Fault Line

Album: Frogstomp (1995)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The Silverchair boys grew up in Newcasle, NSW, Australia. That town is built right on top of a fault line. This means Newcastle experiences several earthquakes a year. During a particularly destructive one, a young boy was trapped in a collapsing building and tragically killed. This young boy was a friend of Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns, prompting him to write this, with the lyrics, "You'll never see the boy, You'll never see him open his eyes." >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Dave - Ipswich, Australia

Comments: 6

  • Kan from NswThis was not written about a friend of the band. It was just something Daniel was thinking about at the time. Newcastle is on a fault line and there was an earthquake in 89 that killed 13 (but silverchair were only kids) and another minor earthquake nearby in 1994….but no one died…
  • Ness from AustraliaThere's exactly ZERO chance that Daniel Johns lost a friend in the Newcastle Earthquake. He was 10 the day the earthquake hit. There was no trapped child in the rubble who died. The youngest person to die that day was 30, and he wasn't a local. The next youngest person to die was in their 50's. Daniel Johns did NOT write this song about a friend who died.
  • Lynny from Adelaidedo you honestly think in the 25 years Silverchair has been around they created & accomplished more than Nirvana in their 6 years?
  • Rebecca from Newcastle AustraliaI live in Newcastle Australia where Silverchair is from. We don't experience several earth quakes a year. Rather this song is about a particular earthquake that happened in 1989 which was one of Australia's greatest natural disasters. In fact I don't think we have had an earthquake (outside of mining areas) since this event.
  • P from Z, United Statesin the book about silverchair called "tommorow never knows" it qoutes Daniel Johns as saying that the lyrics were not about anyone he knew and this was about an earthquake he saw on the news. so your sources may be faulty
  • Zach from Norman, Oki love this song, but i never had a clue as to what it was about until now. silver chair is amazing. way better than nirvana
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?Song Writing

Katy Perry mentions McDonald's, Beyoncé calls out Red Lobster, and Supertramp shouts out Taco Bell - we found the 10 restaurants most often mentioned in songs.

Name the Character in the Song

Name the Character in the SongMusic Quiz

With a few clues (Works at a diner, dreams of running away), can you name the character in the song?

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside Story

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside StorySong Writing

The in-depth discussion about the making of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film.

Little Richard

Little RichardFact or Fiction

Was Long Tall Sally a cross-dresser? Did he really set his piano on fire? See if you know the real stories about one of rock's greatest innovators.