Midnight Oil are an influential alternative rock band formed in Sydney, Aus… Read Full Bio ↴Midnight Oil are an influential alternative rock band formed in Sydney, Australia in 1976. The band originally formed as "Farm" in 1972. The band is best known for their political activism and environmentalism and their 1987 worldwide hit single "Beds Are Burning". For most of their career, the band consisted of Peter Garrett (vocals), Jim Moginie (guitar, keyboards), Martin Rotsey (guitar), Bones Hillman (bass, vocals) and Rob Hirst (drums).

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.

Pub With No Beer
Midnight Oil Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's a lonesome away from your kindred and all
By the campfire at night where the wild dingoes call
But there's nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear
Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer

Now the publican's anxious for the quota to come
And there's a far away look on the face of the bum
The maid's gone all cranky and the cook's acting queer

What a terrible place is a pub with no beer

Then the stockman rides up with his dry dusty throat
He breasts up to the bar and pulls a wad from his coat
But the smile on his face quickly turns to a sneer
As the barman says sadly the pub's got no beer

Then the swaggie comes in smothered in dust and flies
He throws down his roll and rubs the sweat from his eyes
But when he is told, he says what's this I hear
I've trudged fifty flamin' miles to a pub with no beer

Now there's a dog on the v'randa, for his master he waits
But the boss is inside drinking wine with his mates
He hurries for cover and he cringes in fear
It's no place for a dog 'round a pub with no beer

And old Billy the blacksmith, the first time in his life
Why he's gone home cold sober to his darling wife
He walks in the kitchen, she says you're early Bill dear
But then he breaks down and tells her the pub's got no beer

The pub's got no beer
The pub's got no beer, oh yeah
The pub's got no beer, oh yeah

Oh it's hard to believe that there's customers still
But the money's still tinkling in the old ancient till
The wine buffs are happy and I know they're sincere
When they say they don't care if the pub's got no beer

So it's a lonesome away from your kindred and all
By the campfire at night where the wild dingoes call

But there's nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear
Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Midnight Oil's song Pub With No Beer depict the desolate scene of a rural Australian pub with no beer. The song describes how the patrons are feeling as they arrive at the pub, only to realize there is no beer available. The songs mention various characters, such as the publican, the stockman, the swaggie, and old Billy the blacksmith, who all come to the pub thirsty and hoping to drink some beer, only to find there is none.

The song's lyrics portray the feeling of emptiness that prevails in a pub with no beer, despite being filled with people. The loneliness and desolation are evident since the characters come to the pub hoping to find solace and company but leave feeling even more alone. The song paints an almost tragic picture of this pub that has run out of beer, with its patrons slowly losing their only reason for coming there, as a place to drink and slowly forget their troubles.

What makes the Pub With No Beer such an emotive song is that it portrays the final betrayal, the last chance any of the cast in the ballad had for happiness had been taken away, and that was to drown their sorrows in beer. The pub is described as a place where everyone knows everybody else's business, but in effect has become nothing more than a gathering place for a community which will die slowly as its light is snuffed out.

Line by Line Meaning

It's a lonesome away from your kindred and all
Being far away from your family and friends is a lonely experience.

By the campfire at night where the wild dingoes call
In the outback, late at night next to the flickering embers of a campfire, you can hear howling dingoes in the distance.

But there's nothing so lonesome, morbid, or drear
However, nothing can make you feel more lonely, sad, or dismal than being in a bar that has run out of beer.

Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer
The feeling of emptiness, and missing out on something fundamental when standing in a bar that does not serve beer.

Now the publican's anxious for the quota to come
The owner/manager is anxiously waiting for the beer delivery to arrive.

And there's a faraway look on the face of the bum
A customer is sitting there so long, they have a vacant look on their face.

The maid's gone all cranky and the cook's acting queer
The waitstaff is agitated, while the chef is acting strange, perhaps from lack of beer too.

What a terrible place is a pub with no beer
The pub is a depressing, hopeless place without beer.

Then the stockman rides up with his dry dusty throat
A cowboy arrives with a parched mouth, thirsty for beer.

He breasts up to the bar and pulls a wad from his coat
This cowboy pulls money out of his pocket and expects a tall, refreshing beer.

But the smile on his face quickly turns to a sneer
However, his beaming grin rapidly transforms into a scowl.

As the barman says sadly the pub's got no beer
This is due to the bartender sorrowfully informing him that the pub has no beer left.

Then the swaggie comes in smothered in dust and flies
A traveler arrives in the pub, covered in dirt and insects.

He throws down his roll and rubs the sweat from his eyes
After ordering food and drink, the swaggie wipes the sweat from his eyes.

But when he is told, he says what's this I hear
When informed they have no beer, the swaggie is in disbelief.

I've trudged fifty flamin' miles to a pub with no beer
The significance is not lost on the traveler, who expresses his frustration that he has come a long way to a pub without the beverage he craved.

Now there's a dog on the v'randa, for his master he waits
Now, there is a doging waiting patiently for his owner outside on the veranda.

But the boss is inside drinking wine with his mates
But the owner is inside, drinking wine with his buddies instead of paying attention to the customers.

He hurries for cover and he cringes in fear
When one of the patron's dogs ventures into the bar, it hides and cowers with fear from the antagonistic owner and bouncers.

It's no place for a dog 'round a pub with no beer
The low on their stock of something basic for customers like beer, so a pub without beer is no place for real friends like pets or dogs.

And old Billy the blacksmith, the first time in his life
The local blacksmith, Billy, makes an unusual decision for the first time.

Why, he's gone home cold sober to his darling wife
He heads back, totally sober, to his beloved wife for the night.

He walks in the kitchen, she says you're early Bill, dear
He enters his house, and his spouse remarks positively, feeling shocked that he is home so soon.

But then he breaks down and tells her the pub's got no beer
Then, he breaks the news to her in a burst of emotion, saying they have run out of beer at the pub.

The pub's got no beer
The repetitively stated line once again sums up the main topic: the pub, the go-to for a good pint or two, has run out of beer.

The pub's got no beer, oh yeah
Repeated for emphasis, the main assertion about the pub lacking beer is made again.

The pub's got no beer, oh yeah
Once again, the lack of beer at the pub is reasserted, driving the point home again.

Oh, it's hard to believe that there's customers still
It's hard to believe that customers still frequent the pub.

But the money's still tinkling in the old ancient till
However, while it's hard to believe people still come, the old cash register still chimes with incoming cash that covers the cost of service.

The wine buffs are happy and I know they're sincere
While beer drinkers may be unhappy, wine drinkers are joyous, and their happiness is authentic.

When they say they don't care if the pub's got no beer
They truthfully say that the lack of beer won't affect their contentment at the pub.

So it's a lonesome away from your kindred and all
Concluding the song on its starting theme, nothing's as lonely as being away from family and friends.

By the campfire at night where the wild dingoes call
The artist is reminding the listener that there is comfort in nature, under the stars by a campfire.

But there's nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear
But again, nothing can beat being in a bar with no beer.

Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer
A place where one would like to enjoy a drink is diminished without the nectar of the gods, beer.

Contributed by Levi C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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