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.
Forever Now
Cold Chisel Lyrics
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She don't talk to anyone
Plane leaving soon for afar
Where she don't know anyone
She thinks of her precious time
There's no-one she leaves behind
Who could change her mind
Is this the way it's gonna be forever
Is this the way it's gonna be
Forever now
Take a whole life's loneliness
Wrap it up in some tenderness
Send it off to some emptiness
With all my love
'cause it's only you and me
There'll be nothing we need to see
Only one thing can set you free
Is all my love
Making his way down the stairs
He can't help but looking back
Thinks of the things that they shared
There'll be no more turning back
He thinks of the day they met
The words that she said of love
He just can't forget
Just the way they want to be forever
Just the way they want to be forever
Tell me it will always be
Forever now
Take a whole life's loneliness
Wrap it up in some tenderness
Send it off to some emptiness
With all my love
It's only you and me
There'll be nothing we need to see
Only one thing can set you free
Is all my love
It's only you and me
There'll be nothing we need to see
Only one thing can set you free
Is all our love, oh yeah
The lyrics to Cold Chisel's song "Forever Now" describe two separate characters who are both contemplating their lives, their past relationships and their decisions. The first character is a woman who sits at the bar, contemplating leaving town and starting a new life elsewhere. She has nobody left behind to hold her back and change her mind. The second character is a man who is leaving someone behind and thinking about the day he first met his love. He can't forget what she said and that they can't go back. The song's lyrics appear to touch on themes of loneliness, the unchanging nature of relationships, the fear of commitment, and the desire for freedom.
The chorus of the song asks if this is the way it's going to be forever. The characters in the song seem to be stuck in a dead end, and asking if there's any way out for them. The song's bridge describes the comfort that one character will take in wrapping up their loneliness in tenderness and sending it off to emptiness with all their love. They believe that this is the only way to set themselves free. The final chorus repeats the desire for forever, emphasizing that this is what the characters want.
Line by Line Meaning
Taking her seat at the bar
She sits alone at the bar
She don't talk to anyone
She avoids conversation with anyone
Plane leaving soon for afar
She has a plane to catch to far away place
Where she don't know anyone
She has no acquaintances where she is going
She thinks of her precious time
She ponders over her limited time
There's no-one she leaves behind
She has no one to leave behind
Who could change her mind
No one could influence her decision
Is this the way it's gonna be forever
Will this be permanent?
Is this the way it's gonna be forever
Will this be permanent?
Is this the way it's gonna be
Is this going to persist?
Forever now
Forevermore
Take a whole life's loneliness
A long-lasting solitude
Wrap it up in some tenderness
Counterbalance it with some warmth
Send it off to some emptiness
Abandon it to a pointless void
With all my love
With all the devotion I have
'cause it's only you and me
Because it is just the two of us
There'll be nothing we need to see
We do not require any materialistic items
Only one thing can set you free
Love is the only escape
Making his way down the stairs
Slowly descending the staircase
He can't help but looking back
He regrets and turns around
Thinks of the things that they shared
Recalls the times they had together
There'll be no more turning back
There is no chance of going back
He thinks of the day they met
He reminisces about the day they first met
The words that she said of love
Her declarations of affection for him
He just can't forget
He has not come to terms with it yet
Just the way they want to be forever
The way they desire it to last permanently
Just the way they want to be forever
The way they desire it to last permanently
Tell me it will always be
Assure me that it will last
Forever now
Forevermore
It's only you and me
Just the two of us
There'll be nothing we need to see
We do not require any materialistic items
Only one thing can set you free
Love is the only escape
It's only you and me
Just the two of us
There'll be nothing we need to see
We do not require any materialistic items
Only one thing can set you free
Love is the only escape
Is all our love, oh yeah
It is nothing but our love
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEVE PRESTWICH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Keith Rowe
This song (and When the War is Over), once and for all proves the point that Cold Chisel were much much more than just a pub rock band … absolute brilliance!
ACERAMGAD
I always did dig Cold Chisel and for that matter I'm still digging it!
bbkingzor
What a great story, ACER
Rushdi Ishmail
Great song.👌🏾
stop snitching stop lying
Still a banger!
John Graham
My No.1 80's anthem!
Sam Meas
Simply awesome timeless
Denise Swann
cold chisel are the bands i would have walk all the way to oz to see live if i got a ticket
Steve Royal
I remember this outstanding song was the B side of one of their 45 singles and I liked it better than the A side
Michael H
Cold Chisel "Circus Animals" Great album.