Cold Chisel reveal their songwriting secrets

In partnership with Shure

The year 2024 is a time of reflection for Cold Chisel.

As they prepare for their 50th anniversary tour, band members Jimmy Barnes, Ian Moss, Don Walker and Phil Small meet with Rolling Stone Australia/New Zealand In the latest episode of Behind The Rolling Stone Cover, sponsored by Shure, editor-in-chief Poppy Reid reflects on what makes a great song and the stories behind her best hits.

Over the decades, the Australian pub rock band became known for hits such as “Khe Sanh,” “Flame Trees” and “Cheap Wine.” Then there’s Barnes’ solo career, during which he released 15 number one albums and iconic songs such as “Working Class Man” and “Driving Wheels.”

So it’s safe to say that these guys know how to write great songs. In fact, they’re the only Australian band where every single member has written a hit.

According to Don Walker, the band’s lead songwriter, the key is to have fun. “I only work on a song if I’m really enjoying it. That’s the whole point,” he tells Reid in the episode.

“If I hear something three weeks after I’ve finished a song and I love it, I can say, ‘That’s a good song.’ But if you ask me about the same song six months later, I’ll say, ‘Well, I don’t know, the song sucks a bit,'” he explains.

“That’s everyone’s experience with songs. How many times have you heard a song? You think it’s the best song you’ve ever heard. And then three months later, you’re thoroughly sick of it.”

For Barnes, the best songs are those that create a personal connection with the audience. “A good song is a song that I feel like I can identify with when I sing it. I think that’s the same with Van Morrison, Metallica or anyone else,” he says.

This understanding and authenticity is key to Cold Chisel’s enduring appeal and one of the reasons fans are thrilled to see the band playing the same songs decades later.

Today, their songs are like “portals to memories,” Poppy says in the episode. “They’re going on tour for seven weeks starting in October (and) for the fans, it’s like every visitor who comes to your show is taking this trip down memory lane.”

“The kids in the audience hear the song and think it’s about them,” says Barnes. “They can immediately identify with it and it marks a moment for the listener.”

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