Anyone who's heard Jimmy Barnes sing/scream might instantly ask, "what's Cold Chisel got to do with copywriting?" Many would also ask, "why discuss the lyrics of a screaming pub-rock band?"My answer? Cold Chisel's songwriters - particularly Don Walker and Ian Moss - were excellent writers; I wish I were half as good!
The very fact that you might question my choice shows how good they are; Cold Chisel enjoy the status of one of Australia's greatest ever pub rock bands, but most people - even fans - overlook the quality of their lyrics. That's because the lyrics do their job so well. They're elegant without being pretentious, and evocative without being 'soft'. They meet the needs of their audience perfectly. (And isn't that what every writer aspires to?)
Take, for example, "Bow River" (the song that inspired me to write about Cold Chisel today). Penned by Ian Moss, Bow River celebrates an escape to the Australian desert and the northern tropics.
But what's important about this song isn't so much the destination - although many Australians do identify with the Australian outback; it's the way in which Moss strikes a chord with the Australian working class. He successfully combines youthful romanticism, profanity, escapism, contempt for authority, slang, and visual, aural and tactile imagery. The result is an elegant piece of writing that captivates its target working class audience, yet still lends itself to fast-paced, raucous vocals and a hard rock arrangement.
Take, for example, "Bow River" (the song that inspired me to write about Cold Chisel today). Penned by Ian Moss, Bow River celebrates an escape to the Australian desert and the northern tropics.
But what's important about this song isn't so much the destination - although many Australians do identify with the Australian outback; it's the way in which Moss strikes a chord with the Australian working class. He successfully combines youthful romanticism, profanity, escapism, contempt for authority, slang, and visual, aural and tactile imagery. The result is an elegant piece of writing that captivates its target working class audience, yet still lends itself to fast-paced, raucous vocals and a hard rock arrangement.
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