Jimmy Sharman
Midnight Oil Lyrics


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From the red dust north of Dalmore Downs
Sharman's tents roll into town
Twelve will face the auctioneer
Sharman's Boxers stand their ground
Their days are darker than your nights
But they won't be the first to fall
Children broken from their dreams
But they won't be the first to fall

Fighting in the spotlight
Eye's turn blacker than their skin
For Jimmy Sharman's boxers
It's no better if you win
Standing in the darkness
Lined up waiting for the bell
The days are wasted drinking
At the first and last hotel

Why are we fighting for this?
Why are you paying for this?
You pay to see me fall like shrapnel
To the floor
What is the reason for this?
There is a reason for this?
What is the reason they keep coming back for more?

The blows now bring him to his knees
But still the crowd calls out for more




The drums are burning in his ears
The man keeps counting out the score

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Midnight Oil's song "Jimmy Sharman's Boxers" describe the brutal world of travelling boxing circuses, where underprivileged and broken individuals are exploited for entertainment. The first verse sets the scene; Sharman's tents roll into town, and twelve boxers will face the auctioneer. The lyrics allude to the fact that these boxers have experienced hardships and pain, with their days being darker than the listener's nights, and children having their dreams broken. However, despite this, they stand their ground and fight.


The second verse describes the actual fights in the circus, where the boxers are forced to fight while their eyes turn blacker than their skin. Winning brings no respite, and the boxers are trapped in a cycle of wasting their days drinking at the local hotel. The chorus questions why people are willing to pay to watch others suffer and fall to the ground. The final verse highlights the toll the fights take on the boxers, with one being brought to his knees, and the crowd still calling out for more. The drums are burning in his ears, and a man counts out the score, highlighting the cold and calculating nature of the events.


Line by Line Meaning

From the red dust north of Dalmore Downs
The tent of Jimmy Sharman's Boxers rolls into town from a distant location.


Sharman's tents roll into town
Jimmy Sharman's Boxers arrive in town in tents.


Twelve will face the auctioneer
Twelve boxers get ready to fight in a match organized by the auctioneer.


Sharman's Boxers stand their ground
Despite facing difficult times, Jimmy Sharman's Boxers remain strong.


Their days are darker than your nights
The life of these boxers is difficult and full of struggle.


But they won't be the first to fall
They may get hurt during the match, but they won't give up easily.


Children broken from their dreams
These boxers have lost the dreams they had as children.


But they won't be the first to fall
Even though they have lost their dreams, they won't give up easily.


Fighting in the spotlight
The boxers fight in the arena in front of a large audience.


Eye's turn blacker than their skin
The boxers get injured during the fight, and their eyes swell up.


For Jimmy Sharman's boxers
The boxers who fight for Jimmy Sharman have it tough.


It's no better if you win
Even if you win the fight, it's not a great outcome for these boxers.


Standing in the darkness
The boxers wait in the dark for their turn to fight.


Lined up waiting for the bell
The boxers are lined up, waiting for the bell to start the match.


The days are wasted drinking
The boxers spend their days drinking and wasting their time.


At the first and last hotel
They spend their days drinking at whatever hotel is available.


Why are we fighting for this?
The boxers question the reason for fighting in such brutal matches.


Why are you paying for this?
The boxers also question those who come to watch and pay for such fights.


You pay to see me fall like shrapnel
The audience comes to watch the boxers fight and fall violently to the ground.


To the floor
The boxers fall to the ground heavily during the match.


What is the reason for this?
The boxers try to understand the purpose of the violent fights that they participate in, and others come to watch.


There is a reason for this?
They wonder if there is a valid reason behind it all.


What is the reason they keep coming back for more?
They question why people keep coming back to watch such brutal matches, despite the violence and suffering.


The blows now bring him to his knees
The boxer is badly injured and falls to his knees due to the force of the punches.


But still the crowd calls out for more
Despite the violence and injury, the audience encourages the boxers to continue fighting.


The drums are burning in his ears
The loud noise from the drums echoes in the boxer's ears even after the fight.


The man keeps counting out the score
The referee continues to count and announce the score, despite the boxers' injuries and suffering.




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