Cold Chisel produced the canonical example of Australian pub rock, with a s… Read Full Bio ↴Cold Chisel produced the canonical example of Australian pub rock, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and they are acknowledged as one of the most popular and successful Australian groups of the period, although this success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to Australia.

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.

The Party's Over
Cold Chisel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Walker

Hey, when I walk with you
The ancient streets, the ancient sounds
That we used to know
All around
Our days were long ago
The party's over

The party's over
Baby, in the rooms upstairs
The guns were cleaned but never used
Early middle age
Cut the fuse
Just a cafe society
The party's over
Yeah the party's over
Temple bells are all that remain
And the plans we made are now no more
Out of the dreams we knew
It's only you that survived
The long occupation,
Then the war
When I go
Spread my ashes on the sea
Will you remember me
Years away
'Cause I won't be back this way

The party's over
Yeah, the party's over

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Cold Chisel's song "The Party's Over" evoke a sense of nostalgia and reflection on memories of years gone by. The opening line, "Hey, when I walk with you, the ancient streets, the ancient sounds that we used to know all around," sets the scene for the song's contemplation of a past that has faded away. This is reinforced by the repetition of the phrase "The party's over," which suggests a realization that a certain era or phase of life has come to an end.

The second stanza uses imagery of guns that were never used and early middle age that "cut the fuse" to underscore the notion of a missed opportunity or unrealized potential. The reference to "cafe society" implies a certain superficiality or shallowness in the singer's past, which has now given way to a more reflective, perhaps even regretful, perspective. The final stanza brings in the idea of the passage of time and mortality, with the singer contemplating his own death and the inevitability of being forgotten. The question "Will you remember me?" serves as a poignant reminder of the transience of human life, and the final repetition of "The party's over" drives home the song's central theme of letting go of the past.

Overall, "The Party's Over" is a bittersweet reflection on the passing of time and the memories that are left behind. Through its vivid imagery and repetition, the song captures the sense of loss and nostalgia that often accompanies the realization that a particular phase of life has come to an end.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey, when I walk with you
Whenever I am with you

The ancient streets, the ancient sounds
The sounds of the streets that we knew from long ago

That we used to know
That we were familiar with

All around
Everywhere we went

Our days were long ago
Those days are in the distant past

The party's over
Things have changed, and it's time to move on

Baby, in the rooms upstairs
In the rooms above us

The guns were cleaned but never used
Weapons were prepared but not used

Early middle age
We're getting older

Cut the fuse
Put an end to things

Just a cafe society
We only had each other in our limited social circle