Choirgirl (song)
| "Choirgirl" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
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| Single by Cold Chisel | ||||
| from the album East | ||||
| A-side | Choirgirl | |||
| B-side | Conversations (live) | |||
| Released | November 1979 | |||
| Format | 7" vinyl | |||
| Recorded | October 3–14, 1979, Paradise Studios, Sydney | |||
| Genre | Pub rock, Pop[1] | |||
| Label | WEA | |||
| Writer(s) | Don Walker | |||
| Producer(s) | Mark Opitz | |||
| Cold Chisel singles chronology | ||||
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"Choirgirl" was a 1979 single from Australian rock band Cold Chisel. A ballad with an R&B influenced melody,[2] the single was released months before the album East that it featured on. It was the first time the band had recorded with producer Mark Opitz. It peaked at number 14 in Australia
Details
Author Don Walker said, "I made a conscious attempt to write a hit single. It was a matter of pride and craft. And then I thought, 'What'll I write it about...' I wrote it about pregnancy termination and it was a massive hit."[3] At the time of release, many people seemed unaware of the subject matter, and the song was played on radio stations 2SM & 3XY owned by the Catholic Church.[4] Barnes said, "Even though nobody knew what "Choirgirl" was about, everybody felt an emotional connection."[5]
Producer Opitz said, "I used all the old Alberts Tricks as we built "Choirgirl" - where to bring in the backing vocals, have a half-chorus first...all the things I'd learned from Vanda & Young about keeping the listener interested."[5]
The song is driven by Walker's Yamaha CP70 electric grand piano and although Jimmy Barnes sings lead on most of the song, Ian Moss provides close harmonies on the second verse and sings lead vocals on the bridge.
The single reached number 14 in the Australian charts in November 1979[6] and was Cold Chisel's first hit.[4] Walker was nominated for best recorded songwriter at the 1979 TV Week/Countdown Music Awards for the song.[7]
A 12" version was also released, featuring an additional live version of "Khe Sanh" on the b-side.[2]
An appearance on Countdown was made to promote the song, with the band wearing matching white clothes and miming.
Walker later said of the song, "Things can be intensely personal when you write them, but then that gets graded away as you play it 200 times a year over the subsequent five years and then gets played on the radio fifteen times a day right across the country for the next twenty years. It's like saying the same phrase over and over again, it becomes meaningless."[8]
The original album credits for the album East list the song as "Choirgirl", but on some subsequent releases it is written "Choir Girl".
Cover Versions
- In 2007, Katie Noonan recorded the song for the Cold Chisel tribute album Standing on the Outside. It's also included as a bonus track on her album Skin.
- In 2013, Australian singer Taylor Henderson recorded a version for his album Taylor Henderson.[9]
Footnotes
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External links
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Personnel
- Jimmy Barnes - lead vocals
- Ian Moss - lead vocals (bridge), harmony & backing vocals, electric guitar
- Don Walker - Yamaha CP70 electric grand piano, backing vocals
- Phil Small - bass, backing vocals
- Steve Prestwich - drums
- Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
