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.
Nothing Lost
Midnight Oil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd rather drown in happiness
Come the morning, when the darkness through
That story's bound to change
And in my world
And in my world
It's all the same
And nothing's lost and nothing's changed
Go and jump aboard the train of freedom
It's a one way fare
You can find out now that when the tunnel's through
Your ticket's vanished, forgotten you
And in my world...
Turn up the TV, make the music loud
Better to ignore the rabid dog baying at your door
Draw the blind, change the channel if you dare
Better to say, I don't care
And in my world...
You hear the bell, you know it's time to jump off
Cause there's nothing at the platform's edge again
It's too late
It's over to you
(Moginie)
The lyrics to Midnight Oil's "Nothing Lost" are a contemplation on the nature of happiness and contentment in the face of life's hardships. The verses express a desire to escape from sorrow and seek out happiness, but also acknowledge the inevitability of darkness and change. The chorus then declares acceptance of this reality, stating that nothing is truly gained or lost, as everything is always the same.
The second verse introduces the idea of freedom, but warns that pursuing it can lead to a loss of identity and purpose. The third verse offers a different approach to coping with difficulty, suggesting that it is better to tune out the negative influences and focus on one's own happiness. However, the final verse brings the listener back to reality, emphasizing that ultimately, we must face life's challenges alone and accept our own limitations.
Overall, "Nothing Lost" urges the listener to find balance between seeking happiness and accepting life's difficulties, acknowledging that neither can be fully achieved without also accepting the other.
Line by Line Meaning
In my world there are sorrows
In the singer's personal experience, there are things that cause pain and sadness
I'd rather drown in happiness
The singer desires to be engulfed in feelings of joy and contentment, even if it means avoiding the sorrows in their world entirely
Come the morning, when the darkness through
With the passing of time, the singer anticipates a change in their situation where their troubles may be resolved
That story's bound to change
The artist is optimistic that the narrative of their life will improve
And in my world
The artist is repeating the idea that they have already expressed
It's all the same
Regardless of what happens, the singer perceives their world as stagnant and unchanging
And nothing's ventured, nothing's gained
The singer believes that taking risks and being bold is necessary for progress and success
And nothing's lost and nothing's changed
Through repetition, the artist reinforces the idea that nothing has altered and nothing of value has been sacrificed or gained in their perspective
Go and jump aboard the train of freedom
The artist encourages others to take advantage of opportunities for liberation and growth
It's a one-way fare
The artist suggests that once a decision is made, there's no turning back
You can find out now that when the tunnel's through
Any potential outcomes or revelations may only become apparent after the journey has concluded
Your ticket's vanished, forgotten you
The consequence of taking action is that what has already been done may become a distant memory
Turn up the TV, make the music loud
The singer suggests distracting oneself from unpleasant realities with entertainment
Better to ignore the rabid dog baying at your door
It's often more beneficial to avoid problems rather than confronting them head-on
Draw the blind, change the channel if you dare
The singer continues to encourage ignoring troublesome situations
Better to say, I don't care
It's easier and less painful to detach oneself emotionally from unpleasant events and emotions
You hear the bell, you know it's time to jump off
The artist warns of approaching deadlines or consequences
Cause there's nothing at the platform's edge again
The repeated experience of there being nothing waiting, or no new opportunities, reinforces the idea of a stagnant and unchanging world
It's too late
The singer emphasizes that the opportunity for action or change has already passed by
It's over to you
The artist asserts that the responsibility for decision-making rests entirely on the listener
Contributed by Nicholas I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.