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.
My Baby
Cold Chisel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My baby, my baby
I know this little girl she's quite a picture
I do my very best oh boy to keep her
She's got what it takes to warm my soul
Maybe it's because she wears no makeup
Doesn't think she's got the legs that shape up
I know I got
My baby, my baby
She's all that I need
Hanging around
She's all I need
She makes my world feel so good to me
We turn on in the most peculiar places
Many people turn with bowed red faces
We don't care what they say all the same
I got this little girl she's quite a picture
Ain't no one anywhere ever gonna steal her
She has won my heart I love her so
The song "My Baby" by Cold Chisel is a love song that tells the tale of a man who has found a woman who he believes is perfect in every way. The lyrics are simple and straightforward, but they carry a strong emotional weight that is easy to connect with. The singer describes his girlfriend as someone who is not perfect by society's standards, but who is perfect for him. He speaks highly of her, admiring her attributes and describing the way that she warms his soul. He is proud to have her by his side and is unashamed of their relationship, despite what others may think.
The song is a celebration of love and friendship. It presents a world in which the little things matter, and where the most peculiar places can be the most magical. It is a reminder that happiness can be found in the simplest of things, and that love and companionship are worth fighting for. The lyrics are easy to sing along to, and because of the catchy chorus, it is easy to remember them long after the song has ended.
Line by Line Meaning
My baby, my baby
The singer is expressing his affection for his girlfriend.
I know this little girl she's quite a picture
The singer is familiar with and admires his girlfriend.
I do my very best oh boy to keep her
The singer tries his hardest to maintain a positive relationship with his girlfriend.
She's got what it takes to warm my soul
The singer finds comfort and happiness in his girlfriend's presence.
Maybe it's because she wears no makeup
The singer appreciates his girlfriend's natural beauty and does not require her to wear makeup to attract him.
Doesn't think she's got the legs that shape up
The singer's girlfriend is not self-conscious about her physical appearance, and he loves her regardless.
She can't rock but boy she can roll
The singer's girlfriend may not be conventionally talented, but she has her own unique abilities and appeals to him in her own way.
She's all that I need
The singer considers his girlfriend to be his everything.
Hanging around
The singer enjoys spending time with his girlfriend.
She makes my world feel so good to me
The singer's girlfriend brings happiness and positivity to his life.
We turn on in the most peculiar places
The singer and his girlfriend find excitement and attraction in unexpected or unusual locations.
Many people turn with bowed red faces
The singer and his girlfriend may attract attention or judgement from others, but they do not let it affect their relationship.
We don't care what they say all the same
The opinions of others do not impact the love and commitment he has toward his girlfriend.
Ain't no one anywhere ever gonna steal her
The singer believes that his girlfriend is one-of-a-kind and could never be taken away from him.
She has won my heart I love her so
The singer is deeply in love with his girlfriend and she has captured his heart.
Lyrics © FESTIVAL ATTRACTIONS INC, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JEFFREY A MOSS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jjthewoofy
LYRICS
My baby, my baby
My baby
I know this little girl she's quite a picture
I do my very best oh boy to keep her
She's got what it takes to warm my soul
Maybe it's because she wears no makeup
Doesn't think she's got the legs that shape up
She can't rock but boy she can roll
I know I got
My baby, my baby
She's all that I need
Hanging around
She's all I want
She makes my world feel so good to me
We turn on in the most peculiar places
Many people turn with bowed red faces
We don't care what they say all the same
I got this little girl she's quite a picture
Ain't no one anywhere ever gonna steal her
She has won my heart I love her so
@angelop9332
That sax solo by Joe camalleri is profoundly sublime & kills me every time ❤
@TheRandomActivity
It's absolutely sensational
@hrvackinavijac7911
Classic song! Long live Australia 🇦🇺
@chrissevastopoulos4964
One of the best by Cold Chisel. I like chilling out to this one now and then. Ian Moss and the way he picks the notes and strikes those chords, legendary.
@randomerde
That solo has such heart...
It gets me every time
@shaynestebbing5597
The coolest start of any Aussie song! Mossy is a legend 🇦🇺
@tracysampson3498
love this song
@scottmollan8904
this song just makes you feel happy
@satnam7224
First band I ever saw live! Still love this track along with Khe Sanh and my cheap wine!
@linux49er
Don't forget "Flame Trees".