Cold Chisel - Letter To Alan Lyrics

Their finest song. Brilliant. Love the bass

My favourite Chisels song!

Still trying to fathom this song but love it

"never trust the Wayside Chapel crowd on Christmas Eve..."

My favorite Cold Chisel song.

A good friends face on the dashboard .This happened to me . l waited for help to arrive . Walked and walked for hours .Heard this song later in my life and it left me stunned. Standing on the outside l decided not to go ahead with the plan the others did and went to jail . Things like this in your life can freak you out . But keep a smile on your dial

Playing this today and thinking about my brother Alan who passed from cancer back in April. No reason except my bro and his band played many gigs as support for Chisel back in the late 70's and early 80's. They had a little bit of moderate success around the pubs and clubs but was on the verge of a record deal until that got scotched by that fag Meldrum who didn't like being knocked back by my brother. Vindictive homo prick, There I said it, he ruined their careers because they weren't gay and wouldn't shag you and threatened to punch your lights out. Al would never of said it but it needed to be said.

It's still so good..mossy is on fire and jimmy vocals are massive...if I don't hand round our old gambling ground it does not mean I forgotten....I believe and I still do.....

My favourite in a list of incredible songs

Best song of Cold Chisel!

its 2019 and this song beats the shit out of any crap these days

Goose bumps every time I hear it!!

I remember driving to My Isa and buying this on cassette when it came out. Those were the days

Awesome song that used to really rock my teenage world.

fucking brilliant

and I'm thinking... christmas 1982..

[Here's the lyric]

When it’s time for your reflection
As you wait till help arrives
See our good friend’s face on the dashboard
And to know you cannot leave that cab alive
Do you know I reach for you, from later times

Once I knew
Once I knew
Now I’m walking
Now I’m walking in the dark
Like bells our dogs are yelling
All across Centennial Park
And the Sunday morning light just sends me blind
And I’m only feeling useless
Cause there’s nothing I can blame
Every person, thing and circumstances
That moves this perfect day
You’ve left behind

And I’m thinking
Christmas 1982
Round this time a year ago
Gaskill sold his boat
And headed for the Cross to sink a few
Never trust a Wayside Chapel crowd
On Christmas Eve
They must be entertained
And if a stranger does the dying
That’s okay!

And I’m sitting in a hotel room
Along Rue St. Louis
Dialing old phone-numbers down the line
And I measure my position
To the obstacles we crossed
The territory covered
And the parties that we lost
Those were the days

And if I don’t hang around
Our old gambling grounds
It does not mean that I’ve forgotten
We believed, and I still do.

son walker for god

grew up with them,Daylight 2nd to these guys,the rubbish they play these days!!

To all you Aussies out there,  Is it just me or does chisel hit some australian cultural sort of thing I just cant put my finger on, without sounding like a wanker, its almost a spiritual thing.  Its like we are all looking at each other listening to Chisel and saying "Fuck Yeah" and its ours

+Eskay1206 I think its in us all especially those over 45. They had that fuck you to the corporations even back then. Most Aussies who grew up in the 70's and 80's are descended from those forced to come here with a ball and chain or those that come here to escape a shitty life in Europe or Britain, so generally the attitude of fuck you resonates with all their songs. Probably why I started listening to them in the late 70's myself

+Eskay1206 Cold Chisel is about what was happening at that time. It's V8 Holdens and Falcons it's about a angry time with very corrupt politicians in both Aussie and New Zealand. there was the Springboks rugby tour of New Zealand that was the closest thing to civil war we have had I had school friends commit suicide cause their parents lost their family farms and the only release from this was going to your local pub getting hammered and go looking for a fight and music like this to keep us sane.

+Eskay1206 Totally! It was about having alcoholic parents and nobody at home through my teens in the early eighties. It was about when my friends became more important to me than my relatives. When I learned that family had little to do with blood and everything to do with my friends with who'm I fought, fucked, got drunk and stoned and hated everything because I was so fucking pissed off because my parents were weak.
Chisel among others got me through. Like you said; we looked at each other, listened to Chisel and said "Fuck yeah".

Hi Geekman, your message hurts me deeply as I received news now that my brother has basically renounced his 3 beautiful kids to allow the state take custody due to his alcoholism... sad days indeed.
I feel no guilt as I warned everyone in the family 5 years ago that his family was not doing well and did my best to assist. It blew up in my face as they didn't want to hear it and still don't want to accept responsibility

Im sooooooooooooooo glad I grew up with this music

Eskay1206 Aussies are sometimes overlooked ww1.ww2. Korea.Vietnam.

...GEt-Up Mikey, "long-time-CHISEL-PUNTERS!....dEEP/Symbolic...True/lyrically tight...Walker...Musically -Soild...Moosssssssy. SMALL, ...Steve Prestwich RIP AND little Jimmy B      on vocals....Don Walker all over it like a cheap whore...

+Mario Speedwagon I am you in the future...this is what drugs do 2 people...Go the mighty Chisel, "they're are better than ovvva' farkin' band's".

my most liked Chisel's song. Best guitar work from Mossy. And my 1982 Christmas spent at in Donald Victoria on a dusty homestead (far away from my city home in Sydney) was the best I ever had. This always takes me back there like it was yesterday.
  

Thank you for sharing a very cherished and magic moment Mike.
It adds to the magnificence of the song.
Hat down

Brilliant song.  Alan Dallow was a gentle giant.  He saved me from being sexually harassed by the creep I was working for when we worked next door to each other on Port Road at Woodville.  I'll always remember him like a big brother.

MagicThys ditto

still chills me to the bone

Volume required as it's bloody good.

I fucking love this...it is the best chisel song...mossy is bloody awesome as usual. Funny thing is that this song is about their poor roadie who died in a crash. My uncles brother used to be their roadie too...but he and Jimmy didn't get along.

jimmy can suck a fat one mate

one of the best albums ever the hit songs were the worst on the album

Agreed. I played lead guitar for 30 yrs in various rock bands and I think those names you mentioned are just show players doing all the easy sensation grabbing tricks that weve all done but Mossy plays real rock guitar. My sister was friends with Mossys sister many years ago when he was still learning in Alice Springs central australia. Just a comment

I agree but still prefer Wild colonial boy. It just blasts.. Who cares anyway. Chisel were/are a great band. I was lucky enough to support them on a number of occasions while playing in Adelaide night clubs.

unfortunately the drive home from the gong hurt him. god bless ya....

fkn best ever

I just cant seem to play this loud enough!!

I hear that!

And if I don't hang around
Our old gambling grounds
It does not mean that I've forgotten
We believed, and I still do...

Could not agree more.

I suggest anyone wanting to perform a rock song on TV should slug down a dozen VB cans, turn out the lights and put this on as loud as you can. You will soon re-evaluate your music career and never be the same.

This is the ultimate Chisel song. As a friend once said, "it burns so intense in my brain that I just want to belt someone".

To the dickheads appearing on - and watching - reality tv talent contests: this is how you do a rock song. This is how you perform. You'd do well to to take note. Now go away and let the adults perform.

Grew up on chisel myself and love them and their music, they were and still are true Aussie legends of the music industry in Australia this music will never grow old and its a shame Aussie kids today follow such crap music like the shit American industry releases .. we were the lucky generation i think. Sad to see pub bands died off to pokie machines and dj's etc. If i had a pub id be bringing back real music like THIS fuck the rap crap and new shit talentless shit that is about looks not music

Mate, l trust you were on the cans when you posted this. But it's Alan Dallow for the record. Raise our glasses to Steve, Al & Billy, we believe and l still do!

All time fave Chisel track! Gives me goose bumps every time l listen to it. Wish we all could've had beers with Alan & Billy. Two hard nuts that are not forgotten.

Agree it's an incredible song in intensity, passion, structure, anger and soul. Oh and then there's the guitar!

The worlds greatest ever band at the top of their game...I was in the army in Townsville when this album came out and I couldn't believe its power

my favourite chisel song. My uncle used to be their roadie many many moons ago...I have seen these guys at their best and their worst hehe! Love them. Miss Darling Steve. xxxx

my favourite chisel song...mossy rules!

@MrTomwoodford afuckingmen man..beautifully said...!

Which nuffy gave this the thumbs down? Cut your ears off mate, they're not worthy.

@kaitlynjade13 i got an Uncle Alan who died aswell :( alan turner R.I.P

Circus Animals..fuckme what another amazing album by this amazingly talented group..they are a rock ikon..im proud to say i luv this band and all the wicked music you have given us..thankyou

Love the Aussie bands ~ yet this song is hurting my tender lil ears *Yikes*

I can remember just falling asleep in my bed at boarding school in Yeppoon back in 82 with headphones on. That slow thing (war is over) finished and there was a longer than normal gap. Album over. Sleep. Then this came on bright and sharp and like a knife in the ribs. And I always remember jumping to awake with a huge start - then another gap ("from later times.....) Ok, back to sleep - then the guitar and drums REALLY started. If you're serious about things, this a good song to drink it to.

Chisel will live forever in our souls. They are beyond corporate greed and populism. They speak to us.....the people who lived the lives they sing about.

The best fuckin Chisel song ever.Been 20 years since i heard this and im back in 83 and crying,Epic,tight,slick fucking song.Thanks for the memories.

world class

The guitar tone at the tail end of that middle guitar solo gets me every time...around 3:50. Just beautiful...

never get honest songs anymore god bless Barnsie and Slim Dusty told it how it is,I bought East at Hurstville in nsw ordered it and waited for it,now I found out later that Edels music was owned by Edelstons Dr Edelston of the new wife Bryn in vic?

tiff steele what! Believe it tho

RIP Steve

I think in barnesy's new song titled LArgs pier hotel, you uncle gets a mention.... i just love this song, they just dont write songs like this anywhere in the world anymore

@Hector3251 Exactly mate

@Hector3251 Fuckin' oath mate

Greatest chisel song ever! closely followed by one long day...
Mossy just rips your head off.

such an emotional opening to a beautiful song and then mossy with a bit of a country twang develops into a strange but amazing rock song so full of chops n changes. love it and always will be a huge chisel moss barnes fan but as a drummer myself,phill small is a bass player i would be proud to jam with. his style developed superbly over the years,think goodbye astrid to sat nite and you will im sure all agree. cant forget steve and don.

as good as it gets chisel rockin the house

mossy fuckin kills it with the solos in this song plus barnesy is on fire. awseome song love chisel

INXS got some of their beat to this song. It meant a different thing to everybody weho heard it. Im sorry about Uncle Alan but what a life he would have left. :Never trust "The wayside chapel" crowd on Christmas eve". What a great SYDNEY LINE.

@kaitlynjade13 Really that's awesome in a way sorry bout your uncle, but he is immortalised now that's a good thing.

blazing guitar from Mossy. Awesome song.