Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: psych-rock
Song Meaning of “Ball & Chain – Live at the Carousel Ballroom – June 22, 1968” by Big Brother & The Holding Company
This song is about the pain and suffering associated with heartache. Just like a ball and chain, the emotional weight of a broken heart can bind and limit one’s freedom. The narrator suggests that his/her partner has gone them, causing much pain and disappointment. The narrator cries out for help, but their cries seem to fall on deaf ears. In the face of all the struggles, the narrator still manages to hold onto a spark of hope that someday soon they will be reunited with their lover. The song ends with the narrator repeating “My ball and chain”. This repetition emphasizes the emotional burden of a heartbreak, and signifies the hopelessness of the situation. Ultimately, the song serves as a reminder that even in the toughest of times, it is possible to take comfort in knowing that heartache is a universal emotion, one which many can relate to, and one which brings us together.