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.
Conversations
Cold Chisel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Violin a-sobbing on his knee
Twenty bright rozellas on his shoulder
Coin from a wealthy Ceylonese
Hungry people hangin' on the corner
Other people cruisin' by in cars
Feeding on the fiction and the porno
Conversations, Conversations
Icy nights and almighty patience
Well some of us are driven to ambition
Some of us are trapped behind the wheel
Some of us will break away, and build a marble yesterday
And live for every moment we can steal
Conversations, Conversations
Shouting out across an empty station
Now it's just another Tuesday morning
Billy's wrapped up tight against the chill
The busker packs his birds beneath the awning
Billy's got his eyes upon the till
He could get a ticket out of here from a local easy lawyer
The busker's halfway home, Billy's lounging round the foyer
Love so easily dies when there's nothing left to conquer
One small break is all he needs, and life ain't getting longer
Conversations, Conversations
Breakfast show to a sleepy nation
The lyrics to "Conversations" by Cold Chisel are a commentary on life's various intersections, displaying the contrast between the haves and have-nots, the struggles of ambition and dreams, and the realization that life, ultimately, isn't infinite. The first verse describes a man in a hotel lobby with a violin and twenty parrots perched on his shoulder as he receives money from a wealthy man. Meanwhile, outside, people are hungry, others are looking for entertainment, and hopes build and fade daily.
The chorus repeats "Conversations, Conversations," indicating the importance of talking about life's events, and that despite everything going on in the world, people are still talking. The second verse continues to describe the characters hanging around on the street, their aspirations for breaking away, contrasting with those that have already broken out and the buskers who are just trying to get by, as they dream of a better future.
The final verse follows Billy's day as he works a dead-end job and watches others seemingly prosper around him. Ultimately, he realizes his life isn't getting any longer, and his dreams may just stay that way without significant changes. The lyrics of the song describe the universality of human struggle, our longing for something better, and a reminder that, despite how it sometimes feels, we're not truly alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Kneeling at the hotel reception
A person is seen in a compromising position, seeking help from the hotel's reception counter.
Violin a-sobbing on his knee
The person seems to be heartbroken, as his musical instrument, a violin, rests on his lap with a weeping melody.
Twenty bright rozellas on his shoulder
The person is adorned with twenty colorful birds on his shoulder, symbolizing beauty and hope amidst his despair.
Coin from a wealthy Ceylonese
The person has received a rich gift or a token of support from someone hailing from Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
Hungry people hangin' on the corner
Several needy people are seen aimlessly waiting in the corner, hoping for some relief or assistance.
Other people cruisin' by in cars
On the other hand, there are well-to-do people driving around leisurely, possibly unaware of the plight of the poor.
Feeding on the fiction and the porno
The privileged section seem to indulge themselves in escapist pleasures like books and porn.
Staring at the tattoos and the scars
The neglected and downtrodden people on the other hand, bear footprints of the past, in the form of scars and tattoos, and draw attention from onlookers.
Conversations, Conversations
The artist hints at the underlying dialogue or communication happening between the contrasting segments of society.
Icy nights and almighty patience
The mood of the song is set by evoking the image of piercing cold weather, with people exhibiting a great deal of resilience and tolerance.
Well some of us are driven to ambition
The singer observes that some people possess a passionate drive, and a burning desire to succeed in life.
Some of us are trapped behind the wheel
While some people are chained to their daily routine, with no way to break out of the monotony.
Some of us will break away, and build a marble yesterday
The hopeful and revolutionary ones can choose to break free and consciously fashion a glorious past that they desire to live in.
And live for every moment we can steal
Those who are liberated, tend to savor every fleeting moment they have, for it is precious and stolen from the jaws of mediocrity.
Shouting out across an empty station
The poet uses a metaphor of an empty train station to represent the distance and emptiness between the different strata of society.
Now it's just another Tuesday morning
The setting of the song changes, and the artist glides to a different scene, with fresh characters introduced in it.
Billy's wrapped up tight against the chill
Billy, a character approaching in the song, is seen huddling up to beat the sharp cold, implying his vulnerability and weakness.
The busker packs his birds beneath the awning
A street performer, playing his feathered friends, prepares to shift his spot to avoid getting soaked in the rain.
Billy's got his eyes upon the till
Billy, in subtle contrast to the street performer, is focused on making some easy money by attending to his mundane duties.
He could get a ticket out of here from a local easy lawyer
The artist hints at a way for Billy to escape from his despair and struggle, by consulting an influential and corrupt lawyer.
The busker's halfway home, Billy's lounging round the foyer
Meanwhile, the busker continues his journey back home, while Billy continues his routine of waiting for something to happen.
Love so easily dies when there's nothing left to conquer
The artist reflects on the fickleness of love, which fades away when left unchallenged and with no sense of thrill or pursuit.
One small break is all he needs, and life ain't getting longer
The singer sums up the precariousness and fragility of Billy's life, who would need just one opportunity to seek redemption, for time is slipping away.
Breakfast show to a sleepy nation
The song ends with another metaphor, where the artist describes a dull and tired audience tuned in to a mundane breakfast show, suggesting how the mundane rules over everything in the world.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DONALD WALKER, DONALD HUGH WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind