25 Years – The Chain

25 Years – The Chain
Box set by Fleetwood Mac
Released	24 November 1992
Recorded	1967–91
Genre	Rock
Length	292:53
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Various
Fleetwood Mac chronology
Behind the Mask (1990) 25 Years – The Chain (1992) Time (1995)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

25 Years – The Chain is a boxed set by British-American band Fleetwood Mac originally released in 1992. It consists of four CDs, covering the history of the band from its formation in 1967 to 1992. The set features several previously unreleased studio tracks, new mixes, live recordings, and a different version of the international hit single "Tusk".

The extended version of Stevie Nicks' "Gypsy" was also included for the first time on a commercial release, and this collection also marked the first time Nicks' "Silver Springs" had appeared on a full-length Fleetwood Mac album. It was originally intended for inclusion on the international multi-million selling album Rumours, however, it was removed from the track listing at the last minute. It was issued in 1976 as the B-side to the single "Go Your Own Way" but the song had never been released commercially since. The inclusion of "Silver Springs" on this collection marked Nicks' first departure from the band, when Mick Fleetwood refused to allow the track to appear on Nicks' retrospective compilation Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks, instead intending it for 25 Years – The Chain.^[2] The disagreement was ultimately resolved and the song itself was eventually released as a single five years later in 1997, taken from the album The Dance after a live performance from the sell-out tour of the same name.

A condensed 2-CD version of the compilation was also available containing highlights from the 4-CD set. The popular hit single "Hold Me" was only available on this format as was the track "Bermuda Triangle". The new track "Love Shines" was released as a single in the UK, whereas the track "Paper Doll" was released in the US instead.

On 11 June 2012, the 4-disc version of The Chain was re-released in the UK, now at a budget price. It peaked at number 9 on the UK album charts the same week, and has since been certified Silver by the BPI. The album reached #1 in New Zealand where it has since been certified 2xPlatinum.

Track listing

CD 1

1. "Paper Doll" (new song) (Stevie Nicks, Rick Vito, John Herron) 3:56 †
2. "Love Shines" (new song) (Christine McVie, Eddy Quintela) 4:48 †
3. "Stand Back" (live*) (Nicks) 5:02 †
4. "Crystal" (Nicks) 5:09 | Fleetwood Mac (1975)
5. "Isn't It Midnight" (edited alternate version) (C. McVie, Quintela, Lindsey Buckingham) 4:02 | Tango in the Night (1987)
6. "Big Love" (Buckingham) 3:39 | Tango in the Night (1987)
7. "Everywhere" (C. McVie) 3:43 | Tango in the Night (1987)
8. "Affairs of the Heart" (Nicks) 4:20 | Behind the Mask (1990)
9. "Heart of Stone" (new song) (C. McVie, Quintela) 4:39 †
10. "Sara" (full-length version) (Nicks) 6:26 | Tusk (1979)
11. "That's All for Everyone" (Buckingham) 3:02 | Tusk (1979)
12. "Over My Head" (C. McVie) 3:34 | Fleetwood Mac (1975)
13. "Little Lies" (C. McVie, Quintela) 3:38 | Tango in the Night (1987)
14. "Eyes of the World" (Buckingham) 3:42 | Mirage (1982)
15. "Oh Diane" (Buckingham, Richard Dashut) 2:33 | Mirage (1982)
16. "In the Back of My Mind" (Billy Burnette, David Malloy) 7:00 | Behind the Mask (1990)
17. "Make Me a Mask" (new song) (Buckingham) 4:02 †

* Originally from Stevie Nicks' album The Wild Heart (1983), performed by Fleetwood Mac during the Tango in the Night Tour on 12 Dec. 1987 at The Cow Palace, Daly City, CA.

CD 2

1. "Save Me" (C. McVie, Quintela) 4:14 | Behind the Mask (1990)
2. "Goodbye Angel" (Buckingham) 3:06 | unreleased song from Mirage (1982) †
3. "Silver Springs" (Nicks) 4:29 | B-side of "Go Your Own Way" (1977)
4. "What Makes You Think You're the One" (Buckingham) 3:30 | Tusk (1979)
5. "Think About Me" (C. McVie) 2:40 | Tusk (1979)
6. "Gypsy" (alternate unedited version) (Nicks) 5:21 | Mirage (1982)
7. "You Make Loving Fun" (C. McVie) 3:30 | Rumours (1977)
8. "Second Hand News" (alternate mix) (Buckingham) 2:50 | Rumours (1977)
9. "Love in Store" (alternate mix) (C. McVie, Jim Recor) 3:24 | Mirage (1982)
10. "The Chain" (alternate mix) (Buckingham, Nicks, C. McVie, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood) 4:20 | Rumours (1977)
11. "Teen Beat" (Buckingham, Dashut) 2:43 | unreleased song from Mirage (1982) †
12. "Dreams" (alternate mix) (Nicks) 4:14 | Rumours (1977)
13. "Only Over You" (C. McVie) 4:05 | Mirage (1982)
14. "I'm So Afraid" (Buckingham) (live) 7:27 | Fleetwood Mac Live (1980)
15. "Love Is Dangerous" (Vito, Nicks) 3:16 | Behind the Mask (1990)
16. "Gold Dust Woman" (alternate mix) (Nicks) 5:00 | Rumours (1977)
17. "Not That Funny" (live) (Buckingham) 7:56 † - Edited version of the same performance on the Mirage Tour video, recorded at the Los Angeles Forum 1982

CD 3

1. "Warm Ways" (C. McVie) 3:50 | Fleetwood Mac (1975)
2. "Say You Love Me" (single mix) (C. McVie) 3:45 | Fleetwood Mac (1975)
3. "Don't Stop" (C. McVie) 3:11 | Rumours (1977)
4. "Rhiannon" (Nicks) 4:09 | Fleetwood Mac (1975)
5. "Walk a Thin Line" (Buckingham) 3:44 | Tusk (1979)
6. "Storms" (Nicks) 5:27 | Tusk (1979)
7. "Go Your Own Way" (Buckingham) 3:39 | Rumours (1977)
8. "Sisters of the Moon" (Nicks) 4:37 | Tusk (1979)
9. "Monday Morning" (live) (Buckingham) 3:35 | Live (1980)
10. "Landslide" (Nicks) 3:16 | Fleetwood Mac (1975)
11. "Hypnotized" (Bob Welch) 4:47 | Mystery to Me (1973)
12. "Lay It All Down" (unreleased alternate version) (Welch) 4:34 | Future Games (1971)
13. "Angel" (alternate mix) (Nicks) 4:52 | Tusk (1979)
14. "Beautiful Child" (alternate mix) (Nicks) 5:18 | Tusk (1979)
15. "Brown Eyes" (alternate version) (C. McVie) 4:56 | Tusk (1979)
16. "Save Me a Place" (Buckingham) 2:39 | Tusk (1979)
17. "Tusk" (USC intro mix) (Buckingham) 3:12 | Tusk (1979)
18. "Never Going Back Again" (Buckingham) 2:02 | Rumours (1977)
19. "Songbird" (C. McVie) 3:17 | Rumours (1977)

CD 4

1. "I Believe My Time Ain't Long" (Jeremy Spencer) [1967] – 2:51
2. "Need Your Love So Bad" (Mertis John Jr.)^[3] [1968] – 3:53
3. "Rattlesnake Shake" (Peter Green) [from Then Play On (1969)] – 3:29
4. "Oh Well, Pt. 1" (original mono version) (Green) [from Then Play On (1969)] – 3:29
5. "Stop Messin' Round" (Green, C.G. Adams) [from Mr. Wonderful (1968)] – 2:19
6. "The Green Manalishi" (Green) [1970] – 4:36
7. "Albatross" (Green) [1969] – 3:11
8. "Man of the World" (Green) [1969] – 2:51
9. "Love That Burns" (Green, Adams) [from Mr. Wonderful (1968)] – 5:00
10. "Black Magic Woman" (Green) [from English Rose (1969)] – 2:54
11. "Watch Out" (Green) [from Blues Jam at Chess (1969)] – 4:12
12. "String-A-Long" (Jimmy Duncan, Robert Doyle) [from Jeremy Spencer (1970)]* – 2:16
13. "Station Man" (Danny Kirwan, Spencer, J. McVie) [from Kiln House (1970)] – 5:41
14. "Did You Ever Love Me" (C. McVie, Welch) [from Penguin (1973)] – 3:40
15. "Sentimental Lady" (Welch) [from Bare Trees (1972)] – 4:32
16. "Come a Little Bit Closer" (C. McVie) [from Heroes Are Hard to Find (1974)] – 4:48
17. "Heroes are Hard to Find" (C. McVie) [from Heroes Are Hard to Find (1974)] – 3:34
18. "Trinity" (Kirwan) [Bare Trees outtake (1972)] † – 4:07
19. "Why" (C. McVie) [from Mystery to Me (1973)] – 4:55

^† Previously unreleased songs
^* "String-A-Long" was a track from Jeremy Spencer's first solo album Jeremy Spencer, with backing from Fleetwood, Kirwan, Green and John McVie.

Selections from 25 Years – The Chain

Condensed version of the box set, featuring selected tracks. Note the inclusion of "Hold Me" and "Bermuda Triangle" which are excluded from the 4-CD set.

CD 1

1. "Paper Doll"
2. "Love Shines"
3. "Love in Store" (alternate mix)
4. "Goodbye Angel"
5. "Heart of Stone"
6. "Silver Springs"
7. "Oh Diane"
8. "Big Love"
9. "Rhiannon"
10. "Crystal"
11. "The Chain" (alternate mix)
12. "Over My Head"
13. "Dreams"
14. "Go Your Own Way"
15. "Sara"
16. "Hold Me"
17. "Gypsy"
18. "Make Me a Mask"

CD 2

1. "Don't Stop"
2. "Everywhere"
3. "Tusk" (USC intro mix)
4. "Not That Funny"
5. "Beautiful Child" (alternate mix)
6. "Teen Beat"
7. "Need Your Love So Bad"
8. "Did You Ever Love Me"
9. "Oh Well (Part 1)" (original mono version)
10. "I Believe My Time Ain't Long"
11. "Bermuda Triangle" (Welch)
12. "Why"
13. "Station Man"
14. "Albatross"
15. "Black Magic Woman"
16. "Stop Messin' Round"
17. "Trinity"
18. "Heroes Are Hard to Find"
19. "The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Prong Crown)"

Certifications

Credits

• Peter Green – guitars, vocals, banjo, bass guitar
• Jeremy Spencer – guitars, piano, vocals
• Danny Kirwan – guitars, vocals
• Bob Welch – guitars, vocals
• Bob Weston – electric guitars, acoustic guitars, slide guitar, vocals
• Mick Fleetwood – drums, percussion, harpsichord
• Stevie Nicks – vocals, tambourine, keyboards
• Lindsey Buckingham – guitars, banjo, dobro, bass guitar, sitar, keyboards, percussion, auto harp, programming, vocals
• Billy Burnette – guitars, dobro, vocals
• Rick Vito – guitars, vocals
• Christine McVie – keyboards, vocals
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Executive Producers – Mick Fleetwood and John McVie
• Anthology produced and engineered by Ken Caillat
• Historical research and co-ordination – Frank Harding

Notes