"Chain Reaction" is an R&B song, sung by Diana Ross, and written by the Bee Gees. The track was released on Ross's 1985 albumEaten Alive, 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 Ross in case it was too Motown-like for her. The single became Ross's second No. 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart. The song also hit No. 1 in Australia, also reaching the top of the charts in Ireland and Zimbabwe. In New Zealand, it peaked at No. 3 and also made the top 5 in South Africa. In 1993, the song broke the UKtop 20 again when it was re-released to commemorate her 30th anniversary in show business. The song fared poorly in the US, where it initially peaked at a disappointing No. 95 on the Billboard Hot 100 late in 1985. A few months later, a remixed version of the song was issued as a single. The new version re-entered the chart and performed better, but with diminished momentum, it stalled at No. 66 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 77 on Cash Box.
Music video
At the beginning of the video in black-and-white, Ross enters the TV studio and proceeds to perform the song in front of dancing spectators in a '60s-style live TV. The performance is intercut with a view from the station control room where producers are shown additional scenes appearing in color, confounding them on where the scenes are coming from. Half-way through we see Ross walking up a desolate street with barrels of fire littered around and dancers in the background. Careful lighting and fog help create the effect Ross is performing on a real street. It is the only time the street is shown and the video eventually returns to the TV studio performance. The final style of scene has Ross performing in what is supposed to be the glamorous front exterior of the TV studio. A quick shot of the control room is shown with the lead producing yelling in shock or frustration, before the scene continues. It's assumed the producers have lost control of the broadcast. The video ends with intercuts of the TV performance, the exterior, and the control room. The band finishes 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.
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
"Chain Reaction '93"
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.
In 2001, British pop group Steps covered "Chain Reaction". The song reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart, behind Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head". The song was performed by the Top 4 Finalists on the sixth season of American Idol.
Music video
The first scene is two paramedics lifting a patient from the ambulance onto the ground on a stretcher. H is the patient and Lee is one of the paramedics. Then, Lee pushes H into the hospital. The next scene is a receptionist and this turns out to be Claire. She sings her verse. Then, the camera goes over to a nurse who is Faye. She sings her verse. Then, the camera follows Faye over to Lee and H. We now know that Faye loves Lee so she touches his hand. Then Faye calls Claire over and they start making their way over to the operating theatre. Lee then calls a doctor over which turns out to be Lisa. We now also know that Lisa loves H. The next scene is H singing his verse while the others are acting their parts. Then, Lisa sings her verse and then Faye holds the operating camera and the light shines into the camera and then we see Steps in a change of clothes which are brown and white. We also see them dancing. They have close up shots and are each seen with a particular piece of furniture. Claire appears with a corner sofa. Faye appears on a furry staircase. Lee appears with a set of five dining chairs. Lisa appears with three tall pillar lamps, while H appears with a high back armchair. The video ends with Steps close together singing the last line of the song. The video was filmed at Greenwich Hospital and a studio in London.
