Released February 1994 Genre Alternative rock Label rooArt Records | Format CD Length 2:34 | |
Recorded Pachyderm Studio, Cannon Falls, Minnesota | ||
"Berlin Chair" is the second single from the album Sound As Ever by Australian rock band You Am I. It was released in 1994 and peaked at #73 on the Australian ARIA singles chart. "Berlin Chair" also reached #23 in that year's Hottest 100, while in the 1998 Hottest 100 of All Time it came in at #61 and #52 in the 2009 Hottest 100 of All Time. In a phone-in poll in 1999, the song was voted best Australian song of the 1990s. The track was featured on the soundtrack to the PC game Quarantine, released in the same year.
Contents
Composition
Tim Rogers wrote the song while living in Chippendale, Sydney, and titled the song after a sculpture (actually a chair designed by Gerrit Rietveld) he'd seen in Canberra, where he had previously lived. Biographer Craig Mathieson described the imagery of the chair as symbolising "the hard, even impenetrable male edge, that [the song's character] had with his girlfriend".
You Am I biographer Craig Mathieson praised the song's lyrics for revealing a character that "admit[s] they're flawed, but still swear[s] their strength, support [and] love". He praises the band's musical performance for "increas[ing] the momentum with every verse, adding vigour and desperation to Tim's emotion. ... Berlin Chair leaves me drained and elated."
Track listing
- "Berlin Chair" - 2:34
- "Can't Explain" - 2:10
- "Jaimme (Makers Mark Version)" - 2:40
- "All I Want To Do Is Rock" - 5:42
All songs by Tim Rogers, except 2 (Pete Townshend) and 4 (Ross Wilson)
"Can't Explain" is a cover of "I Can't Explain" by The Who. "Jaimme (Makers Mark Version)" is an acoustic version of "Jaimme's Got A Gal". "All I Want To Do Is Rock" is a cover of the Mighty Kong song.
Cover versions
Australian band Kisschasy did a cover version of the song for their 2007 single release of "Opinions Won't Keep You Warm At Night". The song has been performed by Holly Throsby on one of radio network Triple J's Like A Version segments; while Kevin Mitchell, performing as Bob Evans, covered the song with You Am I on one of the band's Live at the Wireless sets. Paul Dempsey included a version of the song on his "Shotgun Karaoke" EP, released in 2013.