Georgia Satellites – Battleship Chains

I found out about The Georgia Satellites in the spring of 1985. A friend of mine who played guitar in high school with a band got a bootleg of Keep Your Hands To Yourself a year before it was officially released. His band was playing it in the gym (a spring show) before we went on. I thought they wrote it until I asked him. It’s a great-sounding song live.

Battleship Chains was the followup song in 1986 that MTV played a lot of during that time. The Georgia Satellites were like a fish out of water during the mid 80s. There were bands like the Replacements who played rock but they were not in the mainstream like the Satellites were when this album was released. Two years later Guns and Roses came out and then The Black Crowes. By that time though lead singer Dan Baird was leaving the Satellites. 

 This song was sung by their lead guitarist Rich Richards. The song was written by musician Terry Anderson. Later on, Dan Baird covered one of Anderson’s songs called I Love You Period on his solo album Love Songs for the Hearing Impaired. The song peaked at #26 on the Billboard 100 in 1992. 

The Georgia Satellites came out of nowhere with a number 2 hit in 1986 called Keep Your Hands To Yourself. In the era of synth-driven songs, it was great to hear this guitar band out of Georgia that played raw roots rock and roll without the big production.

This song was sung by lead guitarist Rick Richards. It peaked at #86 in the Billboard 100 and #44 in the UK in 1987. Battleship Chains was also covered by a band called the Hindu Love Gods, which contained REM and Warren Zevon members.

This song was on their self titled album released in 1986. On the strength of Keep Your Hands To YOurself and Battleship Chains, the album peaked at #5 on the Billboard Album Charts, #42 in New Zealand, and #52 in the UK.

Battleship Chains
You got me tied down with battleship chains 
fifty foot long and a two ton anchor
tied down with battleship chains
fifty foot long with a two ton anchor

I can’t move my arms 
to hold nobody
hold nobody but you 
I can’t move my legs s
to chase nobody
to kick nobody but you

You got me tied down with battleship chains
fifty foot long and a two ton anchor
tied down with battleship chains
fifty foot long and a two ton anchor

I can’t move eyes
to see nobody
see nobody but you
I can’t move my tongue
to taste nobody
to lick nobody but you

You got me tied down with battleship chains
fifty foot long and a two ton anchor
tied down with battleship chains
fifty foot long and a two ton anchor

I can’t move my lips
to kiss nobody
kiss nobody but you
I can’t move my heart 
to love nobody
to love nobody but you

You got me tied down with battleship chains
fifty foot long and a two ton anchor
tied down with battleship chains 
fifty foot long and a two ton anchor 
You got me tied, tied, 
whoo hoo, tied tied
don’t you know you got me 
tied tied, whoo hoo 
baby don’t you know you got me 
tied tied, whoo hoo

Unknown's avatar

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

30 thoughts on “Georgia Satellites – Battleship Chains”

  1. I had forgotten the Hindu Love Gods did this. I bought that on a cassette when it came out. I had a 45 of “Keep Your Hands To Yourself”, but nothing else by the Georgia Satellites. I knew the lead singer had a hit too- “I Love You Period”- good rocking tune.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I liked them in the 80s because they were rock and roll…not heavy metal, not synth pop…but just rock. That was rare at the time.

      Like

      Reply

  5. I remember back then hearing one of two other songs by them ( beyond ‘Keep Your Hands to Yourself’)on radio but this wasn’t one of them . I do remember the Dan Baird song though.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Yes we do! We needed it in the mid 80s also when there was a hell of a drought on pure rock bands. I think if the Satellites would have arrived in the late 80s they would have lasted longer…people were wanting rock again then…

      Like

      Reply

    1. Glyn…you are again correct. It only got to #44 in the UK but it did better than Keep Your Hands To Yourself which got to #2 here but #69 there.

      Like

      Reply
  9. Pingback: Georgia Satellites – Battleship Chains – MobsterTiger

  12. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again haha that Baird is one of the most under appreciated lyricists in rock n roll. Still one of the loudest bands I saw here in town back in ’89. They were like a runaway tank crushing a village lol…
    All three of there albums are great as is Bairds first solo album.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I’m glad you got to see them with Baird. Deke…I think their timing was wrong…if they would have come on the scene in 89 with the Black Crows or the year before with Guns and Roses…they might have stuck around longer. Rock was coming back.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Yeah, your right about timing as by the third album it was 89 and ‘In The Land of Salvation and Sin” didn’t sell well and they were dropped or Baird quit before not sure which one happened…
        Stellar band and everyone goes on about the big song but it might be the weakest track on the debut…
        Railroad Steel is another ass kicker…
        When they were here Baird asked the audience if they wanted to hear anything and my buddy Tbone hollered “Red Light” and Baird said “we haven’t played that one in a bit” and they played it which was cool.
        I asked Tbone on the drive home on why he shouted ‘Red Light” he shot back real fast and sang the line…
        “Got Van Halen wailin’ on the stereo eight track”
        Thats the only answer I needed hahaha…good times…
        (sorry for the long winded reply but there was a story to share haha)

        Liked by 1 person

      2. LOL…thats as good as a response as any! I like their other songs as well…like “Another Chance” which wasn’t a rock track but a Band like track.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Not too many…here is a quick copy and paste…I hope the format is readable!
      Battleship Chains Georgia Satellites 1986 First release
      Battleship Chains The Woods [2] 1987
      Battleship Chains Hindu Love Gods 1990
      Battleship Chains The Wildhearts May 19, 2008
      Battleship Chains Volbeat June 3, 2016

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Leave a comment