Jimmy Barnes was a force to be reckoned with. He sang louder, played harder and pummelled himself into the hearts of Australians. Probably the most successful solo artist in the country and this was after winning the hearts and minds of Australia with his compatriots in the legendary Aussie rock band Cold Chisel. - Discover Cold Chisel here After Chisel, Barnes wasted no time in getting it together and had a band together about a month after Cold Chisel's legendary Last Stand concerts. He started touring and writing and Michael Gudinski, after missing out on Chisel, signed him to Mushroom records. Chisel's last album Twentieth Century, released in 1984 after the band had split up, went to number 1 on the Australian charts on April 23rd 1984. Barnes' debut solo album Bodyswerve went to number 1 on it's week of release on October 8th 1984. In fact Barnes first six albums all debuted at number one in the charts, an amazing feat that is likely never to be matched. For his first solo recording, Barnes said he wanted people he felt "safe with". Drummer Ray Arnott had recorded with Barnes on Cold Chisel's final album, Twentieth Century. Bruce Howe had been a bass player with Fraternity that Barnes had sung with for a short time in 1975. Barnes said, "As far as I could tell, Bruce only played upstrokes, so his sound was very aggressive." Mal Eastick had played with Stars. Seeking a second guitarist to make the band more "hard rock", Barnes chose ex-Dingoes guitarist Chris Stockley, who played, "old-style rock, like Little Richard and Gene Vincent. Bodyswerve was a statement from Barnes that he was all about some rock music and it was ushered to the public by the single No Second Prize, that had been demoed by Chisel in 1980, but never recorded. It was written as a tribute to Allan Dallow and Billy Rowe, two of Chisel's roadies that had died in a truck crash. So I'm going to do my best to Lead you through Jimmy Barnes's first ten or so albums. Please comment and add any information you have, but please try to stay with the songs we're at. [Moderator Note: Thread index here: Jimmy Barnes the album thread ]
Bodyswerve 1984 This album is a power pack of rock music, there are certainly variances in style and plenty of songs well worth looking through. This album hit the Australian market just at the right time. The public were well aware of Chisel and many were longing for a change of mind and the band to get back together. This album hit the Australian market like a lethal force of nature and we pretty much all got swept away with it. Barnesy was bringing the noise and we all yelled along.
Vision The lead track track from the album seems to obviously be written for his wife Jane and is almost the answer to the Chisel song Rising Sun (Discover Cold Chisel here ). It's a steady pounding rock song with a typically powerful and heartfelt vocal from Barnes. For me as soon as I heard the song I was into the album. Lyrics No time to delay Now I know that You'll be back this way Heart beating stronger now Can't wait much longer now They'll never change The way I feel for you You look like an angel Vision coming down From the sky I feel the the wind rising now Heart sympathising now They'll never change The way I feel for you I run and hide And I go With nowhere in sight If you'd only come back to me You'll never be alone Yoy knowe our love Is like a vision Vision coming down Coming down from the sky Know you'll never change The way I feel for you Don't change Don't change My vision of you
Daylight I believe this was the second single from the album. This song, like No Second Prize, was a Chisel song that didn't make it to album, and the Chisel version was released on the Teenage Love album in 1994. Another steady rocking song with some nice female backing vocals and some great guitar from Mal Eastick. It's driven along by a pretty straight beat some nice thumping bass and of course Barnes' belting out over the top. Lyrics Lock the door Shut the window tight I close the curtains Just got to block out the light I feel the sun Shining in my eyes I'm just trying to cover up a little bit of daylight Hide my face I don't want to be seen Is there somebody out there Am I awake or asleep I feel the sun shining in my eyes I'm just tying to cover up a little bit of daylight I suppose I should get out of bed Not sleep all day I should get up Get out of the house But not till the end of day Little bit of daylight Little bit of daylight Little bit of daylight Little bit of daylight Well I'm just trying to cover up a little bit of daylight Yes I am Well I'm just trying to cover up a little bit of daylight Yes I am. I've got to cover up Hide a little daylight Stay out all night and all
I love an album which was released as an S/T record in Britain (opening track No Second Chance) which was, I believe , some sort of compilation. The "follow up" was his "Journey" album Freight Train Heart, which I dearly love but which,I imagine, might be regarded as a step in the wrong direction by die-hard fans (no apologies, AOR is one of my favourite music styles). I've lost touch since then, and to this day haven't heard a note of Cold Chisel's music but, I have to say, Mr Barnes has the most wonderful set of pipes.
Gudinski was so desperate to sign Barnes he told him to make an album and he'd release it no matter what. Barnes and Stockley recorded a whole album of old time country music in the downtime when recording Bodyswerve and presented it to Gudinski who said it wasn't what he was expecting but a deal was a deal and he'd put it out. Barnes then presented him with the actual album they'd recorded much to Gudinski's relief. (rumour was that Barnes was going to put the country album out after Soul Deep to show the other side of his influences)
You should acquaint yourself with Mark's previous thread (linked in the opening post) where he has done a stellar job on that set of pipes (possibly at its best) in Cold Chisel and you will then also meet the equally excellent singing and playing of Ian Moss in particular - as perfect a foil for Barnes as Rolie was for Perry. The album you are searching for was called in Australia "For The Working Class Man" and also featured some Journey (Cain/Schon) influences before Freight Train Heart.
I reckon you may like Chisel. I am not at all against the stuff he did with Jonathan Cain, I reckon Freight Train Heart is my favourite Barnes album, I just found Too much ain't enough love a bit hard lol. It's a good song, but it didn't work for me, the album is awesome though. There's a link up above for the Chisel thread. Try listening to the East stuff first I reckon By the way, you will recognise some songs off here from the album your talking about, they will just be a little more raw.
Promise me you'll call This was probably my favourite song off the album, it's a ballad of sorts, but done in true Barnes style. One thing, to me, about Barnesy was I could hear him putting every ounce of everything he had into everything he did. This is why, again to me, his ballad type stuff worked so well. This wasn't some crooner singing pretty and sweet about his loved one, this was a guy whose heart and head where going to explode if he didn't get it out. Maybe I'm weird, but I like that in a singer ... I like the sweet singers too, but it's just different. This song starts out with some nice Mal Eastick Lead work over some thumping chords. Then Barnes comes in with his soulful and melodic vocal. It's often overlooked how melodic Barnes was for the style of music he played. Lyrics When you came along you were everything Nothing else compared to the love you gave Say it's going to last, say you'll never leave Now that love's around you are everywhere Nothing else I found like the love we shared Say it's going to last, say you'll never leave If I gave you all that you want If I gave you all that you need If I gave you all that you want Will you promise me, promise me you'll call Won't you promise me you'll call
No second prize This was the lead single from Bodyswerve and what a great song. I'm sure sports teams all over Australia used this at some point to pump there guys up. The song starts with some clean guitar and a half beat rhythm then with a scream from captain Jimmy the groove kicks in. He starts singing in a lower pitch and tells his story and then moves up in intensity as we move to the main focus. Again we have some great guitar from Mal Eastick, who turned out to be a good substitute for Mossy in the context of Jimmy's songs on this first album. Lyrics Oh Yeah I heard about a person who had a broken heart With nothing to drive him on, no hope no spark no flame He couldn't see at all tears they were blinding him He kept it all inside, the guilt and all the pain You know I say I tried to warn him They had him backed up against the wall I hope I'm not too late No one can tell you exactly what you have gotta be You've got to stand your ground and fight to save your life It may be hard but ooh ooh it's the only way Always remembering there ain't no second prize There ain't no second prize You know I say I tried to warn him They had him backed up against the wall Why can't I stand up and try to tell him They've got me backed up against the wall I hope I'm not too late No one can tell you exactly what you have gotta be You've got to stand your ground and fight to save your life It may be hard but ooh ooh it's the only way Always remembering there ain't no second prize There ain't no second prize
I prefer the live version of this one (on Barnestorming), but I guess you will get to that album later.
I prefer him with Chisel (everything they did was first rate) but if I was going to pick one Jimmy Barnes solo album it would be this one.
Yea I'm with ya his solo career is more geared for a pop/rock radio audience, Chisel was a more natural musical environment where he was an important cog but not the wheel, Moss went soft pop/rock radio in his first solo projects as well, they were still great live performers but I checked out on the solo albums long ago.
Appreciate the advice! Definitely going to explore more. Somehow missed your Cold Chisel thread. When I get a few minutes, I'll read through. I'm bound to pick up a load of tips. Looking forward to hearing familiar material in a different form.
I love Jimmy Barnes solo stuff, but Chisel was something special. I hope you like their stuff. They played a lot of different stuff, so don't listen to one or two songs and take that as what they are.
Boys cry out for war This is a pumping rock song of the hard variety. One of my favourite tracks off the album with a nice riff and another b@ll tearing vocal from Barnes. This song just grinds along with a great groove and pretty much states what Barnes intention was with this album. Lyrics Sitting here in this coffee shop Not knowing what to do Not knowing whether to start or stop This fight ain't between just me and you All the boys they've been talking They've been saying your doing me wrong Yes they have And all the boys cry out for war The man sitting there in Washington He don't know right from wrong He don't know whether to stand and fight Or turn around and run All the boys they've been talking They've been saying your doing me wrong Yes they have And all the boys cry out for war The man sitting there in Washington He don't know right from wrong He don't know whether to stand and fight Or turn around and run And all the boys cry out for war
Paradise This was our party song back in 84-85. I was 15-16 and working in the bank ... such a bad choice of jobs for me .... Anyway there was a big drinking culture in Australia and that was magnified in the bank and when we went out to party this song pretty much summed it up. This is a straight up fast boogie type rock and would have the crowds moshing before the mosh existed back in the day. All good fun and great memories now. @carlwm I'm guessing that the picture in this video is the album you had ... it was different again to the "Working Class Man" album. Jimmy Barnes - Jimmy Barnes Lyrics Well I'm a week away from paradise And now I'm gonna have some fun To forget about work I'm gonna Have to drink ten gallons of rum I'm gonna dance all night And sleep all day I'll probably spend about Three weeks pay I've got a week away from paradise And now I want to have some fun Well I'm a week away from paradise And now I want to jump and shout I'm gonna head straight down to every club up town And probably get chucked out And I hope the lord lets me sin As long as I can do it tomorrow again I've got a week away from paradise And now I want to jump and shout Well I'm a week away, I'm a week away I'm a week away I'm just a week away from paradise A week away A week away I'm just a week away from paradise When they cut you down and make you cry at night I'll still be the one to wipe Those tears straight from your eyes Well I'm a week away from paradise And now I want to jump and shout I'm gonna head straight down to every club up town And probably get chucked out And I hope the lord lets me sin As long as I can do it tomorrow again I've got a week away from paradise And now I want to jump and shout When they cut you down and make you cry at night I'll still be the one To wipe those tears straight from your eyes I don't wanna talk I don't wanna fight Just wanna get up and drink all night I'm a week away and now I wanna have some fun Well I'm a week away, I'm a week away I'm just a week away from paradise A week away A week away I'm just a week away from paradise A week away A week away I'm just a week away from paradise A week away A week away I'm just a week away from paradise
Easy album and song reference Bodyswerve 1984 track 1 Vision - Jimmy Barnes the album thread track 2 Daylight - Jimmy Barnes the album thread track 3 Promise me you'll call - Jimmy Barnes the album thread track 4 No second prize - Jimmy Barnes the album thread track 5 Boys cry out for war - Jimmy Barnes the album thread track 6 Paradise - Jimmy Barnes the album thread Barnesy live in 1984 - Jimmy Barnes the album thread
