful version was by Bobby Bland, whose recording reached no. 9 on the R&B chart and no. 60 on the pop chart in 1969.
Cover versions
The Hollywood Flames released a version of the song as a single in 1958. Other covers include: Johnny Burnette & The Rock 'N' Roll Trio (1957); Sam Cooke (1962); B. B. King (1962); Bobby 'Blue' Bland (1969); Little Richard (1973); Lou Rawls (1992); and Irma Thomas (1992).