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.
Suicide Sal
Cold Chisel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Suicide Sal was a hellava gal and not bad for a fella
Six feet two, her hair bright blue and no one had the heart to tell her
That she showed no taste with the makeup on her face jokin' cause ___________
Six feet two, army boots, silicone tits and balls to boot.
Sally was a drag, you had to be afraid
Only 22, and nothing you can do
A man trapped in a blue rinse cage
Well her big mistake was
Trying to break some
Fun down in the corner
We had the waitress on the table
She was keen and able
For a private show we corner
Just a pretty little thing with a waist so thin
Her knickers down around her knees
When up runs Sal with a drink in her hand
Chucked it all over our pretty little dream
Sally was a drag, you had to be afraid
Could've been up for a _____
Only 22, and nothing you can do
A man trapped in a blue rinse cage
Suicide Sal was a hellava gal
And not bad for a fella
Six feet two
Her hair bright blue
And no one had the heart to tell her
That she showed no taste
With the makeup on her face
Jokin' cause ___________
Six feet two
Army boots
Silicone tits and balls to boot
Sally was a drag, you had to be afraid
Could've been up for a _____
Only 22, and nothing you can do
A man trapped in a blue rinse cage
He's trapped in a blue rinse cage
He's trapped in a blue rinse cage
He's trapped in a blue rinse cage
He's trapped in a blue rinse cage
He's trapped in a blue rinse cage
He's trapped in a blue rinse cage
He's trapped in a blue rinse cage
Well he's trapped!
The lyrics of Cold Chisel's Suicide Sal paint a vivid picture of the titular character and her larger-than-life personality. She is described as a "hellava gal" who is "not bad for a fella" and stands at a towering six feet two inches. The song takes a bit of a cynical turn when it is revealed that no one had the heart to tell her that her makeup and style choices may not be the most tasteful, with the line "she showed no taste with the makeup on her face jokin' cause..." left open-ended. Suicide Sal is portrayed as a bit of a wild card and a source of danger, with the lyrics alluding to the fact that she could have been "up for a murder," and she is also described as being "trapped in a blue rinse cage," an image that suggests a life of conventionality and conformity.
The song's lyrics tell a story of a night out where Suicide Sal is present and ultimately causes a disruption with her antics. The singer describes a scene where he and his friends had "the waitress on the table" and were having a good time, only for Suicide Sal to come in and completely ruin the mood by "chucking [a drink] all over our pretty little dream." The song doesn't give away too much information about the characters involved or what might have happened to them, but it does create a clear image of the chaotic and unpredictable nature of Suicide Sal herself.
Line by Line Meaning
Suicide Sal was a hellava gal and not bad for a fella
Suicide Sal was a unique and impressive person who defied gender norms and expectations.
Six feet two, her hair bright blue and no one had the heart to tell her
That she showed no taste with the makeup on her face jokin' cause
Sal had a striking appearance, but her makeup was not aesthetically pleasing. Despite this, no one had the courage to tell her, which led to some teasing.
Six feet two, army boots, silicone tits and balls to boot.
Sal's appearance defied traditional gender roles by wearing masculine clothing, having breast implants, and still having male genitalia.
Sally was a drag, you had to be afraid
Could've been up for a _____
Only 22, and nothing you can do
A man trapped in a blue rinse cage
Sal's gender nonconformity made her the subject of ridicule and fear. She was only 22 years old with no options to escape societal judgment and expectations.
Well her big mistake was
Trying to break some
Fun down in the corner
We had the waitress on the table
She was keen and able
For a private show we corner
Sal made the mistake of interrupting some fun being had by others, in which a waitress was entertaining them with a private show.
Just a pretty little thing with a waist so thin
Her knickers down around her knees
When up runs Sal with a drink in her hand
Chucked it all over our pretty little dream
The waitress was a young and attractive woman who was performing a striptease. Sal ruined the experience when she threw a drink on the waitress.
He's trapped in a blue rinse cage
The repeated phrase signifies Sal's entrapment in a society that judges and ridicules those who do not conform to traditional gender norms.
Contributed by Blake L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.