Been listening to Midnight Oil on shuffle all morning/afternoon and Antarctica just came up. That piano outro really is brilliant. Takes an already great song and makes it even better. Especially when the piano switches to double-time just as the song is fading out. Don't know why, but that small moment really gets to me. Gotta love the details!
Scream in Blue (Live) Live album by Midnight Oil Released 5 May 1992 Recorded 1982 - 1990 Genre Rock Length 59:59 Label Sprint Music / Columbia Records Producer Midnight Oil & Keith Walker Midnight Oil chronology The Green Disc (1990) Scream In Blue (Live) (1992) Earth and Sun and Moon (1993) Scream in Blue (Live) is a live concert album by Midnight Oil that was released in 1992 under the Columbia Records label. It contains songs carefully culled from 5 live concerts recorded over a 9-year period.[1] The audiences sound quite large, but also included is material from a 1990 protest concert held on the street in front of Exxon headquarters in New York City.[2] The album is mixed so as to sound like one continuous concert. The album starts with a scathing, nearly atonal electric guitar solo and never lets up (until the final, more subdued studio bonus track Burnie), careening through a hooky hard-rock minefield of clever, socially conscious lyrics sung with passion over a rip-roaring but very tight band.[3] The tracks were evidently recorded through the sound systems of the various concerts, then mixed to a clear and well-balanced sound in the style of audio verité. Also, at the end of Only the Strong, a short sound sample is inserted containing some chanting by unidentified American Indians[2] which also sounds passionately rendered, although jarringly out of context. "Scream in Blue" 2:56 (Garrett, Moginie, Rotsey) - Horden Pavilion, Sydney, 1984 "Read About It" 3:52 (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie) - Brisbane Entertainment Centre, 1990 "Dreamworld" 3:42 (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie) - Brisbane Entertainment Centre, 1990 "Brave Faces" 5:00 (Garrett, Moginie) - Capitol Theatre, Sydney, 1982 "Only the Strong" 5:41 (Hirst, Moginie) - Capitol Theatre, Sydney, 1982 "Stars of Warburton" 5:04 (Garrett, Moginie) - Brisbane Entertainment Centre, 1990 "Progress" 6:17 (Garrett, Moginie) - Exxon Protest, 6th Ave, N.Y., N.Y., 1990 "Beds Are Burning" 4:05 (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie) - Our Common Future Concert, Darlinghurst, 1989 "Sell My Soul" 4:10 (Garrett, Moginie) - Brisbane Entertainment Centre, 1990 "Sometimes" 3:29 (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie) - Our Common Future Concert, Darlinghurst, 1989 "Hercules" 4:57 (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie) - Brisbane Entertainment Centre, 1990 "Powderworks" 5:50 (Garrett, Hirst, James, Moginie, Rotsey) - Capitol Theatre, Sydney, 1982 "Burnie" 5:04 (Garrett, Moginie) - Bonus Track, Acoustic Recording - Albert Studios, Sydney, 1992 Peter Garrett - lead vocals Peter Gifford - bass, vocals (tracks 1, 4, 5, and 12) Bones Hillman - bass, vocals (tracks 2, 3, 6-11, and 13) Rob Hirst - drums, vocals Jim Moginie - guitars, keyboards, vocals Martin Rotsey - guitars, vocals This is a good and worthwhile collection of live tunes from the band. It is definitely worth getting, especially if you're a fan of live albums. I still feel that the Best of Both Worlds DVD with Live at the Capitol and Oils on Water (+the cd of Oils On Water) is more essential.
Earth and Sun and Moon Studio album by Midnight Oil Released 20 April 1993 Recorded October 1992 − January 1993 Studio Megaphon Studios, Sydney, Australia Genre Rock, alternative rock Length 54:00 Label Sprint / Columbia Producer Nick Launay, Midnight Oil Midnight Oil chronology Scream in Blue (Live) (1992) Earth and Sun and Moon (1993) Breathe (1996) Earth and Sun and Moon is an album by Australian rock group, Midnight Oil, that was released on 20 April 1993 under the Columbia Records label. It peaked at No.2 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Midnight Oil's Earth and Sun and Moon album, produced with Nick Launay, was released on 20 April 1993 and peaked at No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart,[1] top 20 in Sweden and Switzerland,[2] Top 50 on Billboard 200,[3] and top thirty in the UK albums chart.[4] The single "Truganini" referenced multiple issues, including the 'last' Tasmanian Aboriginal, the treatment of indigenous artist Albert Namatjira, the Australian flag debate, and republicanism.[5] Liner notes for the single claimed "Truganini was the sole surviving Tasmanian Aborigine, the last of her race, when she died in 1876."[5] The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, representing over 7000 contemporary Tasmanians, called for the single to be boycotted as it perpetuated a 'white' myth about the extinction of Tasmanian Aborigines.[5] Their Native Title claims hinged upon establishing links with ancestral lands. Gary Morris, their manager, responded with, "My suggestion to these people is to stop shooting themselves in the foot and let a band like Midnight Oil voice its appeal to White Australia on behalf of Black Australia".[5] Critics contended that Morris disparaged Indigenous Australians' ability to represent themselves and overestimated Midnight Oil's ambassadorial powers while diminishing their errors, while some indigenous activists saw benefit in Midnight Oil's highlighting of the issues.[5] Nevertheless, "Truganini" released in March peaked at No. 10 on the ARIA singles charts,[1] No. 10 on Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks and No. 4 on their Modern Rock Tracks charts,[3] and top thirty for the UK charts. ----------------------------------- This album is fairly new to me. Upon initial listening it sounds like a pretty solid album in similar vein to the couple of albums prior. What are your feelings about this album? What are your favourite songs on this album? Give us your input on this album and what it means to you.
I only heard this album in full fairly recently and found myself a little disappointed in it. I also found it hard to say exactly why. Perhaps it was just that I found nothing much really new here - not bad songs as such, basically just more of the same. I still love Truganini, though. It's a shame I don't love this album more, because I really like the cover, one of their best. BTW it's not quoted above, but I believe Peter Garrett later issued a correction and an apology for their well-meaning but incorrect labelling of Truganini as "the last Tasmanian aborigine".
I chuckled at this. It makes the article look very dated. The term "Indians" or "Red Indians" as applied to refer to Native Americans has, thankfully, all but disappeared. Apart from anything else wrong with the term, it was just obviously factually incorrect.
Feeding Frenzy Starting off with a nice piece of drum work from Hirst this song moves into a solid rock song. I like the fact the guitar in this has a bit of bite, something they seem to have moved away from. To me this is a bit of a musical return to form. The band had seemed to move into the AOR territory a bit further than I would have liked on the two previous albums. For me a very promising start to the album. Lyrics Well I'm as old as the hills And young as the day Nobody sees things, in quite the same way Computers and shovels, churches and brothels Mannequins and skeletons, cities and dustbowls Here we go here we go again Hear the clamour of the feeding pen New day new way all my friends can say Cyclone fences in the cybernetic orchard Miracle drugs, discount bulk purchase Sacred in the forest, fast food in the kiosk Cardboard dinners and the saints and the sinners I don't want to run and hide I've seen it all from either side Truth and fiction must collide someday God knows, God knows, God knows it's been fun Ah, sweet sensation, the oldest temptation Now throughout the ages, we've been a' turning all those pages Now each generation you've got to choose a new location Got to reach out, got to sync up, build up, get up, to a stronger foundation God knows, God knows, God knows it's been fun
My Country This is very much a song that could have come off the last two albums. There is a very nice piano riff that works well through this song and again a few sections where the guitar returns to a more edgy sound, but maybe not quite enough. This is a very good song and I remember hearing it on the radio back in the day. Lyrics Was it just a dream, were you so confused Was it just a giant leap of logic Was it the time of year, that makes a state of fear Methods were the motives for the action And did I hear you say My country right or wrong Did you save your face Did you breach your faith Women, there were children at the shelter Now who can stop the hail When human senses fail There was never any warning, no escape Did I hear you say My country right or wrong My country oh so strong My country going wrong My country right or wrong I hear you say the truth must take a beating The flag a camouflage for your deceiving I know, yes I know It's written on your soul I know, we all make mistakes This is not a case of blurred vision It's a case of black holes, pocket holes, soul holes And did I hear you say...
It annoys me that they have a song called "My Country" and other called "One Country", making it very easy to confuse the two.
Easy album and song guide Midnight Oil - 1978 Midnight Oil - the album thread track 1 Powderworks Midnight Oil - the album thread track 2 Head over heals Midnight Oil - the album thread track 3 Dust Midnight Oil - the album thread track 4 Used and Abused Midnight Oil - the album thread track 5 Surfing with a spoon Midnight Oil - the album thread track 6 Run by night Midnight Oil - the album thread Run by night live 1981 - Midnight Oil - the album thread track 7 Nothing lost ... nothing gained Midnight Oil - the album thread Head Injuries - 1979 Midnight Oil - the album thread track 1 Cold cold change Midnight Oil - the album thread track 2 Section 5 (bus to Bondi) Midnight Oil - the album thread track 3 Naked flame Midnight Oil - the album thread track 4 Back on the borderline Midnight Oil - the album thread track 5 Koala sprint Midnight Oil - the album thread track 6 No reaction Midnight Oil - the album thread track 7 Stand in line Midnight Oil - the album thread Stand in line live 1981 - Midnight Oil - the album thread track 8 Profiteers Midnight Oil - the album thread track 9 Is it now? Midnight Oil - the album thread Bird Noises EP 1980 Midnight Oil - the album thread track 1 No time for games Midnight Oil - the album thread track 2 Knife's edge Midnight Oil - the album thread track 3 Wedding cake island Midnight Oil - the album thread track 4 I'm the cure Midnight Oil - the album thread Live at the Melbourne Show Grounds 1980 - Midnight Oil - the album thread Place Without A Postcard 1981 Midnight Oil - the album thread track 1 Don't wanna be the one Midnight Oil - the album thread don't wanna be the one live - Midnight Oil - the album thread track 2 Brave faces Midnight Oil - the album thread Brave faces live in 1982 - Midnight Oil - the album thread track 3 Armistice day Midnight Oil - the album thread Armistice day live 1982 - Midnight Oil - the album thread track 4 Someone else to blame Midnight Oil - the album thread track 5 Basement Flat Midnight Oil - the album thread track 6 Written in the heart Midnight Oil - the album thread track 7 Burnie Midnight Oil - the album thread track 8 Quinella holiday Midnight Oil - the album thread track 9 Love's on sale Midnight Oil - the album thread track 10 If Ned Kelly was King Midnight Oil - the album thread track 11 Lucky country Midnight Oil - the album thread 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 - 1982 - Midnight Oil - the album thread track 1 Outside world Midnight Oil - the album thread track 2 Only the Strong Midnight Oil - the album thread Only the Strong Live Midnight Oil - the album thread track 3 Short Memory Midnight Oil - the album thread Short Memory live Midnight Oil - the album thread track 4 Read About It Midnight Oil - the album thread Read About It Live Midnight Oil - the album thread track 5 Scream in Blue Midnight Oil - the album thread track 6 U.S. Forces Midnight Oil - the album thread track 7 Power and The Passion Midnight Oil - the album thread track 8 Maralinga Midnight Oil - the album thread track 9 Tin Legs And Tin Mines Midnight Oil - the album thread track 10 Somebody's trying to tell me something Midnight Oil - the album thread Red Sails In The Sunset 1983 - Midnight Oil - the album thread track 1 When the Generals Talk Midnight Oil - the album thread track 2 Best Of Both Worlds Midnight Oil - the album thread track 3 Sleep Midnight Oil - the album thread track 4 Minutes To Midnight Midnight Oil - the album thread track 5 Jimmy Sharman's Boxers Midnight Oil - the album thread track 6 Bakerman Midnight Oil - the album thread Bakerman demo, with vocals Midnight Oil - the album thread track 7 Who Can Stand In the Way Midnight Oil - the album thread track 8 Kosciuszko Midnight Oil - the album thread track 9 Helps Me Helps You Midnight Oil - the album thread track 10 Harrisburg Midnight Oil - the album thread track 11 Bells And Horns In The Back Of Beyond Midnight Oil - the album thread track 12 Shipyards Of New Zealand Midnight Oil - the album thread Oils On Water - Live On Goat Island 1985 - Midnight Oil - the album thread Best of both worlds Midnight Oil - the album thread When the generals talk Midnight Oil - the album thread Minutes to midnight Midnight Oil - the album thread Sleep Midnight Oil - the album thread Only the strong Midnight Oil - the album thread Short memory Midnight Oil - the album thread Kosciuszko Midnight Oil - the album thread US forces Midnight Oil - the album thread Jimmy Sharman's Boxers Midnight Oil - the album thread Back on the borderline Midnight Oil - the album thread Tin legs and tin mines Midnight Oil - the album thread Don't wanna be the one Midnight Oil - the album thread Power and the passion Midnight Oil - the album thread Read about it Midnight Oil - the album thread Harrisburg Midnight Oil - the album thread Stand in line Midnight Oil - the album thread Species Deceases 1985 - Midnight Oil - the album thread track 1 Progress Midnight Oil - the album thread track 2 Hercules Midnight Oil - the album thread track 3 Blossom and Blood Midnight Oil - the album thread track 4 Pictures Midnight Oil - the album thread Diesel and Dust 1987 - Midnight Oil - the album thread track 1 Beds are burning Midnight Oil - the album thread track 2 Put down that weapon Midnight Oil - the album thread track 3 Dreamworld Midnight Oil - the album thread track 4 Arctic world Midnight Oil - the album thread track 5 Warakuma Midnight Oil - the album thread track 6 The dead heart Midnight Oil - the album thread The dead heart - extended version - Midnight Oil - the album thread track 7 Whoah Midnight Oil - the album thread track 8 Bullroarer Midnight Oil - the album thread track 9 Sell my soul Midnight Oil - the album thread track 10 Sometimes Midnight Oil - the album thread Sometimes live - bootleg - Midnight Oil - the album thread Sometimes live 1989 - Midnight Oil - the album thread track 11 Gunbarrel Highway Midnight Oil - the album thread Blue Sky Mining 1990 = Midnight Oil - the album thread track 1 Blue sky mine Midnight Oil - the album thread track 2 Stars of Warburton Midnight Oil - the album thread track 3 Bedlam Bridge Midnight Oil - the album thread track 4 Forgotten years Midnight Oil - the album thread track 5 Mountains of Burma Midnight Oil - the album thread track 6 King of the Mountain Midnight Oil - the album thread track 7 River Runs Red Midnight Oil - the album thread track 8 Shakers and Movers Midnight Oil - the album thread track 9 One Country Midnight Oil - the album thread track 10 Antarctica Midnight Oil - the album thread track 11 You May Not Be Realeased Midnight Oil - the album thread Scream In Blue (Live) 1992 - Midnight Oil - the album thread Earth And Sun And Moon 1993 - Midnight Oil - the album thread track 1 Feeding Frenzy Midnight Oil - the album thread track 2 My Country Midnight Oil - the album thread Midnight Oil and Exxon - Midnight Oil - the album thread Peter Garret and Jimmy Barnes (live) - Dreams of ordinary men (Dragon) - Midnight Oil - the album thread - Locomotive Breath (Jethro Tull) - Midnight Oil - the album thread Rob Hirst - Beatbox - Midnight Oil - the album thread
Renaissance Man Another really good song. Sure the Oils have still got that semi-pop kind of sound that held on when they broke through, but again this song like a few others has a bit more edge back in the guitars and that helps to give the songs a bit more edge. Lyrics Well I told you about the forest and trees and the chlorophyll green Yes I told you the birds will endure flutter wings dance on leaves Hold onto dreams, hold onto dreams tonight Well I told you about the high pressure cell coming down on the breeze And I know that the things you can't see they are hard to believe Hold onto dreams, hold onto dreams tonight A new world order has been formed Between the cheque book and the dawn A new renaissance man is born Renaissance man are you ready Renaissance man Renaissance man are you ready See what a world that you can make Well I heard about the spirit of life is it flickering still Yes I heard that the dark bellied angel's come running up the hill Hold onto dreams, hold onto dreams tonight Smash and grab the women and child All the souls are growing wild Stripped so bare well the universe stares It's so close to home that we got to share with you So many genuine things surround you Wild weather man well it still confounds you Cast away the greed and death machine and bytes And abacus and lights and hold onto your dreams tonight So you found a hard won friend To hold your hand and hold your head A new renaissance to defend Hold onto dreams, hold onto dreams tonight Where are we going to be, in 3033 What's spinning round your brain Are you a renaissance man or are you a renaissance woman If you jump out an angel will give you wings
Earth and Sun and Moon To a degree I get the feeling that the Oils realised they had slid into the popish trap over the last couple of albums. This is a fairly mellow song but still starts with a more raw feel, that reintroduces itself between the verses. Lyrics In the morning we will wake up and take to the air Look back at the planet - I'm glued to my chair Southern half is burning as we climb through the cky Sea birds softly falling, smoke way up high There's the contours of the mountains, the deserts and plains And a hurricane is blowing, and it turns once again Now there's oil spills in the water where Columbus once sailed And there's history and mystery and it's rolling away I wish you could see this great mystery Earth and sun and moon, human tribe, thin blue line Earth and sun and moon will survive Sediment is flowing from river to sea Now where are the mighty nations, no lines to be seen An axe upon the broken ground the sigh of the trees And it's floating in the ether, it brings me to my knees Too messed up to care Anyone got a wing and a prayer In the blink of an eye Thank you and goodnight Earth and sun and moon, human tribe, one thin blue line Earth and sun and moon will survive, will survive, we will survive
one of the best threads I have seen on this fantastic forum, I must admit I struggle to take it all in. Midnight Oil is my favourite Aussie band and the best our country has ever produced, 10-1 and Red sails are their highpoints. Keep posting as I am enjoying reading other peoples interpretations and opinions of a band I have held dear for decades.
i think one of the best things about this for me is when someone from Scandinavia or something says that this song impacted them, or that album was great and has some cool story to tell, or they saw the Oils at blah blah with whoever ... it is really nice to find that some Aussie bands aside from INXS and LRB got some love O.S. Glad you're enjoying it mate
Very true Mark, it does add an extra dimension to see such lyrically strong songs many of which are about Australian politics/social history getting the recognition they deserve across many different cultures. Good music is just that but so much great music never gets a chance outside of Oz.
Jeez I step away for one minute and you blew by my favorite Oils album. Not only is Blue Sky Mining the best Oils album (IMO of course), I feel fairly comfortable putting it up there with the best rock albums of the era. Solid playing (the guitars! amazing synchronicity between Jim and Martin), great production, inescapable hooks, and the live hands of Bones Hillman.
Sorry mate. I'm just rolling along at two songs a day. Don't be afraid to go through them as you feel though!
Truganina "Truganini" is a song by Australian rock band Midnight Oil, from their album Earth and Sun and Moon. It was inspired by Truganini, a Tasmanian Aborigine. The song uses a recurring Australian problem (drought) to pose the question "What for?", meaning "why did Europeans bother to colonize this harsh place". The song mentions two prominent indigenous Australians (Truganini and Albert Namatjira) whose lives were altered by European settlement and discusses current day sentiment towards the old country, namely the monarchy. The single's liner notes included the claim that Truganini was the "sole surviving Tasmanian Aborigine" when she died. This sparked protest by some of the 7,000 people who identify as Tasmanian Aboriginal.[1] Lead singer, Peter Garrett issued an apology. The band performed the song live for American audiences as the musical guest on the American television show Saturday Night Live on May 8, 1993 when Christina Applegate served as host. ----------- A very recognisable song to Australian's at least, this is a good song.
Bushfire Starting with a very plainly recorded guitar with a vocal coming in, and then the regular structure of instruments coming in. Then reverting back to this for the second verse. This is a very intimate vocal, and sounds very close mic'd. Good song and an effective recording of it.
For me Earth and Sun and Moon is the sound of Midnight Oil treading water. There's a couple of songs I absolutely can't stand (Renaissance Man, Outbreak of Love), one song that sits comfortably among the best they've ever done (Truganini), and a bunch of songs that are not bad at all but don't do much to inspire excitement. Even though most of the songs on this album have something to recommend them, the end result is very middle of the road. I thought that the previous two albums were a step down from the band's best work, but I like them both a lot more than E&S&M. One one hand, the recording is more warm and natural than Blue Sky Mining, and that's something that I normally prefer. But one the other hand, the performances and (particularly) the songwriting & arrangements don't strike me as particularly inspired. They are lots of individual moments that I like and I do listen to it for pleasure occasionally, but I always find myself wishing it were better. Still, Truganini absolutely kills me. Let it burn!
Drums of Heaven This album is completely new to me and the first thing that strikes me is the guitars on here have a return to some of the raw, edgy guitars on 10-1, but the songs themselves aren't all that edgy. It's like they were aiming for a middle ground between the popish stuff that had been very popular and the artistically reaching stuff that crossed a few boundaries. Upon reading folks comments on here, I'm guessing that in the minds of the fans that didn't really happen for them. Another good song, to my ears.
Outbreak Of Love This song starts off with a Dear Prudence motif and again the guitars are a little more edgy and direct than the previous two albums. I seem to remember hearing this on the radio back in the day.
This is pretty much how I would describe Earth and Sun and Moon though you've done it a lot more diplomatically than I would've written. To me, E&S&M is AOR/MOR Midnight Oil. Whereas Blue Sky Mining seemed like a reaction not to upset the newly found fans, E&S&M to me is a laid back, slick attempt to appeal to the US "soft rock" brigade. While it's not as bad as the overproduced LA corporate sound that I generally despise, it sure sounds like they are making a concerted effort to emulate that laid back sound. The anger was gone and in its place was introspection and an album that was bland and devoid of any bite. I also agree that Truganini is a latter classic Oils song but it stands out like a sore thumb against the mediocrity surrounding it. With this album I thought that the Oils were starting to lose it and were desperately appealing to a more international audience. As I wrote in post 442 earlier:
