"Back on the Chain Gang" is a song written by Chrissie Hynde and originally recorded by her band, the Pretenders, and released as single by Sire Records in September 1982. The song was also released on The King of Comedy soundtrack album in March 1983 and was later included on the Pretenders' next album Learning to Crawl in January 1984.

"Back on the Chain Gang" entered the Billboard charts in early October 1982, then reached No. 5 on the Hot 100 becoming the band's biggest hit in the US. It also got as high as No. 4 on Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and No. 17 in the UK Singles Chart. The single's flip side, "My City Was Gone", later became a substantial hit in the US, with lyrics about Ohio.

"Back on the Chain Gang" was recorded after James Honeyman-Scott, the Pretenders guitarist, died of a drug overdose at the age of 25 on June 16, 1982. This came two days after the Pretenders fired their longtime bassist, Pete Farndon, because of his drug abuse problem. On July 20, 1982, the band began recording the song at AIR Studios in London. At that time, only two Pretenders were left: singer-songwriter Chrissie Hynde who was about three months pregnant with her first daughter, and drummer Martin Chambers. Other musicians were hired to fill out the session: lead guitarist Billy Bremner of Rockpile, guitarist Robbie McIntosh, and bassist Tony Butler who was already at the studio for a Big Country recording project. The producer was Chris Thomas who was familiar to the band from his integral role in making the Pretenders' earlier records, using Bill Price as his engineer, but for this session Steve Churchyard replaced Price because Price was committed to another AIR project at Wessex Sound Studios.

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