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.
Payday in a Pub
Cold Chisel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I spent my lunch hour
Watching middleage businessmen, readin' a lot
And dreaming of the things they never had
They make you feel so bad
They make you feel so sad
They make you feel so low
They try to tell me
What I'm doing ain't right
They try to tell me
What I do ain't right
They make you feel so bad
They make you feel so sad
They make you feel so low
Trying, crying
Crying about all the lovin' you promised to me
If you see me, while you free me
Just tell me your leavin', you won't be coming back to me
Come back to me
If you see me, free me
Don't leave me hanging 'round your doorstop no more
I've been trying, I've been crying
Been trying and crying
Just gotta get back to you
Just to get back to you
Still I'm trying
Every single day of my life
Everytime I try to see you
You step out of line
It makes you feel so bad
It makes you feel so sad
It makes you feel so alone
The lyrics to Cold Chisel’s “Payday in a Pub” paint a vivid picture of a man in a state of disillusionment with the working-class life he leads. The singer spends his lunch hour watching middle-aged businessmen, envious of their perceived prosperity and success, and dreaming of having what they have. He’s deeply affected by their apparent happiness, which only exacerbates his feelings of inadequacy and discontent. As the song progresses, we get the sense that he’s caught in a cycle of desperation and sadness, with people constantly telling him that what he’s doing is wrong or inadequate.
The repetition of the lyrics “They try to tell me / What I’m doing ain’t right” and “They make you feel so bad / They make you feel so sad / They make you feel so low” underscores the singer’s sense of hopelessness and frustration, and the repeated pleas for someone to “free” him or “give him a chance” to reconcile with his lover are indicative of his yearning for something better, even as he struggles to maintain the status quo.
Overall, “Payday in a Pub” is a poignant and introspective song that speaks to the challenges of working-class life, and the difficulties of finding meaning and purpose in a world that often seems stacked against us. It’s a powerful and emotive piece of music that resonates with anyone who’s struggled to make ends meet, and who’s felt the sting of rejection and despair in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
I spent my lunch hour
During my lunch break, I was engaged in some activity that is yet to be specified.
Watching middle-aged businessmen, readin' a lot
I was observing middle-aged businessmen who were sitting around reading a lot of material, which I’m assuming to be newspapers.
And dreaming of the things they never had
As I was seeing these businessmen, I sensed they looked like they had some unfulfilled desires or goals, which possibly they had never been able to accomplish.
They make you feel so bad
These businessmen and their unfulfilled dreams were affecting me emotionally.
They make you feel so sad
The middle-aged men’s unaccomplished tasks might lead to their disappointment and sadness, which in turn may affect mine.
They make you feel so low
Their hopeless dreams might bring down my morale or mood as well.
They try to tell me, what I'm doing ain't right
Someone tried to suggest or imply that what I was doing was incorrect according to them.
They try to tell me, what I do ain't right
The person is attempting to argue with me that my choices or actions are wrong.
Trying, crying, crying about all the lovin' you promised to me
I’m attempting and failing to hold back my emotions while thinking about the love that was promised to me.
If you see me, while you free me
When you’re in a position to encounter me, make sure to set me free.
Just tell me your leavin', you won't be coming back to me
Instead of being uncertain or leaving me hanging, please be clear and upfront that you won't return.
Come back to me
Please return to me.
If you see me, free me
Again, reiterating a plea to release and liberate me.
Don't leave me hanging 'round your doorstop no more
Don’t keep me waiting around outside your door anymore.
I've been trying, I've been crying
I’ve been making efforts and crying due to the pain or hurt caused by your absence.
Been trying and crying
Continuing to endure this pain and hurt while still trying to make amends.
Just gotta get back to you, just to get back to you
The only thing I desire is to be reunited with you.
Still I'm trying, every single day of my life
Despite all the struggles, I keep trying every single day of my life for something that isn’t even guaranteed.
Everytime I try to see you, you step out of line
Whenever I try to reconnect or make contact with you, there always appears to be some kind of obstacle that prevents it from happening.
It makes you feel so bad, it makes you feel so sad, it makes you feel so alone
The barriers that prevent me from being with you make me feel bad, sad and alone.
Contributed by Alice Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.