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.
No Sense
Cold Chisel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm hoping for good news
Another letter from a girl that I don't know
Another letter full of no news
You don't tell me anything
You just go on and on
And you don't make no sense
You try to tell me that you love me
But we ain't never met
You try to say you're gonna be my one and only
But I wouldn't take no bet
You don't tell me anything
You just go on and on
And you don't make no sense
The lyrics to Cold Chisel's song "No Sense" express a sense of frustration and confusion from the perspective of the singer, who receives repeated letters from somebody he doesn't know. The letters contain no information of substance or value. The singer is hoping for something positive or meaningful, but instead receives empty words that claim love and loyalty without any real basis for that sentiment. The singer is caught in a cycle of receiving these letters that promise everything, yet provide nothing.
The repeated refrain of "You don't tell me anything / You just go on and on / And you don't make no sense" reinforces the idea that the singer is receiving a lot of words, but none of them are clear or understandable. The feeling of being misled or deceived is amplified by the fact that the person behind the letters claims to love the singer, despite having never met them. The singer is caught in a trap of sorts - wanting to believe in the love and promises being offered, but unable to trust them because they don't make any sense.
Overall, "No Sense" is a commentary on the ways in which words can be used to manipulate and deceive, without providing any real substance or clarity. It reflects a sense of disillusionment and disappointment with the emptiness of words and promises that aren't backed up by action or a genuine connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Mail arrives in the morning
The singer receives mail early in the day
I'm hoping for good news
The singer is anticipating positive information
Another letter from a girl that I don't know
The singer receives correspondence from an unfamiliar female
Another letter full of no news
The letter contains no significant or new information
You don't tell me anything
The person who wrote the letter is uncommunicative
You just go on and on
The letter is long-winded or repetitive
And you don't make no sense
The content of the letter is confusing or does not align with the singer's expectations
You try to tell me that you love me
The writer expresses feelings of affection towards the artist
But we ain't never met
Despite the declaration of love, the artist and writer are strangers
You try to say you're gonna be my one and only
The writer implies a desire for an exclusive romantic relationship
But I wouldn't take no bet
The singer is unsure or skeptical about the writer's sincerity
And you don't make no sense
The writer's assertions about love and commitment are illogical or inconsistent with the artist's perspective
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TONY NICHOLAS, GERALD LEVERT, STEVEN HOWSE, KEN DAWG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ChildishJacqbino
How does chisel not get millions of views I FREAKIN LOVE THEM
@jacquelinepirotta
Jacqui Clark that's such a great question
@V8AmericanMuscleCar
@JPfibrearts I don't get it either. This is amazing tune!
@aylyan
breakfast at sweethearts, goodbye astrid and hold me tight have less than 100k views between them..little wonder the vogons put the highway through
@Hossak
Very underrated song of theirs. Love the old Sydney footage!
@craigfitzsimmons8412
agreed! This city has lost too much of its history and its soul. Fight very hard for what is left!
@tarzan9022
By FAR THE BEST BAND EVER... I DONT CARE WHAT ANYBODY THINKS...
@tarzan9022
Love this SONG it brings back alot of MEMMORIES of the younger days...
@adriang6259
Awesome.
Greatest band ever
@MrBlessed70
No Sense,Ita,Saturday Night and Kai San were their best songs.Loooooooooooove this one.Great Aussie band!!