# Origin of the phrase "the ties that bind"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-the-ties-that-bind/41005>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 13, 2000, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-the-ties-that-bind/41005 "2000-11-13T15:07:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2000, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-the-ties-that-bind/41005/1 "2000-11-13T15:07:16Z")

</div>

- 
  - 
    - I’m thinking Shakespeare maybe? I can _almost_ remember.

- Also, I searched for “quote search engines” on HotBot and found a quote database for the pop group Hanson, if anyone’s interested. (I didn’t try it, but I don’t _think_ it was Hanson) - MC

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ezstrete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ea924/32.png) [@Ezstrete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ezstrete)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2000, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-the-ties-that-bind/41005/2 "2000-11-13T15:39:37Z")

</div>

Are you sure?

Could it be the “tie that binds”?

Might it be matrimony?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2000, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-the-ties-that-bind/41005/3 "2000-11-13T16:05:38Z")

</div>

Shakespeare:  
There is a tide in the affairs of men,  
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.

That’s from memory, though, and I don’t recall which play.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2000, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-the-ties-that-bind/41005/4 "2000-11-13T17:23:02Z")

</div>

I don’t know whether the phrase precedes it, but there is a Christian hymn that begins “Blest be the ties that bind our hearts in Christian love / The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above”

(The hymn is about marriage, if that’s not clear.)

I don’t have any source on hand with names of who might have written it, though.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jcgmoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@jcgmoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jcgmoi)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2000, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-phrase-the-ties-that-bind/41005/5 "2000-11-13T17:46:00Z")

</div>

**panamajack** is right. I remember as a child singing this hymn in a Methodist church. First I heard of the marriage link though.  
[This site](http://www.hot.virtual-pc.com/guitar/Blest_be_the_ties_that_Bind.htm) credits John Fawcett, 1782 , with the lyrics.