Cold Chisel Week - Day 4 - Flame Trees

Welcome to Cold Chisel Week
Today we have: FLAME TREE'S
What's not to love about this fantastic band. Sit back and enjoy.
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[@dgallax]

" ... and number 3 is never say her name". There's a whole backstory written in those few words. Genius songwriting.

[@alliegal45]

The fact that 40 years down the road from the origins of Chisel, that their songs and musicianship still stand up against whoever decides anything or anyone is better … we’re all still playing and singing their tunes, that won’t happen to the dross that is out there these days ❤

[@sean---the-other-one]

It’s not massively dated either. That basic format of drums/bass/guitar/keys may not always be the flavour of the day, but it’s real and not coloured to a particular decade. I’m sure this will be just as listenable and relatable and enjoyable in another 40 years.

[@arrongoodwin3339]

I love 80s music but some of it is dated. Even INXS great singer in MH but some of the songs pretty average. Chisel nailed it every time and the music is timeless

[@TheThamesmen]

Quality lasts whilst pop bursts

[@noone6559]

Yes mate..... totally agree.... I mean besides Jimmy is a legend... had his troubles but he is a lovely man.... my mum was the Adolescent Clinical Nurse Consultant at the adolescent ward of Westmead Hospital in the 80's.... and Jimmy used to turn up to see the kids... she'd come home and tell me and I was so jealous lmao....

[@alliegal45]

@@noone6559 lucky kids…lucky mum! 💜

[@Cubesy73]

No road trip is complete without Flame Trees with everyone singing along.

[@marionbray6774]

Yep, you can't do any country driving in Aust without Chisel's Flame Trees on the play list. 😄

[@absinthedream9668]

Fun fact when Springsteen's wife met Jimmy Barnes she told him Flame Trees was her favourite Cold Chisel song.

[@TheThamesmen]

Nice. Small world stuff

[@kdavies3105]

Actually when they met back stage in NY after Springsteen's Broadway show, she told Jimmy that Flame Trees was 1 of her 2 favourite songs ever, not just Chisel songs, but all songs.

[@theread59]

Their finest moment. Absolutely brilliant. I could listen to this one over and over again. The line "Do you remember nothing stopped us on the field in our day" brings tears to my eyes nearly 40 years after I first heard it.

[@michaelzerk]

Evocative line! Always gets to me too.

[@chrishampson6023]

It was only 40 years later I realised how great that line is. I feel it every time I hear it. Best chisel song!

[@TheThamesmen]

Need to go listen again. Thanks

[@adriang6259]

yep, every time.

[@kelloneill74]

As a lover of good writing, this song really impresses me. It's storytelling at it's finest. The opening lyrics establish that a young man has come back to his hometown after some time and then we're hit with these lines : Number One is to find some friends to say 'You're doing well, after all this time you boys look just the same.'. Number two is the Happy Hour of one of two hotels and settle in to play 'Do you remember so and so....?' Number Three is never say her name..... I mean, man...those last lines really paint a picture of where the narrator's head is at.

[@TheThamesmen]

Nice synopsis. Thank you

[@NickJewlachow-of3yh]

Don Walker: genius. And actual rocket scientist

[@bootymanager]

@@NickJewlachow-of3yh Don't forget Steve, who wrote the music.

[@tonyphillips7358]

G'Day Thamesmen. It's 26.6.24 here in Sydney ... bedtime ... time to boil the jug for my Earl Grey and the hot water bottle. Countdown-Clock is on! 107 sleeps before 12.10.24 when I will see the Chisel live '50 years the best of tour'. 20 dates, sold out in under three hours. (Waiting list for the GA, paddock gigs in the vineyards, no thanks). I can walk to the venue. Bow River once more before I 'pop me clogs'.

[@ianscott424]

Expecting "Breakfast at Sweethearts" tomorrow... in saying that, it can be part of Chisel Week 2 because it's an easily filled week!

[@-jacinta-]

I'm hoping for Saturday Night tomorrow. Then again, there's Choir Girl., or Cheap Wine, or Forever Now...... You're right, Chisel week 2 is needed.

[@Philby17]

At the emotional peak of the song, he's trying not to remember the girl he left but on seeing the young couple... 'And I'm wondering if he'll go or if he'll stay' ...realises he's projecting his situation - it's too much so he goes back to 'telling the biggest lies' with friends, 'Do you remember nothing stopped us on the (sports) field in our day?' It's superb songwriting.

[@AndyViant]

Possibly their most powerful song. "Number 3 is NEVER SAY HER NAME" is one of the most powerful lines in Aus Rock History.

[@peterbenson6862]

In response to your comments on Chisel not being recognised outside of Australia, they did try to break into the US market about 1980 or 81. The US record labels didn't treat them with much respect. When they came back to Australia, Jimmy Barnes wrote the song "You've got nothing I want" in response to their treatment.

[@JohnWalker-vs5rz]

As a huge fan of Classic Aussie Rock living in the UK I often asked myself the same question..the Aussies have produced world class rock music, much of which is rarely heard outside of Australia. The official video of Flame Trees is worth a watch..it tells the story of the song very well. So, how about an Angels week. They have a great catalogue of massive Australian hits. Fronted by Doc Neeson. Also the video of Paul Kelly's 'How to Make Gravy' should be featured by you in the run up to Christmas. Aussie sentimentality at its best.

[@amygone2pot]

The 2021 version!

[@JohnWalker-vs5rz]

@@amygone2pot If you're talking about 'How To Make Gravy' I prefer the original official video. Speaking as a pom the sight of an Aussie band playing in the heat surrounded by Christmas decorations is a big contrast to the dark and the damp we experience in the UK around Christmas time.

[@lesliedavis2185]

I do love this one, I say that every day don’t I. Flame trees is a lovely song. One does wonder, if they had cracked the world market would they be the same? They were pretty hard living. Jimmy has calmed down a lot now. Would he have survived the world. I don’t mind that we kept them to ourselves .

[@kittycatcage]

This song became the anthem of those perfect moments singing hard around a backyard bbq with good friends, beer and mosquitoes. As a bulletproof twenty something Aussie in the 80's, it was our patriotic duty to worship Cold Chisel in good or bad times. Thank you for sharing these reactions.

[@floydster23]

Chris, if there's another Aussie week, I think it's time for The Triffids "Wide Open Road", Go-Betweens "Streets of Your Town", Gangajang "Sounds of Then", Goanna "Solid Rock" and Moving Pictures "What About Me"". The very best of Aussie sentimental music.

[@mattcurr9931]

geez, thats a murderer's row of songs right there. legitimate all-time classics

[@nancyharvey7969]

Absolutely agree with that list!

[@RAF286]

Don Walker is probably the best song writer Australia has produced.

[@sportsfanivosevic9885]

Don't forget Paul Kelly

[@melindatanner5853]

Tim Rogers

[@57chevisawsomeness]

Ivor Davies

[@A_nony_mous]

Harry Vanda and George Young deserve a mention too.

[@greybirdo]

Don Walker is great, but nobody this side of Dylan is better than PK.

[@wilks6]

Often, Aussie bands were working against not only having limited radio exposure in other countries, but record companies doing shite deals that meant they were indifferent to Aussie music, I suspect often because it would overshadow US or UK artists on their roster. It wasn't just Chisel that were criminally ignored. There were dozens. Midnight Oil had some o/seas success, as did INXS. But brilliant Australian acts like Divinyls, Rose Tattoo, Models, The Black Sorrows, Hunters & Collectors, so many more. All deserved to be way bigger.

[@sammy_dog]

Chisel week 2,3 and 4 coming soon to this channel Oh BTW that little girl in the video is all grown up and boy does she have some pipes on her she is the wonderful Mahalia Barnes you should check out Joe Bonamassa Mahalia Barnes Riding with the kings

[@julianaFinn]

Shout out to Don Walker, the writer of so many brilliant lyrics... this is why Chisel still hits so hard. The lyrics are timeless, and the energy mixed with a mish-mash of styles just makes them stand forever. I wish more channels did Chisel. They are world-class...... "oh, who needs this sentimental bulls*it anyway"...

[@redward13]

Hi I totally agree, but Steve Prestwich wrote that track. They are best band in the world as far as I'm concerned. 👍

[@julianaFinn]

@redward13 I thought Walker did the lyrics while someone else did the music? Eh, I'm most likely wrong but the point still stands lol

[@mikeschenk4730]

I've tried listening to all of the members of Chisel separately with their outside projects. It never has the same energy as all of them together. And I think they all have a tendency to curb the other's bad musical tendencies as well.

[@richardcuttler7734]

@@redward13 I once danced with a girl who danced with a Roady who heard from a drummer that when Ian Moss came to Don Walker with the line, "strap my knee bones to the ground" Don said OK..... and filled in the rest of the song and shared the royalties etc with Mossy.😊

[@bootymanager]

Steve wrote the music, Don the lyrics. ​@@redward13

[@ray.shoesmith]

And oh, who needs this sentimental bullshit anyway

[@BJ-uy1cl]

Why was is so important to make it in US, these guys were worshiped in Australia and are still such a well respected band. This band knew exactly what they were prepared to do and how they wanted to live.

[@mikeschenk4730]

To be fair, the intro to it says Jimmy Barnes didn't want international stardom. He wanted to go to his farm and spend time with his family.

[@PP-gy8gg]

I suppose it's the fact we knew they were brilliant. I was reading the motley Crue book and in it they mention that they thought they were pretty good but there was whispers of a couple of other great bands out there. The band's were U2 and Chisel. Imagine what could have been..m

[@ozzybarnes4225]

Cold Chisel did go over to the U.S but at the time the record producer that was going to sign them was more interested in going to a dogs funeral or birthday, but that was that flew back to Oz nothing ventured nothing gained.😢

[@ozzybarnes4225]

And Cold Chisel didn't get gun shy , they didn't want to play those games .

[@penrite01]

Chisel's " Saturday night" or " Rising Sun" but I think you've done them both..... maybe " Cheap wine" Thanks maties.... from Melbourne

[@kane29842]

This is without a doubt the quintessential chisel song. It would top every poll of 'best chisel song' and pretty clearly defines WHY they are held in such high esteem. Their song writing is phenomenal and their subject matter is relatable to almost everyone. All backed up by superb musicianship and vocals

[@garypascoe5161]

From the beginning to later days, a fave and classic live chisel song is Merry Go Round, check it out.

[@Dr_KAP]

Definitely in the top 5, with Bow River and Saturday Night

[@Bazza1025b]

Quintessential Chisel songs: Khe Sanh, Flame Trees, When The War Is Over, Bow River, Goodbye Astrid, & Cheap Wine. (Really just too many). Edit: fark, forgot Saturday Night.

[@clarkditter5975]

I think of Cold Chisel as a tough, energetic, thoughtful & passionate rock n' roll band, and I see all of those qualities reflected in the song "Letter to Alan". Not only are all these things articulated so clearly in the lyrics, you can feel the anger, passion and sadness in the music.

[@ChrisDavis-dw3hr]

Four walls is a great song too. To many good Chisel songs. You need 2 weeks for sure.

[@peaked_aussie]

Ohh I forgot about that one! Going to have a listen after this :)

[@mattcurr9931]

the bathurst races "riot" and subsequent incarceration. brilliant track. Don Walker>Paul Kelly, which is the highest of praises

[@steve--smith]

Until you have seen that band in full flight, with Barnesy swilling a half empty bottle of vodka, perched atop one of the PA speakers, singing with the entire crowd transfixed, your late teens haven't been nearly as rich. St Kilda Town Hall, 1981. Memories.

[@ianreed9364]

It may take more than just a memory to make me cry…but this song’ll do it every time.

[@sean---the-other-one]

I’ll drop a comment on the next A&A video - I think it’ll drop here the day after tomorrow. As for chisels Week 2, that’s an absolute yes from me. I would even advocate a full album run through of either East or Circus Animals (or both). And which song to do with A&A as a collaboration, my suggestion would be the studio version of either Bow River or Saturday Night or Standing On The Outside.

[@hudsonsled454]

This is a special song, everyone has a flame tree of some kind. Perfect reaction fellas 👌, it is sad that people around the world didn't get to enjoy this band as us Aussies did growing up.

[@lizconway9102]

OK, you two dudes get it now. They are fantastic musicians. Treasures of Australia. Educate yourselves please!

[@TheThamesmen]

We try!!!! Thanks Alex

[@stevenhopwood8195]

Chisel great Aus group. This song is probably my most favourite one, I have nothing against any of their songs but this one has a special place. ❤️🤘🎸🎻🇦🇺

[@markmccullagh7539]

jimmys brother swannee is something to behold. the cover if i was a carpenter a must listen to a cross between jimmy and brian johnson a must hear

[@Gaffa3007]

Illawarra Flame Trees. I live in the Illawarra (in a city called Wollongong) and there is something to be said for a combination of Flame Tree red in amongst the blue of the Jacaranda. Beautiful.

[@Bellas1717]

Totally agree with you. We were very happy to keep our musical treasures close to home.

[@seanmcwha9325]

Umm…I warned you guys a while ago that a cold chisel week would turn into a cold chisel month! And then you’d need more!!!

[@YobboBear]

Not to mention the rest of the great Aussie songs

[@TheMichaelseymour]

on the point of the proclaimers ....i stumbled across their CD "sunshine on leith " and it IS one of my fav records .....i know the novelty factor of "2oo miles" etc is barfable ... BUT the rest of that record is 100% solid - great harmonys -great storytelling and great production ....just couldnt let that slip by .... even as a massive chisel fan . I think "journey " are a much more offensive band really .....which strangely, jimmy has a link to via his solo stuff ! lol

[@alphaomega7191]

Possibly their best song in terms of pure songwriting. Check out the Jessica Mauboy cover version sometime because it works surprisingly well with female vocals. Alex & Andy are fun to watch.

[@DJISnT74]

Flame Trees of Thica was part of the inspiration of the song. This song runs through the mind of any Aussie as they drive back into their old town of their youth - and if you think of a place of your youth and visist it, you will see the nostalgia hitting home with this song. This is a fitting bookend to their original decade run [although 'The Party's Over' is also very telling]. The official video has the band members as Extras in and around town, and Barnes [as he had totally split from the band by it's release] only shows up in the clip through the window [the clip is from Wild Thing from the Last Stand concert].

[@greybirdo]

There’s an interesting lyric change in this version compared to the original. The original has the girl ‘falling in love with a local factory out-of-worker’. The ‘out of’ part is dropped in this version. The original lyric was a reflection of the time in which it was written - a country with double-digit unemployment and double digit inflation, the destruction of entire industries and dislocation of people - especially young people in country towns. Think ‘Thatcher’s two million’, but in Australia - and worse. That particular lyric stabs like a knife for those of us who lived through that time, and reinforces the melancholy of the song. It’s a small shame that it’s been dropped from this version, although I guess we should be happy that modern audiences wouldn’t understand its significance.

[@awf6554]

You're touching on the great Australian cultural cringe that's been around for yonks. Where Australians need to succeed in the UK or US before they're considered successful. Its a bit passe now, but still lingers.

[@michaelwebb5678]

Grow up working poor in a regional Australian town. You reach the age of somethingteen and know that you have to leave everything you have ever known and simultaneously know you can never know again. That is Flame Trees.

[@jvvoid]

About 'not having made it' - it's not that it's a cultural thing: my take is that these outstanding musicians/groups who never made it big in the biggest markets never got properly remunerated for their talent. Whereas the amount of stylised, fabricated, record company backed mini-talented dross that get a No1 single in the States reap in millions for their mediocrity.

[@richardcuttler7734]

The great Don Walker as "Catfish" in the early hours. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5-yfWSgfqaBeZI

[@et4751]

I am sure someone already said how they got screwed over by their record representant in America. Circus Animals ”you got nothing i want” is perfect ”go away and die” song album… unless years addled my mind and details wrong:)

[@ayecarumba2755]

You could have had a band with both Springstein and Melloncamp and they wouldn't have come close to Cold Chisel

[@hosh1313]

Not nearly as good as the recorded version - kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWmumINolrSLmaM Or this for better sound, but minus a great clip - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGHaZZiNe6mCqK8

[@jocelynhunter2359]

I mean, it's hard for me to imagine not knowing such a massive band and no offence meant to Bruce Springsteen but I never considered him as big as Jimmy. Just that I guess other people dont know it.

[@PaulA-bv1rt]

Goodbye Astrid Goodbye (live) for the lads. As amazing as Chisel is, you have yet to meet The Angels. You could have an Angels 3 week series.

[@Mflash63]

I love this song, it is one of their finest, right up there with Bow River, Khe Sanh & Saturday Night. Thanks again for giving some homage to our beloved Chisels'

[@carolynrose9522]

No gun shyness with the band in America. The industry in America wanted to change their style and they said no. Australia loved and loves them to this day. They knew it and wrote You've Got Nothing I Want referring to making it big in USA and an up yours to USA cos they had it all in OZ. There are mega amount of Chisel tracks to keep you 'two occupied reacting to for months and months. 'Cheap Wine', 'Breakfast at Sweethearts' and 'Too Much Ain't Enough Love' are three good songs to introduce anyone to Chisel.

[@davidhandson2429]

Seeing as we saw a young Mahalia Barnes at the start of this one could you check out a couple of her songs Riding with the Kings and Nasty Gal oh Yeah

[@ValleyBanger]

Absolutely correct gents in your assumptions. So very underrated, one of the very best of their time. I'm so fortunate to have seen them many many times growing up in South Australia where they formed. We were so fortunate to have so many great Australian bands in that era, earlier and it continued on - The Masters Apprentice's, The Easybeats, Daddy Cool, Spectrum, Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs, AC/DC, Supernaut, The Angels, Skyhooks, The Divinyls, INXS, Midnight Oil, The Choirboys, Noiseworks, Nick Cave, The Church, The Saints, The Triffids, and they kept coming through the 90s - Spiderbait, Powderfinger, Silverchair, You am I, Regurgitator and on.... You should really check out The Easybeats and their members profound involvement in the music industry, Stevie Wright and in particular Harry Vanda and George Young (older brother to Malcolm and Angus Young from AC/DC), and their duo Flash and the Pan with their songs Hey St Peter and Down among the dead men, and the songs they wrote and bands and acts they managed after, thats worth a few weeks on its own, and again how screwed the Easybeats were by their management and record label. Also Powderfinger, worth a couple weeks, and again so underrated internationally

[@arrongoodwin3339]

Selfishly glad they were never discovered. I've got to see Barnesy dozens of times and Mossy in small venues. JB used to tour the NZ beach pubs almost every summer and at one stage we saw in 3 or 4 New Year's Eves in a row at a Barnesy gig. Small enough also to meet him and his wonderful family. And Chisel shows were just on another level. The world's loss has been our gain, the music of our youth and still love it 40 years later

[@ozgal6929]

My fav Chisel song ever. It makes me cry 😢

[@Whatiwantedwastaken]

Popped into the comments for the dog pile on the homosexual perverted gentleman from the US who was upset you were potentially stepping on his toes but couldn’t find his comment! Oh well was nice to hear flame trees while I scrolled through all the nice comments 🙂

[@TheThamesmen]

We really appreciate the nice comments and honestly the rude are few and far between.

[@fayel5992]

Thanks Chris another great version of this song. I just sat and listened to it again and concentrated on the words Jimmy was singing, you realise how great a singer he is, and what a great songwriter Don is, the emotion that Jimmy produces singing those words gave me goosebumps. Jimmy is a natural brilliant harmoniser and loves to sing with other singers and he does the harmony and he blends in so well. Jimmy and Mossy sing and blend smoothly, I used to think Jimmy did the higher harmony with Ian but he doesn’t always sometimes they switch and Ian does the higher harmony. There are lots more songs so you could easily do a 2nd or 3rd week. So far you have done songs between 1978-1983, they have been writing songs up until 2019.

[@seanmcwha9325]

Loved your discussion post reaction! The rabbit hole is quite deep lads. Good luck emerging from it! 😉👍🏼👍🏼

[@Laraine3]

Lol, I’ve taken the Andy and Alex assignment seriously. I visited their channel and commented The Thamesmen sent me, I threw out the gauntlet (hopefully tactfully 😬). Let’s see if they react ☺️ Some more Chisel songs? ‘Cheap Wine’, ‘Forever Now’, ‘Breakfast at Sweehearts’, ‘Shipping Steel’, ‘The Star Hotel’, ‘Standing on the Outside’, Saturday Night’, ‘Four Walls’, ‘Ita’.

[@megsybond]

My sister was obsessed with Jimmy Barnes and Cold Chisel. We played this song and 'When the War is Over' at her funeral.

[@artistjoh]

With 17 #1 hits and so much else, you will find it easy to do another week of Cold Chisel gold. For example I don't think you have done Breakfast at Sweethearts yet. It reached only #4 in the charts, yet stayed there in the charts for 32 weeks. I have fond memories of Sweethearts. I was thrown out of there around 4am one night for standing on a table and loudly reciting my latest poem. I still don't know if they were more offended by standing on the table or the poem.

[@greybirdo]

‘She doesn’t smile or flirt She just wears that mini skirt’ Golden song from a not-so-golden time.

[@devious05]

They didn't have any number 1s let alone 17.

[@artistjoh]

@@devious05 My bad, the 17 #1's is Barnes combined solo and Cold Chisel hit albums. To quote Wikipedia: "The combination of 14 Australian Top 40 albums for Cold Chisel and 13 charting solo albums, including 17 No. 1s, gives Barnes the highest number of hit albums of any artist in the Australian market."

[@bradclayton8064]

Jimmy Barnes is an amazing performer. He's about to have a back operation and then he reckons he's going back touring again. No stopping this Aussie Legend. Cold Chisel are simply the best 👌 👍

[@terrifryday3641]

And she's wondering if he'll go or if he'll stayyyyy. That line gives me goosebumps every frking time ❤

[@craigalden9416]

Absolute kudos to you Alex & George… for spreading the Word on Cold Chisel….if one NEW person goes and purchases a Cold Chisel Album Through your reactions , you’ve helped get them to the wider world….. they are definitely World Class….IAN Moss will be touring The UK June 2023… with his band…. June 1-10….Letter to Alan…. ( live in Germany)… about 2 Chisel roadies that died in a road accident.

[@between2spaces340]

All this talk about America not knowing Chisel. Do The Thamesmen know about the "You Got Nothing I Want" story?

[@theghost6412]

wow haven't seen this intro for a long time, forgot that was a little baby Mahalia Barnes. EDIT: you should also check out Mahalia, like her father she is a phenomenal singer as well.

[@bradhewetson]

I watched the video where you were reacting-till how it was you did not understand-how it is we have such a vast array of musical talents-who are just f****** incredible-as you said it is because they learnt the pub scene+they did it for a real in front of real people. Above all Australians will not accept mediocrity-you will be true and honest you will believe in what you do and make it happen-if your fans do not believe it you will not win-right from the very start-our Legends were born four live performance-as I said they sing with honesty and joy in their hearts-that is why we will love them every single one of them forever. Find out about Johnny O'Keefe-Avon before Elvis was born-who sang a song called shout with that song he jumped into heaven a legend forever!.

[@martinbourke7753]

Wild thing for Alex and Andy , they will flip out

[@mals4125]

Sadly they don't do live recordings - just Spotify recordings.

[@TheThamesmen]

Shame as wild thing is amazing!

[@hiltos]

Flame trees is my favourite chisel song, always brings back memories of my home town back in Australia and occasionally visiting, catching up with mates, people who never left and those like me who couldn't wait to leave. And never say her name, there is always that one person.

[@iancremmins4727]

this song never gets old

[@wilks6]

Steve Prestwich was a vastly underrated songwriter. He wrote a few of their best known songs, either alone or collaborating with the genius Don Walker. A couple of other songs I'd suggest are worth hearing are earlier, hard hitting rock songs like "Goodbye (Astrid Goodbye)" "Shipping Steel" and "Don't Let Go."

[@YobboBear]

There aren't enough days this week. I commented on Alex and Andy's stream about Cold Chisel the time you did it originally!

[@waynekasmar4401]

"Oh, the flame trees will blind a weary driver." I believe that Grafton, where Don Walker grew up, had an annual jackaranda festival, but instead of the spectacular violet of those trees he went with the red of the Illawarra Flame Trees. The Illawarra region is south of Sydney while Grafton is well north of it.

[@TheThamesmen]

Over where I live in Los Angeles we have a lot of Jacaranda trees and I guess originally imported from Oz?

[@mickthornton8440]

@@TheThamesmen think they are native to South Africa and thrive in Australia

[@mickthornton8440]

I remember hearing that he was going to use jacaranda trees but it wouldn't work so went with flame trees

[@waynekasmar4401]

@@mickthornton8440 My encyclopedia says they are native to tropical America.

[@mickthornton8440]

@@waynekasmar4401 thanks Wayne for that info as I always thought they were from South Africa. Just googled and found this "Jacaranda mimosifolia is regarded as an invasive species in parts of South Africa and Queensland, Australia, where it can out-compete native species"

[@jonob9004]

You are so right, Cold Chisel would have destroyed Bruce Springsteen 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@georgeibrahim7945]

Their music is timeless

[@donellefeltham]

😊On 1 of Bruce’s tour’s in Australia, I think it was somewhere around the Hunter region and I think it was somewhere around around 2014, but Jimmy joined Bruce and E Street on stage and it was epic in every way.Love your Channel guy’s.❤️🇦🇺

[@brettmcaskill4450]

Better than most

[@TassieLorenzo]

Jimmy Barnes had the single "Working Class Man" when he was trying to break into the US market. It's a pretty good tune! Breaking into the US market -- in terms of the mainstream -- is hard obviously, Australian singer Sia had many albums that were only successful in the US on the periphery ("alternative music" scene) before becoming a " global megastar " for example... Of course it's different again now that rock music doesn't chart in the "mainstream" Billboard Top 50 anymore, with the 1990-2005 "rock revival" being done and dusted.

[@coreenavenn4235]

I was driving in NSW and going past Flame Trees. This song always bring back that memory. Chisel I think are equivalent or better than AC/DC. The yanks wouldn't play them in radio. Kylie Minogue only had 1 hit in USA. John Farnham never made it in USA AC/DC are different but fab.

[@craigbourbonevans]

barnesy has sold millions ..lol. is also a best selling author twice. being no 1 book sold twice down here also has best selling kids books hes done .....look deeper

[@TheThamesmen]

Wow did not know. Thanks

[@choos6919]

His Xmas album looks like a red-hot winner already. Out now!

[@kellyrobson5933]

Star Hotel is a classic song bout a riot at The Star Hotel back in the day. Also the TV week award show night when Chisel went berserk😮

[@bigs1546]

Alex and Andy need to to do the live Bow River. They also really need to actually show the video as well !!

[@TheThamesmen]

We are speaking to them now

[@nancyharvey7969]

Videos not being shown is due Copyright issues.

[@nnoddy8161]

Gents....while you are mining the reach seam of Australian '80-90s music, you need to check out: The Triffids The Go Betweens Hoodoo Gurus

[@tileux]

Not a great recording. Some of the words - so important in this song - are different from the album recording, and some are indistinct. This is my favourite Chisel (then, Forever Now). Ive never seen this clip before but Id recommend the studio recording for the full effect of this beautiful song. For example: in this version "young local factory working... and SHE's wondering if he'll go or if he'll stay". In the studio version" "young local automotive factory worker... and I'M wondering if he'll go or if he'll stay" - the latter lyrics far more poignant because the narrator is speaking from hard experience - which this unsuspecting young couple doesnt yet have. Also, the "sentimental bullshit" monologue - so important to the song - appears to be missing from this version. For the full experience of this song you have to drive the Australian countryside, playing it while the Flame Trees are blooming.

[@peterlinsley4287]

You could do a second week and only do the hits. 1. Water into Wine, 2. Four Walls, 3. Things I love in you, 4. Ita, 5. Standing on the outside. 6. Shipping Steel, 7. Star Hotel, 8. You got nothing I want, 9. Chior Girl, 10. Good bye, 11. Merry-go-round 12. No sense, 13. Last days of summer. 14. Yakusa Girl, 15. Rising Sun.

[@celticshamrock67]

They went to USA and hated the bullshit of the music industry, left and wrote the song "You've Got Nothing I Want".

[@queenslander954]

lads sometimes reference Springsteen with Chisel as a comparison ironically Jimmy & Bruce have actually sung together in 2013 ‘tougher than the rest’ It’s on KZbin

[@rickfairman5640]

Great band that is all about the music. Just straight forward rock and roll.

[@theghost6412]

I am not sure if you have done it yet, But you should check out, Fire And Rain, LIVE, by Jimmy Barnes and Marcia Hines. It shows Jimmy at his low down best and crooning. It will also lead you down the Marcia Hines rabbit hole.

[@stuwhiteman3810]

Great reaction guys, how many of us have gone back to our home town hoping to find certain people or old girlfriends hoping to find them but they are no longer living there? Beautiful lyrics but also sad, I have seen this the people you expect to meet are not there anymore, but the place still looks the same and you can still see them on the street or in the pub having a few drinks.

[@waynedavenport6053]

For us in Australia, we don't give a flying fig about breaking it in America or the reat of the world, they were ours and that is all we care about!

[@TheThamesmen]

Good on you and exactly right

[@martinbourke7753]

Funny you mentioned Bruce Springsteen, jimmy got for a sing with him in Melbourne, Bruce didn’t seem to be to impressed, they actually turned down jimmy’s mic .

[@madcowmark7129]

Love the show guys. If you haven't heard this song, take a listen. Barnesy and Farnsy Jimmy Barnes and John Farnham. When something is wrong with my baby.

[@djangounhinged7634]

Finally Flame Trees !!!!! If you hadn't included it this week I'd have had to unsubscribe again (ok and resubscribe again 😆) Their best track - but - I really think it's the one track where you want the studio version AND the original Video Clip to get the full Aussie country town feel ....

[@jennifermason9557]

I love this. I remember the very first time I ever heard this. I was too young to really appreciate them at the time, but this was an instant classic. I have loved it ever since that very first hearing. It would have been their signature song if Khe Sanh didn't exist. So many gorgeous covers of this.. My favourite is Sarah Blasko's. It's one of the saddest songs. I think it really speaks to men in a way that many songs don't. That sense of relationship breakdown and longing. The US record execs did not know what to do with them. They ended up the opening act for bands that were so middle of the road that they were barely rock. The record execs also wanted to 'smooth' out their sound (ie. make them more middle of the road). I always think that they wanted another Little River Band or Air Supply. Don't get me wrong - they are great in their own way, but a very different market in the US. They were also told to tone down their live act. It was endlessly frustrating for the band. They fought with each other, fought with the record execs and Jimmy fought with excess. It all went south... Jimmy did have a couple of big hits in the US later (Working class man being the biggest). Apparently, Khe Sanh was fairly well known with returned Vietnam Vets in the US after it's release but it was too explicit to be played on radio there. Choir Girl probably still wouldn't get radio play now. Chisel did end up with something of a cult following in the US with those who 'got' them.

[@christopherboothman2405]

Coming from The Illawarra, it hurt my ears to hear that pronunciation haha. ILL (as in sick) A WARRA. Cheap Wine is probably up there as one for my favourite Chisel tracks.

[@YobboBear]

They may have mistaken the first i as an l because of the font.

[@petek7906]

Very much hoping Letter to Alan gets a run this week.

[@TheThamesmen]

Maybe not week. Sorry

[@petek7906]

@@TheThamesmen Hopefully Chisel week 2! Keep up the awesome work!!

[@brianparsa7794]

That's another terrific performance! I don't know, guys, is there really a useful purpose to asking why any performer never made it big around the world? I guess the one thing that can be accomplished for certain is killing hours in a pub in the company of your friends, and your favorite adult beverages!

[@knucklhed]

Haha as I work through the comments on my small screen , I’m watching the cricket v the windies on my big screen as Flame Trees is belting out at Adelaide oval. Unofficial anthem innit 😊

[@TheDodge34]

Grafton is my hometown. Don Walker lived there for a while. It's famous for the jacaranda tree l, which has purple flowers. He hose flame trees because he couldn't ryhme anything with jacaranda trees hahahah

[@johndonnellan7233]

Jimmys little daughter there ( Mahalia) now sings back up vocals for Joe Bonamassa.! Ive just had thedawning realisation…….i’m getting old !