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.
He Can't Believe It's Over With You
Cold Chisel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mentioning your name all over town
Some old flame of yours
Someone you knew
And he can't believe it's over with you
He says that he is where you belong
You tell me you ain't seen him in so long
Maybe it's true
That he can't believe it's over with you
I may need to take him aside
See if you have anything to hide
Make it plain to him
What I will do
If he can't believe it's over with you
Whichever way it goes
I can easily explain it so he knows
How it is with you
These days
I can't walk away
That's not what I do
When he can't believe it's over with you.
The singer of Cold Chisel's song "He Can't Believe It's Over With You" seems to be in a state of jealousy and suspicion. He has heard someone mentioning his lover's name all over town, someone she used to date. The person is unable to believe that their relationship has come to an end, and this makes the singer uncomfortable. He's afraid that the person may try to win her back or cause trouble. The singer seems to be in love with her and is unwilling to walk away from their relationship despite the presence of her ex.
The desire to take the person aside, question him about the intentions, and make it clear to him what he will do if things go wrong demonstrates the singer's protectiveness towards his lover. He wants to make sure that the ex knows their relationship has ended and that he no longer has any claim on her. Whatever the outcome may be, the singer is willing to explain to the ex and make him understand the current status of their relationship. He emphasizes that he can't walk away because he loves her too much.
In a nutshell, the song portrays a possessive and protective lover who is trying to safeguard his relationship from external influences. It reflects the insecurities and anxieties associated with romantic relationships and the lengths one can go to protect what they love.
Line by Line Meaning
There's someone out there hangin' around
There is a person who is lingering around
Mentioning your name all over town
He is spreading your name everywhere he goes
Some old flame of yours
He is an ex-boyfriend of yours
Someone you knew
You had a past romantic relationship with him
And he can't believe it's over with you
He cannot accept the fact that you are not with him anymore
He says that he is where you belong
He claims that he is the right person for you
You tell me you ain't seen him in so long
You inform me that you have not met him for a while
Maybe he's the fool
Perhaps he is foolish
Maybe it's true
Maybe he is right
That he can't believe it's over with you
He cannot come to terms with the fact that you are not together anymore
I may need to take him aside
I might have to speak with him privately
See if you have anything to hide
Check if you have been keeping any secrets from me
Make it plain to him
Be clear with him
What I will do
What actions I might take
If he can't believe it's over with you
If he cannot accept that you are not together anymore
Whichever way it goes
Whatever the outcome might be
I can easily explain it so he knows
I can clarify the situation for him easily
How it is with you
Your current situation
These days
Currently
I can't walk away
I cannot simply leave
That's not what I do
That is not my style
When he can't believe it's over with you.
When he still cannot accept that you two are not together anymore.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DONALD WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind