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.
Loves On Sale
Midnight Oil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh yeah yes I'm waiting
Waiting now they say for shopping day
I'll pretend that I'm a rich man
And I'll carry it away
Oh yeah it sounds real nice
If you got money, then it's a steal
Give me a dollar, I'll give you a deal
Everybody says that love's on special and sale
And everything you've ever wanted you've got to pay for
It seems so easy and gettable, yes it's real
If you've got money, it's such a steal
Everybody says that love is the number one
But everytime you try to get some, you've gotta buy it
It's all so special, accessible, pretty and nice
It's oh so wonderful, at a price
You can rent a life today
Why worry about the real thing
Pay up now and plug in quick
It's easy to co-ordinate
Just credit card the right idea
Why wait around and contemplate
The hidden cost of what you've got
It's better not to
(Garrett/Rotsey)
The lyrics to Midnight Oil's song "Love's On Sale" offer a satirical commentary on modern consumer society and the commodification of love. The song begins with the singer waiting for "shopping day," pretending to be a rich man and eager to "carry it away" with all the things money can buy. The chorus then points out how "everybody says that love's on special and sale," but in reality, love is only accessible to those who can afford it. The song suggests that in this world, love is just another item to be bought and sold, and that even something as vital as human connection can be reduced to a transaction.
The second verse continues this critique, mocking the idea of "renting a life" and using credit cards to "coordinate" one's desires. The final lines warn against the "hidden cost of what you've got" and suggest that it may be better not to contemplate the true price of love and connection in a capitalist society. Overall, the song is a critique of the commodification of love and the pursuit of material wealth at the expense of genuine human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Haul me up I'm waiting
I'm eagerly waiting and asking to be lifted up by someone
Oh yeah yes I'm waiting
I'm affirming my anticipation for something exciting
Waiting now they say for shopping day
I am waiting for the day of shopping to finally come
I'll pretend that I'm a rich man
I will disguise as a wealthy man although I am not one, to have a better experience of shopping
And I'll carry it away
I will take away everything that I have bought with me
Oh yeah it sounds real nice
The idea of pretending to shop sounds very exciting
If you got money, then it's a steal
If you have enough money, you can get anything easily and inexpensively
Give me a dollar, I'll give you a deal
If you give me some money, I'll give you a profitable exchange or a bargain
Everybody says that love's on special and sale
Everyone talks about how love can be found and bought so easily
And everything you've ever wanted you've got to pay for
Anything desirable requires payment or you cannot have it
It seems so easy and gettable, yes it's real
The idea of easily finding love sounds believable and possible
If you've got money, it's such a steal
Having enough money makes it so easy and cheap to possess anything
Everybody says that love is the number one
People claim that love is the most important thing in life
But everytime you try to get some, you've gotta buy it
However, every time one tries to obtain love, they have to purchase it
It's all so special, accessible, pretty and nice
Love is marketed as a unique, available, attractive and friendly product
It's oh so wonderful, at a price
Love is portrayed as worth having but it comes with a cost
You can rent a life today
One can legally pay for a life experience that they cannot afford naturally
Why worry about the real thing
Why bother about the authenticity of the experience one is purchasing when it feels real?
Pay up now and plug in quick
Make your payment and connect immediately to your bought experience
It's easy to co-ordinate
The process is simple and the suppliers are readily available to synchronize the experience for you
Just credit card the right idea
Just formalize the idea you want to experience by paying with the right credit card
Why wait around and contemplate
Why delay or think extra about whether to buy or not when it feels right?
The hidden cost of what you've got
The price you pay for your loved experiences may have other hidden costs that you're unaware of
It's better not to
It's better not to become too concerned about these hidden costs and just enjoy the experience
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind