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Choirgirl (song)
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Wikipedia article
'"Choirgirl"' is a 1979 single by Australian rock band Cold Chisel. A ballad with an R&B influenced melody,
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." 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. Barnes said, "Even though nobody knew what "Choirgirl" was about, everybody felt an emotional connection."
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." Walker said, "Mark was the first person who came along who took the barriers away, who said, "Yes, doing that is not a problem. In fact, that's the way we should do it."
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.
A 12" version was also released, featuring an additional live version of "Khe Sanh" on the b-side.
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."
The original album credits for the album 'East' list the song as "Choirgirl", but on some subsequent releases it is written "Choir Girl".
Reception
The single reached number 14 in the Australian charts in November 1979 and was Cold Chisel's first hit. Walker was nominated for best recorded songwriter at the 1979 TV Week/Countdown Music Awards for the song.
'RAM' said it contained, "a melody of stately, implacable logic, sung by Barnes in a angel voice".
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'.
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
Charts
References
Category:Cold Chisel songs
Category:1979 songs
Category:Songs about abortion
Category:Songs written by Don Walker (musician)
Category:Warner Music Group singles
Category:1970s ballads
Category:Song recordings produced by Mark Opitz
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