25 Years – The Chain

25 Years – The Chain is a box set by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac originally released on 24 November 1992. The set contains 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 slightly different mix of their international hit single "Tusk".

25 Years – The Chain
Box set by Fleetwood Mac
Released	24 November 1992 (1992-11-24)
Recorded	1967–1992
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]

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. "Silver Springs" 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. Up until its inclusion on The Chain, the only other appearance of "Silver Springs" was on the B-side of "Go Your Own Way". Mick Fleetwood turned down Nicks' request to include "Silver Springs" on her retrospective compilation Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks as he had already selected the song for the box set, 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 live album The Dance.

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 1974 track "Bermuda Triangle". The new song "Love Shines" was released as a single in the UK, whereas "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 at a budget price. It peaked at no. 9 on the UK album charts the same week and has since been certified Gold by the BPI. The album reached no. 1 in New Zealand where it has since been certified 2× Platinum.

Track listing

Standard 4 Disc Edition

Disc 1

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
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)" (from Fleetwood Mac: Tango in the Night, 1988)	Nicks	5:02
4.	"Crystal" (from Fleetwood Mac, 1975)	Nicks	5:09
5.	"Isn't It Midnight" (edited alternate version; originally from Tango in the Night, 1987)	C. McVie, Quintela, Lindsey Buckingham	4:02
6.	"Big Love" (from Tango in the Night, 1987)	Buckingham	3:39
7.	"Everywhere" (from Tango in the Night, 1987)	C. McVie	3:43
8.	"Affairs of the Heart" (from Behind the Mask, 1990)	Nicks	4:20
9.	"Heart of Stone" (new song)	C. McVie, Quintela	4:39
10.	"Sara" (from Tusk, 1979)	Nicks	6:26
11.	"That's All for Everyone" (from Tusk, 1979)	Buckingham	3:02
12.	"Over My Head" (from Fleetwood Mac, 1975)	C. McVie	3:34
13.	"Little Lies" (from Tango in the Night, 1987)	C. McVie, Quintela	3:38
14.	"Eyes of the World" (from Mirage, 1982)	Buckingham	3:42
15.	"Oh Diane" (from Mirage, 1982)	Buckingham, Richard Dashut	2:33
16.	"In the Back of My Mind" (from Behind the Mask, 1990)	Billy Burnette, David Malloy	7:00
17.	"Make Me a Mask" (new song)	Buckingham	4:02
Total length:			73:15

Disc 2

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Save Me" (from Behind the Mask, 1990)	C. McVie, Quintela	4:14
2.	"Goodbye Angel" (previously unreleased from Mirage, 1982)	Buckingham	3:06
3.	"Silver Springs" (B-Side of "Go Your Own Way" single, 1976)	Nicks	4:29
4.	"What Makes You Think You're the One" (from Tusk, 1979)	Buckingham	3:30
5.	"Think About Me" (from Tusk, 1979)	C. McVie	2:40
6.	"Gypsy" (alternate full-length version; originally from Mirage, 1982)	Nicks	5:21
7.	"You Make Loving Fun" (from Rumours, 1977)	C. McVie	3:30
8.	"Second Hand News" (alternate mix; from Rumours, 1977)	Buckingham	2:50
9.	"Love in Store" (alternate mix; from Mirage, 1982)	C. McVie, Jim Recor	3:24
10.	"The Chain" (alternate mix; from Rumours, 1977)	C. McVie, Nicks, Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie	4:20
11.	"Teen Beat" (previously unreleased from Mirage, 1982)	Buckingham, Dashut	2:43
12.	"Dreams" (alternate mix; from Rumours, 1977)	Nicks	4:14
13.	"Only Over You" (from Mirage, 1982)	C. McVie	4:05
14.	"I'm So Afraid (Live)" (originally from Fleetwood Mac, 1975; from Fleetwood Mac Live, 1980)	Buckingham	7:27
15.	"Love Is Dangerous" (from Behind the Mask, 1990)	Nicks, Vito	3:16
16.	"Gold Dust Woman" (alternate mix; from Rumours, 1977)	Nicks	5:00
17.	"Not That Funny (Live)" (originally from Tusk, 1979; Fleetwood Mac In Concert - Mirage Tour '82, 1988)	Buckingham	7:56
Total length:			72:05

Disc 3

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Warm Ways" (from Fleetwood Mac, 1975)	C. McVie	3:50
2.	"Say You Love Me" (single version; from Fleetwood Mac, 1975)	C. McVie	3:45
3.	"Don't Stop" (from Rumours, 1977)	C. McVie	3:11
4.	"Rhiannon" (from Fleetwood Mac, 1975)	Nicks	4:09
5.	"Walk a Thin Line" (from Tusk, 1979)	Buckingham	3:44
6.	"Storms" (from Tusk, 1979)	Nicks	5:27
7.	"Go Your Own Way" (from Rumours, 1977)	Buckingham	3:39
8.	"Sisters of the Moon" (from Tusk, 1979)	Nicks	4:37
9.	"Monday Morning (Live)" (originally from Fleetwood Mac, 1975; from Live, 1980)	Buckingham	3:35
10.	"Landslide" (from Fleetwood Mac, 1975)	Nicks	3:16
11.	"Hypnotized" (from Mystery to Me, 1973)	Bob Welch	4:47
12.	"Lay It All Down" (alternate version; from Future Games, 1971)	Welch	4:34
13.	"Angel" (alternate mix; from Tusk, 1979)	Nicks	4:52
14.	"Beautiful Child" (alternate mix; from Tusk, 1979)	Nicks	5:18
15.	"Brown Eyes" (alternate version; from Tusk, 1979)	C. McVie	4:56
16.	"Save Me a Place" (from Tusk, 1979)	Buckingham	2:39
17.	"Tusk" (USC intro mix; from Tusk, 1979)	Buckingham	3:12
18.	"Never Going Back Again" (from Rumours, 1977)	Buckingham	2:02
19.	"Songbird" (from Rumours, 1977)	C. McVie	3:17
Total length:			74:50

Disc 4

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I Believe My Time Ain't Long" (non-album single, 1967)	Jeremy Spencer	2:51
2.	"Need Your Love So Bad" (non-album single, 1968)	Little Willie John, Mertis John Jr.	3:53
3.	"Rattlesnake Shake" (from Then Play On, 1969)	Peter Green	3:29
4.	"Oh Well, Pt. 1" (original mono version; from Then Play On, 1969)	Green	3:29
5.	"Stop Messin' Round" (from Mr. Wonderful, 1968)	C.G. Adams, Green	2:19
6.	"The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)" (non-album single, 1970)	Green	4:36
7.	"Albatross" (non-album single, 1968)	Green	3:11
8.	"Man of the World" (non-album single, 1969)	Green	2:51
9.	"Love That Burns" (from Mr. Wonderful, 1968)	Adams, Green	5:00
10.	"Black Magic Woman" (non-album single, 1969)	Green	2:54
11.	"Watch Out" (from Blues Jam at Chess, 1969)	Green	4:12
12.	"String-A-Long" (from Jeremy Spencer, 1970)	Robert Doyle, Jimmy Duncan	2:16
13.	"Station Man" (from Kiln House, 1970)	Danny Kirwan, J. McVie, Spencer	5:41
14.	"Did You Ever Love Me" (from Penguin, 1973)	C. McVie, Welch	3:40
15.	"Sentimental Lady" (from Bare Trees, 1972)	Welch	4:32
16.	"Come a Little Bit Closer" (from Heroes Are Hard to Find, 1974)	C. McVie	4:48
17.	"Heroes are Hard to Find" (from Heroes Are Hard to Find, 1974)	C. McVie	3:34
18.	"Trinity" (previously unreleased from Bare Trees, 1972)	Kirwan	4:07
19.	"Why" (from Mystery to Me, 1973)	C. McVie	4:55
Total length:			72:18

Although listed as "I Believe My Time Ain't Long" (non-album single, 1967), the first track on disc 4 is actually "Dust My Broom", the fourth track from Fleetwood Mac's second studio album Mr. Wonderful.

Condensed 2 Disc Edition (Selections from 25 Years)

Released alongside the 4-CD box set was a 2-CD compilation featuring selected tracks from the main set. This version also includes two tracks which are excluded on the 4-CD box set; "Hold Me" and "Bermuda Triangle".

Disc 1

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Paper Doll" (new song)	John Herron, Stevie Nicks, Rick Vito	3:57
2.	"Love Shines" (new song)	Christine McVie, Eddy Quintela	4:47
3.	"Love in Store" (alternative mix; from Mirage, 1982)	C. McVie, Jim Recor	3:23
4.	"Goodbye Angel" (previously unreleased from Mirage, 1982)	Buckingham	3:07
5.	"Heart of Stone" (new song)	C. McVie, Quintela	4:39
6.	"Silver Springs" (B-Side of "Go Your Own Way" single, 1976)	Nicks	4:29
7.	"Oh Diane" (from Mirage, 1982)	Buckingham, Richard Dashut	2:33
8.	"Big Love" (from Tango in the Night, 1987)	Buckingham	3:41
9.	"Rhiannon" (from Fleetwood Mac, 1975)	Nicks	4:10
10.	"Crystal" (from Fleetwood Mac, 1975)	Nicks	5:08
11.	"The Chain" (alternative mix; from Rumours, 1977)	Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, C. McVie, John McVie, Nicks	4:19
12.	"Over My Head" (from Fleetwood Mac, 1975)	C. McVie	3:34
13.	"Dreams" (alternative mix; from Rumours, 1977)	Nicks	4:16
14.	"Go Your Own Way" (from Rumours, 1977)	Buckingham	3:40
15.	"Sara" (from Tusk, 1979)	Nicks	6:24
16.	"Hold Me" (from Mirage, 1982)	C. McVie	3:45
17.	"Gypsy" (alternative full-length version; originally from Mirage, 1982)	Nicks	5:21
18.	"Make Me a Mask" (new song)	Buckingham	4:01
Total length:			75:14

Disc 2

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Don't Stop" (from Rumours, 1977)	C. McVie	3:11
2.	"Everywhere" (from Tango in the Night, 1987)	C. McVie	3:42
3.	"Tusk" (USC intro mix; from Tusk, 1979)	Buckingham	3:13
4.	"Not That Funny (Live)" (originally from Tusk, 1979; Fleetwood Mac In Concert - Mirage Tour '82, 1988)	Buckingham	7:57
5.	"Beautiful Child" (alternative mix; from Tusk, 1979)	Nicks	5:20
6.	"Teen Beat" (previously unreleased from Mirage, 1982)	Buckingham, Dashut	2:44
7.	"Need Your Love So Bad" (non-album single, 1968)	Little Willie John, Mertis John Jr.	3:54
8.	"Did You Ever Love Me" (from Penguin, 1973)	C. McVie, Welch	3:41
9.	"Oh Well, Pt. 1" (original mono version; from Then Play On, 1969)	Green	3:30
10.	"I Believe My Time Ain't Long" (non-album single, 1967)	Jeremy Spencer	2:52
11.	"Bermuda Triangle" (from Heroes Are Hard to Find, 1974)	Welch	4:09
12.	"Why" (from Mystery to Me, 1973)	C. McVie	4:56
13.	"Station Man" (from Kiln House, 1970)	Danny Kirwan, J. McVie, Spencer	5:41
14.	"Albatross" (non-album single, 1968)	Green	3:10
15.	"Black Magic Woman" (non-album single, 1969)	Green	2:52
16.	"Stop Messin' Round" (from Mr. Wonderful, 1968)	C.G. Adams, Green	2:21
17.	"Trinity" (previously unreleased from Bare Trees, 1972)	Kirwan	4:08
18.	"Heroes are Hard to Find" (from Heroes Are Hard to Find, 1974)	C. McVie	3:34
19.	"The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)" (non-album single, 1970)	Green	4:36
Total length:			75:41

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1993) Peak position Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[3] 95 Chart (2012) Peak position UK Albums (OCC)^[4] 9 Chart (2013) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)^[5] 2 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[6] 103 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[7] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2012) Position UK Albums (OCC)^[8] 197 Chart (2013) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)^[9] 14 Decade-end charts Chart (2010-2019) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)^[10] 69

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[11]	2× Platinum	140,000^^
New Zealand (RMNZ)^[12]	2× Platinum	30,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)^[13] 2012 edition	Gold	100,000^‡
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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, lap harp, programming, vocals
• Billy Burnette – guitars, dobro, vocals
• Rick Vito – guitars, vocals
• Christine McVie – keyboards, percussion, 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

References

1. "25 Years: The Chain - Fleetwood Mac | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
2. "Fleetwood Mac Timeline for the 1990s". Fleetwoodmac-uk.com. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
3. "Dutchcharts.nl – Fleetwood Mac – 25 Years - The Chain" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
4. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
5. "Australiancharts.com – Fleetwood Mac – 25 Years - The Chain". Hung Medien.
6. "Ultratop.be – Fleetwood Mac – 25 Years - The Chain" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
7. "Charts.nz – Fleetwood Mac – 25 Years - The Chain". Hung Medien.
8. "End of Year 2012" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
9. "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2013". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
10. "2019 ARIA End of Decade Albums Chart". January 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
11. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2015 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
12. "New Zealand album certifications – Fleetwood Mac – 25 years ~ The Chain Box Set". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
13. "British album certifications – Fleetwood Mac – 25 Years - The Chain". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 21 December 2021.