Circus Animals

Circus Animals
Studio album by Cold Chisel
Released	March 1982
Recorded	Paradise Studios, Studio 301, Sydney September - December 1981
Genre	Pub rock
Label	Elektra
Producer	Mark Opitz and Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel chronology
Swingshift (1981) Circus Animals (1982) Twentieth Century (1984)
Singles from Circus Animals
"You Got Nothing I Want" Released: November 1981 "Forever Now" Released: March 1982 "When the War Is Over"

Circus Animals was a studio album released by Australian band Cold Chisel in 1982. It was recorded and mixed at Paradise Studios and EMI Studio 301, Sydney (Sep-Dec 1981).^[1] It reached number one on the Australian charts, remaining in the charts for 40 weeks.^[2] The working title for the album was "Tunnel Cunts".^[3]

Album details

Many of the album's songs were written as a direct reaction to the pop success of the band's previous LP East and features unusual, experimental arrangements. Singer Barnes said, "the whole band, particularly Don, decided to revolt against the pop formula when we made 'Circus Animals'."^[4] Producer Opitz said of the band's reaction to East, "Don came to me six months later and said, “I never want to have another commercial album again.” Which I thought was really funny, because what the fuck? Don said he didn’t want to do another commercial album, but thank God for Steve Prestwich." ^[5]

The first single "You Got Nothing I Want" was written by singer Jimmy Barnes about the disinterest shown in them by their American label rep during the band's 1981 US tour. "Bow River" was a song by guitarist Ian Moss, written about a sheep station in the Northern Territory where his brother Peter had once worked. The song was included as the B-side to one of the album's singles but proved so popular that it was often played on radio in its own right. "When the War Is Over" was written by drummer Steve Prestwich and has been covered numerous times by Little River Band, John Farnham, Uriah Heep, Cosima De Vito and Something for Kate. "Letter to Alan" was dedicated to a former member of the band's road crew, Alan Dallow, who died in a truck accident.

The album cover was shot by Peter Levy. Barnes said, "This caravan we towed out to Lake Eyre for the photo shoot and when we finished, we left it there. It was about 40 degrees, it was brutal."^[6]

Five of the album's ten songs were later covered for the 2007 tribute album Standing on the Outside: "You Got Nothing I Want" (Alex Lloyd), "Bow River" (Troy Cassar-Daley), "Forever Now" (Pete Murray), "Houndog" (You Am I) and "When the War is Over" (Something for Kate).

It was listed at No. 4 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums, in October 2010.^[4] In 2011, it was voted the 75th greatest Australian album by industry pundits at Triple J.^[7]

On Friday 22 July, 2011, all of Cold Chisel's albums were re-released as remastered 'Collector's Editions'. They became available for iTunes download for the very first time.

Track listing

1. "You Got Nothing I Want" (Barnes)
2. "Bow River" (Moss)
3. "Forever Now" (Prestwich)
4. "Taipan" (Walker)
5. "Houndog" (Walker)
6. "Wild Colonial Boy" (Walker)
7. "No Good for You" (Moss)
8. "Numbers Fall" (Walker)
9. "When the War Is Over" (Prestwich)
10. "Letter to Alan" (Walker)

Chart positions

Year	Chart	Position
1982	Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart	1

Personnel

• Jim Barnes - vocals
• Ian Moss - guitar, lead vocals tracks 2 and 9
• Don Walker - organ, keyboard
• Steve Prestwich - drums
• Phil Small - bass

Preceded by Days of Innocence by Moving Pictures

Australian Kent Music Report number-one album 10–16 May 1982

Succeeded by 1982 with a Bullet by Various artists

Footnotes

1. ^ Michael Lawrence (1998). Showtime: The Cold Chisel Story. Belmont, Victoria: Michael Lawrence. ISBN 1865031186. 
2. ^ David Kent (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, New South Wales: Australian Chart Book. p. 72. ISBN 0646119176. 
3. ^ Anthony O'Grady (2001). Cold Chisel: The Pure Stuff. Crows Nest, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin. p. 99. ISBN 1865081965. 
4. ^ ^{a b} O'Donnell, John; Creswell, Toby; Mathieson, Craig (October 2010). 100 Best Australian Albums. Prahran, Vic: Hardie Grant Books. pp. 60–61. ISBN 978-1-74066-955-9. 
5. ^ Doug Wallen. "Icons: Mark Opitz Pt 1". Mess + Noise. http://www.messandnoise.com/icons/4367131. Retrieved 9 November 2011. 
6. ^ Jimmy Barnes (2008). Icons of Australian Music: Jimmy Barnes. Springwood, New South Wales: roving eye. p. 57. ISBN 9780980449501. 
7. ^ "Industry Results". abc.net.au. http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/alltime/11/industry/#main. Retrieved 10 November 2011.