The band split in 2002 to allow Garrett to focus on his political career. He became a member of the Australian House of Representatives and the was the Australian Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts from 2007-2010. From 2010, he was the Australian Minister for Education. Garrett did not stand for re-election in 2013. The band has reunited since then for two benefit concerts: the 2005 WaveAid concert for Indian Ocean Tsunami victims and in March 2009 the band reformed for two shows in Canberra as a warm up for "Sound Relief" in Melbourne, a benefit concert for the Victorian Bushfire victims.
The Oils, as they are known to their fans, began as a progressive rock band called Farm in the early 1970s, then under the Midnight Oil name developed a reputation as an impressive and hard-working live act associated with the surfing community of Sydney. They became one of Australia's most respected bands, known for their live performances, and also for their activism and support for community groups and causes.
Midnight Oil's first two albums Midnight Oil and Head Injuries were originally released on an independent label, followed by the EP Bird Noises in 1980. Their third album, Place without a Postcard, was recorded in Great Britain with the respected producer Glyn Johns (Led Zeppelin, The Who) on the back of a brief tour of the UK.
Their fourth album, 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 (spoken as "10 to 1"), marked both the Oil's major Australian breakthrough and the beginning of their successful association with producer Nick Launay. This album also saw considerable success in the college radio scene of the US, prompting a tour of North America.
Following on from 10-1, the Oils with Nick Launay recorded the fifth album Red Sails in the Sunset during a three month stint in Tokyo in 1984, becoming the first known western band to record an entire album in Japan. Red Sails was reasonably successful in Australia, featuring songs like Best of Both Worlds and Kosciuszko, but the album's quirky, experimental sound failed to make major inroads overseas. Also during 1984, frontman Peter Garrett was narrowly defeated in an election for the New South Wales, representing the Nuclear Disarmament Party (NDP).
In 1985, following the release of the EP Species Deceases the Oils embarked on a career-changing tour of remote Aboriginal communities of outback Australia with legendary Aboriginal group, the Warumpi Band. The tour led to the recording of Midnight Oil's major international breakthrough success Diesel and Dust, released in 1987 which featured their biggest international hit Beds Are Burning. The following album Blue Sky Mining, released in 1990 had two songs that topped the US Modern Rock charts, Blue Sky Mine and Forgotten Years. Both Diesel and Dust and Blue Sky Mining were produced with Warne Livesey.
Between 1988 and 1992, the band's Diesel and Dust and Blue Sky Mining discs became known worldwide, as did their political activism for causes ranging from nuclear disarmament to aboriginal rights and environmental issues. Their subsequent albums sold less well outside Australia, but the Oils maintained a following throughout the 1990s and into the new century.
The Midnight Oil lineup remained quite stable over the band's long career: Garrett as lead singer and harmonica, Jim Moginie on guitar and keyboards, Martin Rotsey on guitar, and Rob Hirst on drums. Andrew (Bear) James, the first bass player, left in 1980 due to ill health. Peter Gifford replaced him and in turn quit the band in 1987 citing the pressures of touring. New Zealander Bones Hillman, (ex Swingers) replaced him, and remained with the group until its dissolution in 2002. Gary Morris was the band's manager and effective sixth member (often credited with the simple title "Business, no singing" on albums) throughout.
In 2004 Peter Garrett was elected to Federal Parliament as the Labor member for Kingsford-Smith in Sydney. In November 2007 he became Minister for Arts in the Australian government as a member of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's front bench. He retired from Parliament in 2013. Jim Moginie continues his involvement with music through his own band, The Family Dog and as a producer for artists such as Sarah Blasko. Rob Hirst is also involved with several musical projects such as Hirst and Greene, Ghostwriters, The Angry Tradesmen and The Backsliders. Moginie, Hirst and Martin Rotsey continue to play and record together in instrumental band The Break.
The band reformed in 2016, launched a world tour in 2017 and released the live album Armistice Day: Live at the Domain, Sydney with an accompanying film. 2020 saw the release of the mini-album called The Makarrata Project. Bass guitarist Bones Hillman died on 7 November 2020 of cancer. On 18 May 2021, the band announced their upcoming thirteenth album, Show of Hands, the last recordings to feature Hillman. The first single, released on 28 October, was Rising Seas.
Arctic World
Midnight Oil Lyrics
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And I don't want to write all these things in the sand
And I don't wish to listen and not understand
And I don't want to tramp up the footpath of stars
Don't want to be an advocate
Don't want to be a monument
There is nothing that grows in your arctic world
I don't want to breathe that Smithsonian air
I don't want to listen when they toll the bell
'Cause I can't take another industrial feast
On the ground, on my back
Out there
I want to meet the President
Of a country without sense
There is nothing that grows in his arctic world
I tell you
There is nothing that grows in your arctic world, oh
There is nothing that grows in this arctic world
The lyrics to Midnight Oil's song "Arctic World" express a sense of disillusionment and frustration with society and its leaders. The singer rejects the idea of growing anything in their heart, perhaps reflecting a desire to avoid vulnerability or emotional attachment in a world that seems cold and inhospitable. They also reject the idea of writing things in the sand, which could be interpreted as a rejection of the ephemeral nature of life and human achievement.
The singer is also skeptical of listening without understanding, suggesting a desire for deeper connection and meaning. They reject the idea of "tramping up the footpath of stars," perhaps signaling a rejection of the pursuit of fame and success. The singer also does not want to be an advocate or monument, suggesting a rejection of traditional forms of political and social engagement.
The idea of an "arctic world" recurs throughout the song, representing a lifeless and barren existence. The singer rejects the Smithsonian air and tolling bells, perhaps symbolizing the emptiness of the cultural and religious institutions that surround us. They reject the industrial feast, perhaps representing the machine-like nature of modern society. The desire to meet the president of a country without sense indicates a desire for meaningful change and leadership. Ultimately, the singer concludes that there is nothing that grows in this arctic world, suggesting a need for deeper connection and meaning in life.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to grow anything in my heart
I don't want to develop any emotions or attachments
I don't want to write all these things in the sand
I don't want to waste my time on something temporary and fleeting
I don't want to listen and not understand
I don't want to be passive and uninformed
I don't want to tramp up the footpath of stars
I don't want to blindly follow a path towards an unattainable goal
Don't want to be an advocate
I don't want to take sides and defend a cause that I may not fully support
Don't want to be a monument
I don't want to be remembered for something superficial or trivial
There is nothing that grows in your arctic world
Your environment or mindset lacks growth, progress, and vitality
I don't want to breathe that Smithsonian air
I don't want to be surrounded by the sterile and academic atmosphere of an overly-curated institution
I don't want to listen when they toll the bell
I don't want to accept someone else's message or agenda unquestioningly
''cause I can't take another industrial feast
I can't endure another excessive or overbearing display of commercialization and consumerism
On the ground, on my back, out there
In any situation or circumstance
I want to meet the president
I want to have a meaningful dialogue with someone in a position of power
Of a country without sense
Of a nation that lacks rationality and moral values
There is nothing that grows in his arctic world
The leader or governing body of that country fails to create progress and prosperity for its citizens
There is nothing that grows in your arctic world
The same applies to the environment or mindset of the person the song is directed towards
There is nothing that grows in this arctic world
The overarching theme of the song is the lack of growth and progress in various aspects of life
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: James Moginie, Martin Rotsey, Peter Garrett, Peter Gifford, Robert Hirst
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind