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.
Bells And Horns In The Back Of Beyond
Midnight Oil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As I waited at central to take you home
Winking spinning sparkling lights on our flat earth
You talk about the old groundling ways
Where the suburbs summer pulse and play in wrinkled sand and
never never never neverland
I get home I see them drive down
I look out and see those lines and lines and lines of swell and
Coolangatta, what's the matter?
Paradise, it's a surfer's world and flashing lights and real
estate
With one last wave
Ahhh, get up and run
'Cause there's a beach lies quiet near the open sea
And a carpark lay streched where the bindis used to be
When will I be yours
When will I be mine
The song "Bells and Horns in the Back of Beyond" by Midnight Oil is a song filled with longing and nostalgia for the beauty and simplicity of the past. The song begins with the singer waiting for the Southern Aurora, most likely a train, which is late again. He is waiting at Central station to take someone, possibly a loved one, home. As he waits, he notices the sparkling lights that adorn the flat earth of the suburbs. He talks about how things used to be, how the suburbs would pulse and play with life during the summer, and yet they seemed to be stuck in a never-never land, unable to move forward.
The singer then goes home and sees people driving down the street, lines and lines of swell and smiles, heading towards the cool paradise of Coolangatta, a surfer's world filled with flashing lights and real estate. He ends up on a quiet beach near the open sea, where a carpark now lies where once the bindis used to be. The song ends with a question, "When will I be yours? When will I be mine?"
The lyrics of the song are filled with sadness and longing for a simpler time when life was less complicated. The singer is searching for something that he can't quite find, a sense of belonging, a place that feels like home.
Line by Line Meaning
The Southern Aurora was late again
The train called Southern Aurora is usually late and delayed.
As I waited at central to take you home
While waiting in central station, the person is planning to take someone home.
Winking spinning sparkling lights on our flat earth
The view from the station includes a lot of bright and flickering city lights.
You talk about the old groundling ways
The other person speaks of traditional ways of living.
Where the suburbs summer pulse and play in wrinkled sand and never never never neverland
These old ways involve having fun on the beach with wrinkled sand and no worries.
I get home I see them drive down
After getting home, the person sees lots of cars driving by.
I look out and see those lines and lines and lines of swell and smiles
Looking at the cars passing by, the person sees lots of happy people enjoying life.
Coolangatta, what's the matter?
The artist is asking what's wrong with Coolangatta, a beachside suburb.
Paradise, it's a surfer's world and flashing lights and real estate
Coolangatta is seen as a paradise where surfers and rich people coexist.
With one last wave
Saying goodbye with a final wave.
Ahhh, get up and run
Feeling the urge to get up and start running.
'Cause there's a beach lies quiet near the open sea
A serene beach lies not far from here, right by the open sea.
And a carpark lay stretched where the bindis used to be
A parking lot now covers an area that used to have bindis, prickly weeds.
When will I be yours
Asking when the other person will be theirs.
When will I be mine
Asking when they will have or own the other person.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES MOGINIE, MARTIN ROTSEY, PETER GARRETT, PETER GIFFORD, ROBERT HIRST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind