Choirgirl (song)

"Choirgirl"
Single by Cold Chisel
from the album East
A-side	Choirgirl
B-side	Conversations (live)
Released	November 1979
Format	7" vinyl
Recorded	October 3-14, 1979, Paradise Studios, Sydney
Genre	Pub rock
Label	WEA
Writer(s)	Don Walker
Producer	Mark Opitz
Cold Chisel singles chronology
"Shipping Steel" (1979) "Choirgirl" (1979) "Cheap Wine" (1980)

"Choirgirl" was a 1979 single from Australian rock band Cold Chisel. A ballad with an R&B influenced melody,^[1] 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."^[2] 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.^[3]

The single reached number 14 in the Australian charts in November 1979^[4] and was Cold Chisel's first hit.^[3] Walker was nominated for best recorded songwriter at the 1979 TV Week/Countdown Music Awards for the song.^[5]

A 12" version was also released, featuring an additional live version of "Khe Sanh" on the b-side.^[1]

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".

Footnotes

1. ^ ^{a b} Michael Lawrence (1998). Showtime: The Cold Chisel Story. Belmont, Victoria: Michael Lawrence. ISBN 1865031186. 
2. ^ John O'Donnell, Toby Creswell & Craig Mathieson (2010). The 100 Best Australian Albums. Prahran, Victoria: Hardie Grant Books. pp. 150. ISBN 9781740669559. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Anthony O'Grady (2001). Cold Chisel: The Pure Stuff. Crows Nest, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1865081965. 
4. ^ David Kent (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, New South Wales: Australian Chart Book. p. 72. ISBN 0646119176. 
5. ^ Angus Cameron, ed (1985). The Australian Almanac. North Ryde, NSW: Angus & Robertson. ISBN 0207151083.