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 bandās 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.
The Door
Cold Chisel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The telephone's ringin' again
What do I say, are you home this time
There's somebody askin' on the telephone line
Baby baby
You know it's getting me down
The Fatman called, left no message
Did you see how many, were they driving a truck
Did they come on mean, did you push your luck
Did they offer you a summons, did they offer you a fag
Were they lookin' for the money for the sugar bag
Hostile city
Running out the door again
Pulled a big escape along Broadway
The man came calling seven times today
Keep on running
Keep on moving around
Gotto get away by the break of day
If you relax they're gonna pin you down
You've been hangin' down on Dixon Street
Eating Chinese chicken when it's time to eat
Spending time on the underground
When you relax they're gonna pin you down
Wake up baby
I want you to hold me now
It's 3 a.m., time of night when
Robbers prowl
Give me your hand
You know I could not be sure
Oh baby there it goes again
There's somebody knockin' on the kitchen door . . .
Cold Chisel's "The Door" paints a vivid picture of a paranoid and restless individual. The song opens with the singer's phone ringing yet again. It's unclear who is calling or what they want, but it is enough to provoke anxiety in the singer. The presence of "Fatman" only worsens their worry. They wonder if "they" came in a large vehicle and if they are after them. The uncertainty of the caller's intentions and the mention of "Fatman" suggest that the singer may be involved in some illicit or criminal activities.
The setting of the song is a city filled with danger and paranoia. The singer attempts to avoid their pursuer by running away and hiding. Dixon Street, the Chinatown in Sydney, is mentioned, suggesting that the scenario of the song is set there. The singer is shown to be on the move, always trying to escape capture. They are exhausted and fearful, even in the safety of their own home, as demonstrated by the mention of someone knocking on their door at night.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby baby
The song is addressed to a lover, who is called 'baby baby'
The telephone's ringin' again
The phone is ringing
What do I say, are you home this time
The singer is unsure whether their lover is home or not
There's somebody askin' on the telephone line
There is a person on the phone asking for something
You know it's getting me down
The singer is upset about something
The Fatman called, left no message
A person called 'The Fatman' called but did not leave a message
They get so heavy when you're not around
Things become difficult when the lover is not around
Did you see how many, were they driving a truck
The singer is asking if their lover saw how many people came and if they were in a vehicle
Did they come on mean, did you push your luck
The singer is inquiring if the individuals who came were aggressive and if their lover did something to provoke them
Did they offer you a summons, did they offer you a fag
The singer is asking if their lover was given a legal notice (summons) or a cigarette (fag)
Were they lookin' for the money for the sugar bag
The singer is asking if the individuals were looking for money related to drugs
Hostile city
The city is described as hostile
Running out the door again
The singer is leaving the house
Pulled a big escape along Broadway
The singer made a quick escape along the street Broadway
The man came calling seven times today
Someone came to see the singer seven times today
Keep on running
The singer is encouraging themselves to keep running
Keep on moving around
The singer encourages themselves to keep moving
Gotto get away by the break of day
The singer needs to get away before sunrise
If you relax they're gonna pin you down
If the singer stops moving, they will be caught
You've been hangin' down on Dixon Street
The singer's lover has been spending time on Dixon Street
Eating Chinese chicken when it's time to eat
The singer's lover has been eating Chinese chicken which the singer believes is not the proper time to eat
Spending time on the underground
The lover has been spending time on the subway
When you relax they're gonna pin you down
If the lover stops moving, they will be caught
Wake up baby
The singer is waking up their lover
I want you to hold me now
The singer wants to be held by their lover
It's 3 a.m., time of night when
It is 3 am
Robbers prowl
There is danger due to robberies occurring
Give me your hand
The singer is asking their lover to hold their hand
You know I could not be sure
The singer is uncertain
Oh baby there it goes again
The telephone is ringing again
There's somebody knockin' on the kitchen door
Someone is at the kitchen door knocking
Contributed by Kaitlyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@dropbear6740
Back in the day when you could see the cream of Aussie bands at your local pub, when Aussie music was at its top, Chisel for ever the best of the best
@TheSunnybunny2000
I LOVE THAT EARLY RAW CHISEL SOUND
@musterionsurly
Ahhh that great strat tone was burned into my psyche as a youngster, so good to hear it again.
The guitar tone on the first chisel album will always be my favourite, right up there with Blackmore, Beck, Rory Gallagher etc
Just how many times, one long day, northbound, gorgeous
@357HFC
This is Chisel, Live, Raw and as fast and loud as Jimmy can get them to go.
@vancewilson9413
Classic šš
@TheSunnybunny2000
JUST SAW THEM AT THE GREEN THEY WERE FUCKEN FANTASTIC