Album

“Santa” tells the tale of sprinting between Cooleman Court, Woden Plaza and now defunct Monaro Mall, only to discover the supposedly singular Santa has been cloned for retail efficiency. The narrator spots one, then another, then seven more back at Cooleman Court, and quietly abandons the idea of Canberra Christmas magic in favour of simple arithmetic.

The chorus spells out the real engine of the season—come on kiddies, come on mummies, come see Santa and spend your money. No sleigh, no mystery, just a well‑oiled shopping‑centre production line.

It’s brisk, repetitive, and knowingly absurd, a festive field report from the nation’s capital where Santa is less a mythic figure and more a distributed marketing strategy. This version was recorded in one energetic take at Rob’s Garage Studio, July 2011, included due to popularity on Soundcloud.

“Sanity Room” is a Chancres song that earned a wide following by refusing to behave normally. The structure wanders, circles back on itself, and pauses in odd places—exactly the sort of thing that made it a crowd favourite. Lyrically, it’s delivered rather wistfully, recognising the need for a small, padded corner of peace. The warbling narrator contemplates moderation, psychiatric assistance, and the general wisdom of stepping away before becoming “society’s man,” all delivered with the Chancres unique punkish sound, producing much crowd approbation. The odd expression of vocalist Clive is reputedly because St Kilda won a game in the obscure sport of Australian Rules Football.

One of the first Chancres three beat pounders. This version is from the live performance in July 2022, Canberra Irish Club.