The band formed in Adelaide in 1973 as a heavy metal band called Orange around keyboard player Don Walker and original bassist Les Kascmarek and while hard rock remained at the core of their sound Cold Chisel displayed a remarkable versatility. When Kascmarek left in 1975, Walker became the major creative force of the band. Built around Walker's superb songwriting, the group also featured the dazzling guitar and vocal talents of Ian Moss and the enormously powerful lead vocals of Scottish immigrant Jimmy Barnes.
While typically classified as a hard-driving rock and roll band, the Chisel repertoire included such Australian anthems as the landmark Vietnam War song "Khe Sanh", "Bow River", "Flame Trees" and "Saturday Night", but also included thoughtful ballads like "Choir Girl" (written about the subject of abortion), pop-flavoured love songs like "My Baby" and caustic political statements like "Star Hotel", an attack on the late-70s government of Malcolm Fraser and inspired by a riot at a Newcastle pub. The music was not political in context, however Walker's songs were observations of everyday life within the Australian society and culture. One song from this period, "Misfits", which featured on the b-side to "My Baby", was written in the same vein as Chuck Berry, and was about homeless kids in the suburbs surrounding Sydney.
Cold Chisel weren't just a band, they were a lifestyle for many of their followers, who were known as some of the roughest in the land. This gave Chisel their hard living approach to their music and made them a tough live band as well. More than 30 years after they originally played together, they attract generation after generation of new listeners. This is also evidence of Chisel's dominance of the pub rock era. They are the only Australian band to have sold more records after breakup than before and are among other bands that have become transgenerational. "Khe Sanh" consistently ranks highly in lists of Australia's most popular songs and their music remains a staple of rock station playlists. The Ian Moss song "Never Before" (from the East LP) was chosen by FM rock station 2JJJ (Triple Jay) as the first record played on-air when the station made its transition from AM to FM in 1980.
By 1983 the band had reached the zenith of their career in Australia and with overseas markets reluctant to accept them, Cold Chisel began to disintegrate. Their abortive US sojourn was commemorated in Barnes' excoriating rocker "You Got Nothing I Want" from the Circus Animals album, an emotional volume created from the frustration of the band’s experiences overseas.
Increasing internal tensions and the pressures of touring took their toll and Steve Prestwich -- who was often in conflict with Barnes -- left the band, to be replaced by veteran Australian drummer Ray Arnott (ex Spectrum). Shortly afterward, in 1984, Cold Chisel announced their split and a series of farewell concerts, for which Prestwich re-joined. That tour became a legend in itself and was not without incident when Barnes lost his voice before the Sydney shows, which then had to be rescheduled. The band's final performance was filmed for the documentary concert film The Last Stand, which remains to this day the best-selling concert film of any single Australian act.
In mid 2011 the group announced a series of upcoming concerts.
Alone For You
Cold Chisel Lyrics
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I put on my good shoes
My arm are hard from what I do all day
And it's all for you
All for you
As I drive over by the steeple, by the hill
The rain is gone, the night is new
And it's all for you
All for you
It's all for you
There are songs in the world
I'm singing softly as I drive
It's all for you cause you're the only girl
And I'm young again
And it feels so good to be alive
I'll take you out
We'll find a place to eat
Somewhere small, with a view
And later on we'll go dancing if you like
And it's all for you
All for you
The old anger has given way
To clear eyes and open hands
I'm getting stronger with each new day
Cause now I understand
It's all for you
There are songs in the world
I'm singing softly as I drive
It's all for you cause you're the only girl
And I'm young again
And it feels so good to be alive
Yes it's all for you
Oh it's all for you
Oh it's all for you
It's all for you
Oh all for you
The lyrics to Cold Chisel's song Alone For You speak of a man's love and devotion to a woman. He describes how he cleans up and puts on his best clothes, ready to take her out to dinner and dancing. As he drives towards their destination he sees the night sky and is reminded of her, singing softly to himself about how he's doing it all for her. He has come to a realization that his old anger has subsided and he's become a better person, stronger with each passing day because of her. The song exudes a sense of joy and newfound love for life that he's found in her.
The lyrics are a testament to the idea that love can change a person for the better. The singer recognizes that he's become a kinder, more understanding person, and he attributes that to the woman he's with. He wants to show her how grateful he is for that, and how much he loves her, by taking her out and showering her with attention. The night is now new and full of possibilities because of her, and he's filled with the energy of youth and love because of her.
One interesting thing about this song is that it was written by the band's guitarist, Ian Moss, who also sings lead vocals on the track. Another is that it was released in 1980, one year after the release of their breakout album, "East", which included hits like "Choir Girl" and "Cheap Wine". "Alone For You" was not released as a single, but remains a cult favorite among fans of the band. It's been covered by a number of artists over the years, including Australian country singer Adam Brand, and American rock band Fools For Rowan.
The song was originally demoed under the working title "Frostbite" and was inspired by a long, cold drive Moss made to see his girlfriend at the time. The song was recorded in one take, with the entire band playing together in the studio, giving the song a loose, live feel. Moss has said that this song is one of his favorites to perform live because of the audience's reaction to it. The chord progression is quite simple, with a repeating D-Am-G-D pattern, which contributes to the song's easy-going, uplifting feel.
Chords: D Am G D
Line by Line Meaning
I get home & clean up, I put on my best shirt
After a long day, I make an effort to look presentable for you.
I put on my good shoes
I choose my best pair of shoes to complete my outfit for you.
My arm are hard from what I do all day
My arms are tough from the labor I put in all day.
And it's all for you
All the effort I'm putting in is for you, to make this night special.
As I drive over by the steeple, by the hill
I take a scenic route, past a church and a hill.
The rain is gone, the night is new
The rain has stopped and the night feels fresh and new.
The constellations are coming out again
The stars start to shine in the sky.
There are songs in the world
There's music everywhere in the world.
I'm singing softly as I drive
I quietly sing along to the music in the car.
It's all for you cause you're the only girl
Everything is for you, because you're the only one I care about tonight.
And I'm young again
I feel youthful and alive once more.
And it feels so good to be alive
I'm enjoying the simple pleasures, like the feeling of being alive and having someone special to share the night with.
I'll take you out
I'm taking you out for the night.
We'll find a place to eat
We'll search for a nice spot to grab some food.
Somewhere small, with a view
I'm looking for a cozy and picturesque spot for dinner.
And later on we'll go dancing if you like
If you're interested, we can even go dancing later.
The old anger has given way
I've let go of any previous negative emotions.
To clear eyes and open hands
I have a clear mind and open heart towards you.
I'm getting stronger with each new day
I'm growing stronger and better every day, and I want to be the best for you.
Cause now I understand
I've come to a realization or understanding of something important.
Yes it's all for you
It can't be stressed enough, everything tonight is for you.
Oh it's all for you
It's all because of you, and for you.
It's all for you
Once again, everything and every effort tonight is for you.
Oh all for you
I'm solely focused on making tonight special for you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DON WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind