Flame Trees
Cold Chisel Lyrics
Kids out driving saturday afternoon just pass me by
And I'm just savoring familiar sights
We share some history, this town and I
And I can't stop that long forgotten feeling of her
Try to book a room and stay tonight
Number one is to find some friends to say "you're doing well"
After all this time you boys look just the same
Number two is the happy hour at one of two hotels
Settle in to play "do you remember so and so?
Oh the flame trees will blind the weary driver
And there's nothing else could set fire to this town
There's no change, there's no pace Everything within its place
Just makes it harder to believe that she won't be around
But oh who needs that sentimental bullshit, anyway
Takes more than just a memory to make me cry
And I'm happy just to sit here a table with old friends
And see which one of us can tell the biggest lies
And there's a girl falling in love near where the pianola stands
With a young local factory auto worker just holding hands
And I'm wondering if he'll go or if he'll stay
Do you remember, nothing stopped us on the field
In our day
Oh the flame trees will blind the weary driver
And there's nothing else could set fire to this town
There's no change, there's no pace
Everything within its place
Just makes it harder to believe that she won't be around
Oh the flame trees will blind the weary driver
And there's nothing else could set fire to this town
There's no change, there's no pace
Everything within its place
Just makes it harder to believe that she won't be around
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Steve Prestwich, Don Walker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Cold Chisel produced the canonical example of Australian pub rock, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and they are acknowledged as one of the most popular and successful Australian groups of the period, although this success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to Australia.
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. Read Full BioCold Chisel produced the canonical example of Australian pub rock, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and they are acknowledged as one of the most popular and successful Australian groups of the period, although this success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to Australia.
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 bandβs 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.
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. Read Full BioCold Chisel produced the canonical example of Australian pub rock, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and they are acknowledged as one of the most popular and successful Australian groups of the period, although this success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to Australia.
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 bandβs 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.
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megamarkd
This song means so much to so many.
For me, the last year and a half, I drive north when I can and visit friends and family of a girl I once wanted to marry. We catch up with where we are at in life, talk about shared interests and tell stories about the girl that made us friends. The reason for that is the following.
The girl and I didn't speak for way too many years then a mutual friend asked if it was okay to passed my telephone number onto her as she had asked for it. Of course it was. I was overjoyed by the prospect of speaking again. Two days later I received a call saying she was on life support with a traumatic brain injury. Covid restrictions stopped me from entering Queensland to be by her side as she had been for me when I was in a similar state 20yrs earlier. Two weeks later I had to say goodbye to her on the telephone. I take solace in knowing that our differences were no longer anything, our love of each other all those years ago was not wasted and never
forgotten.
......
Number one is to find some friends to say "You're doing well
After all this time you boys look just the same"
Number two is the happy hour at one of two hotels
Settle in to play "Do you remember so and so?"
Number three is never say her name
......
Often this song comes on the radio while I am driving and I can't help but want to pull over, but those flame trees....
Rest In Peace, My Friend
Patricia Richardson
This song holds a special place in my life. Video filmed in my hometown Oberon. My beautiful Dad was laid to rest last month and was escorted down the main street of Oberon. His last main street run. There's no change there's no pace, everything within it's place just makes it harder to believe that he wont be around. Rip Dad.
john papa
Everyone will know how beautiful the town is just like your family is...
Mark
Go the Tigers!
Bad Skootah
my favourite CC song... so very evocative and open to many interpretations. All great songs are like that.
human
L
Buggulugs
Great song. Represents an era that's starting to slide into memory. Old Australia is slipping away...
Andrew Rogers
@Robert Martin Chinese have been coming here since the Gold Rush though. Iβm not saying youβre wrong, and Iβm not calling you a racist, I just find it really odd when people talk about immigration as though itβs new.
Andrew Rogers
Iβm not sure what the country towns are like now adays. I moved back to Melbourne a few years ago. What I miss is the local - you could walk into a pub and you knew everyone , and blokes sitting around the bar.
Buggulugs
@propositionjohnston What white? Where does it say anything about being white? How do know I'm white?
I was referring to an era when Australia was under the rule of law and was not divided against itself like it is now. A time when society wasn't being dismantled by fascist, woke, glad-hearted bullshitters and the professionally outraged.
You got that, sport?
propositionjohnston
What do you mean? Not everyoneβs white anymore?