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.
In The Rain
Midnight Oil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Grieving I still do over careless words
As I move freely to a place
The debris I left behind comes back into my day
Out of time disconnected
Plagued by senses sweet desire, out of time
Out of time deluded
In the rain calling out his name, I call, yes I call
In the rain falls on my shame it falls, yes it falls
In the rain
Life picked me up this morning and thrust me to the world
Like a child I'm hurtled forward
Dreaming things anew, sights I see sound true
All the places, open faces gracing everything I view
In the rain falls on my shame I call,yes I call
In the rain falling on my shame I call yes, I call
In the rain calling out his name, I fall, yes I fall
In the rain
The lyrics to Midnight Oil's song "In The Rain" seem to be about reflection and regret after causing harm to someone with careless words. The singer expresses remorse over hurting someone and acknowledges the debris they left behind, perhaps referring to the emotional fallout or consequences of their actions. This regret seems to follow the singer even as they try to move forward and experience the world anew. They describe feeling "out of time" and "deluded" as they seek love but are plagued by desire.
The chorus of the song, with the repeated line "In the rain," seems to express a sense of shame and vulnerability. It's unclear who the singer is calling out to - perhaps the person they hurt or someone they are seeking love from. The rain falling on the singer's shame may be a metaphor for the cleansing or purifying power of water, or it could represent a kind of baptism, a way for the singer to start fresh and try to make amends.
Overall, "In The Rain" seems to be a complex exploration of regret and redemption, with the singer grappling with past mistakes even as they try to move forward and find some kind of resolution.
Line by Line Meaning
Sorry I am for the hurt I caused
I deeply regret the pain I inflicted on another person.
Grieving I still do over careless words
I continue to mourn the damage my thoughtless words caused.
As I move freely to a place
While I venture forward without constraint...
The debris I left behind comes back into my day
...the consequences of my past actions linger and affect me.
Out of time disconnected
Feeling unmoored from the present...
Plagued by senses sweet desire, out of time
...my overwhelming attraction to something beyond my reach consumes my thoughts.
Out of time deluded
I'm lost in a false sense of reality...
I plunged my hand into the mother load of love
...I pursued love with intensity and recklessness.
In the rain calling out his name, I call, yes I call
As rain soaks me, I cry out for the person I desire.
In the rain falls on my shame it falls, yes it falls
The rain symbolizes my feelings of guilt and regret.
Life picked me up this morning and thrust me to the world
As I woke up today, life launched me into the unpredictable expanse of the world.
Like a child I'm hurtled forward
Like a helpless child, I'm propelled through every new experience.
Dreaming things anew, sights I see sound true
My imagination is reignited and everything I observe seems vivid and real.
All the places, open faces gracing everything I view
Every location and person I witness adds a fresh new layer to my perspective on the world.
In the rain falls on my shame I call, yes I call
The rain continues to represent the remorse I feel for past mistakes.
In the rain falling on my shame I call yes, I call
Regardless of the rain pouring down on me, I still cry out for the person I long for.
In the rain calling out his name, I fall, yes I fall
As I continue to yearn for the person I can't have, I metaphorically stumble and lose my footing in life.
In the rain
The rain serves as a recurring symbol of regret and unfulfilled desires throughout the song.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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