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.
Blue Sky Mine
Midnight Oil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There'll be food on the table tonight
Hey, hey, hey, hey
There'll be pay in your pocket tonight
My gut is wrenched out it is crunched up and broken
A life that is led is no more than a token
Who'll strike the flint upon the stone and tell me why
The screen is no comfort I can't speak my sentence
They blew the lights at heaven's gate and I don't know why
But if I work all day on the blue sky mine
(There'll be food on the table tonight)
Still I walk up and down on the blue sky mine
(There'll be pay in your pocket tonight)
The candy store paupers lie to the share holders
They're crossing their fingers they pay the truth makers
The balance sheet is breaking up the sky
So I'm caught at the junction still waiting for medicine
The sweat of my brow keeps on feeding the engine
Hope the crumbs in my pocket can keep me for another night
And if the blue sky mining company won't come to my rescue
If the sugar refining company won't save me
Who's gonna save me?
Who's gonna save me?
Who's gonna save me?
But if I work all day on the blue sky mine
(There'll be food on the table tonight)
And if I walk up and down on the blue sky mine
(There'll be pay in your pocket tonight)
And some have sailed from a distant shore
And the company takes what the company wants
And nothing's as precious, as a hole in the ground
Who's gonna save me?
Who's gonna save me?
I pray that sense and reason brings us in
Who's gonna save me?
Who's gonna save me?
We've got nothing to fear
In the end the rain comes down
In the end the rain comes down
Washes clean, the streets of a blue sky town
The song "Blue Sky Mine" by Midnight Oil is a political statement and a commentary on the social and economic exploitation of working-class people by corporations. The lyrics tell the story of a worker who is disillusioned with his life and is trying to make sense of the world around him. He is struggling to put food on the table and pay his bills, while the powerful corporations that employ him continue to make profits at the expense of their workers. The worker is angry, frustrated, and feels hopeless as he faces the realities of life in a world where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
The chorus of the song - "But if I work all day on the blue sky mine, still I walk up and down on the blue sky mine" - emphasizes the futility of the worker's efforts to improve his situation. He is working hard, but it seems like he's getting nowhere. The candy store paupers lie to the shareholders, and the balance sheet is breaking up the sky; meaning that the people who run the corporations are lying to their investors to keep the profits flowing, and the worker is paying the price.
The song is a powerful commentary on the way in which corporations exploit workers for their own gain. The lyrics are a reminder that the system is rigged against the workers, and that we need to fight for a more just and equitable society. The message of the song is still relevant today, as we continue to see the exploitation of workers by powerful corporations. We need to stand up for our rights and fight for a system that works for everyone, not just the wealthy few.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, hey-hey, hey
A casual greeting
There'll be food on the table tonight
There will be food to eat tonight because I will work on the blue sky mine
There'll be pay in your pocket tonight
I will earn money for my labor on the blue sky mine
My gut is wrenched out it is crunched up and broken
I am upset and anxious
A life that is led is no more than a token
Life feels insignificant or pointless
Who'll strike the flint upon the stone and tell me why
Who will explain why things are the way they are?
If I yell out at night there's a reply of bruised silence
No one is listening or responding to me
The screen is no comfort I can't speak my sentence
Technology does not bring me comfort or connection
They blew the lights at heaven's gate and I don't know why
Something is not right, but I don't know what it is
But if I work all day on the blue sky mine
If I work on the blue sky mine all day
(There'll be food on the table tonight)
Then I will have food to eat tonight
Still I walk up and down on the blue sky mine
But I still have to work on the blue sky mine
The candy store paupers lie to the share holders
The disadvantaged lie to the wealthy
They're crossing their fingers they pay the truth makers
They are hoping they can deceive the truth tellers
The balance sheet is breaking up the sky
The finances are causing problems
So I'm caught at the junction still waiting for medicine
I'm stuck in a difficult situation, waiting for relief
The sweat of my brow keeps on feeding the engine
My hard work keeps the operation going
Hope the crumbs in my pocket can keep me for another night
I hope the little money I have will be enough to survive another night
And if the blue sky mining company won't come to my rescue
If the mining company does not help me
If the sugar refining company won't save me
If the refining company does not help me
Who's gonna save me?
Who can help me?
Who's gonna save me?
Who can help me?
Who's gonna save me?
Who can help me?
And some have sailed from a distant shore
Some have come from far away
And the company takes what the company wants
The company takes what they want
And nothing's as precious, as a hole in the ground
The company values resources (like a hole in the ground) over people
I pray that sense and reason brings us in
I hope that people will start to make rational decisions
We've got nothing to fear
There is nothing to be afraid of
In the end the rain comes down
In the end, nature takes its course
Washes clean, the streets of a blue sky town
Cleanses the streets of the mining town
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Martin Rotsey, Robert Hirst, James Moginie, Peter Garrett, Wayne Stevens
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alanstrom2221
41 years ago I saw Midnight Oil at The Royal Antler Narrabeen. I have to thank the boys from The Strand house at Dee Why for taking me to the gig.
It was late 1979, a warm night, people pouring jugs of iced water on each other and Peter Garrett's head, steam coming from the Lead Singer's bald cranium.
Their music and especially their lyrics have made THE OILS one of the most important Rock bands in history.
This new song ' Gadigal Land' is an instant Oils Classic.
Words cannot describe how much I love this track.
Sydney Radio station MMM played it every hour yesterday, so credit to them for that.
Before they played it the first time I was thinking " oh, I hope it's good "
I loved it from the opening chords, the thumping Drums, the throbbing Bass and Garrett's vocals delivering every word that is punching the Colonial invaders in the face.
Well done boys, this is excellent!
@iavdortmunder8132
As in many of their other songs, when this song was released I was a teenager, and I didn't really grasp the gravity of what they were saying, but I sure do understand now. We see now and can appreciate fully what a masterpiece. Through their body of work, Midnight Oil have distinguished themselves as globally preeminent artists and visionaries. Nice one!
@garycarr3857
Midnight Oil 🛢
@garycarr3857
Midnight Oil 🛢 Blue Sky Mine 1990
@garycarr3857
1990
@jeffreyskoritowski4114
I live in the Anthracite region of PA. We understood this song almost immediately.
@boogalaloopala2738
'Fuck capitalism!'
@AshArcher
This song has so much meaning. I lost my grandfather to the asbestos mined near wittenoom. The companies knew and did nothing. Thanks to the Oils for always bringing these issues to the world's attention.
@garycarr3857
Midnight Oil 🛢
@garycarr3857
Midnight Oil 🛢 Blue Sky Mining 1990
@garycarr3857
Midnight Oil - 🛢 Blue Sky Mine 1990