Choirgirl (song)
Encyclopedia
"Choirgirl" was a 1979 single from Australia
n 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.
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.
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.
A 12" version was also released, featuring an additional live version of "Khe Sanh
" on the b-side.
A video was made to promote the song, with the band wearing matching white clothes and miming.
The original album and single credits list the song as "Choirgirl", but on some subsequent albums it is written "Choir Girl".
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel is a rock band that originated in Adelaide, Australia. It is one of the most acclaimed Australian rock bands of all time, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s and huge sales that continue to this day, although its success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to...
. A ballad with an R&B influenced melody,
the single was released months before the album East
East (album)
East was the third studio album by Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel, released in June 1980. The album peaked at No. 2 and spent 63 weeks on the national chart. It was the biggest-selling Australian album release of the year...
that it featured on. It was the first time the band had recorded with producer Mark Opitz.
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
2SM
2SM is an Australian radio station, licensed to and serving Sydney, New South Wales, broadcasting on 1269 kilohertz on the AM band. It is owned and operated by Broadcast Operations Group...
& 3XY owned by the Catholic Church.
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.
A 12" version was also released, featuring an additional live version of "Khe Sanh
Khe Sanh (song)
"Khe Sanh" is an Australian song, released as a 45 rpm single in May 1978, and named after the Battle of Khe Sanh during the Vietnam War. The song, performed by Cold Chisel, having been written by pianist Don Walker and featuring the vocals of Jimmy Barnes, is about an Australian Vietnam veteran...
" on the b-side.
A video was made to promote the song, with the band wearing matching white clothes and miming.
The original album and single credits list the song as "Choirgirl", but on some subsequent albums it is written "Choir Girl".