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.
Safety Chain Blues
Midnight Oil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lifebuoy crash lands in a vale of tears
All the lovers are in retreat
Out on the edge of the nervous street
So deaf to the call of the wild
Deaf to the first born's whispering plea
Expanding frame the city is in heat
But I want to hold your precious head
I will not leave you nor pretend
I'm going to hold you to the end
Hey mama didn't know we'd end up here
The snapshot is all tiles and red walls
Down at the squatter's camps they cannot compete
The shepherd has been bound up by his hands and his feet
Make love make peace make haste it's a slow release
Great changes gonna carry you
Make love make peace make haste it's a slow release
Great changes gonna carry you
The lyrics to "Safety Chain Blues" by Midnight Oil describe a sense of desperation and hopelessness in society, as indicated by the metaphor of hanging on to the safety chain for dear life. The image of the lifebuoy crash landing in a vale of tears further emphasizes this feeling of despair. The lovers retreating and the expansion of the city juxtaposed with the burning edges of the lonely street suggest a sense of disconnection and disunity.
The lyrics also hint at a desire for connection and hope, as the singer expresses a desire to hold someone's precious head and stay with them until the end. The reference to the shepherd being bound up and the inability of the squatters to compete suggests a broader societal struggle against oppression and inequality. However, there is a glimmer of hope in the repeated refrain to "make love", "make peace", and "make haste" as a slow release brings about great changes that will ultimately carry individuals and society as a whole towards a better future.
Overall, "Safety Chain Blues" is a commentary on societal struggles and the need for unity and hope in the face of oppression and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
Hanging on like hell to the safety chain
Holding on tight to something for dear life
Lifebuoy crash lands in a vale of tears
A symbol of hope fails to live up to expectations
All the lovers are in retreat
People are pushing away love and intimacy
Out on the edge of the nervous street
Being on the brink of danger or instability
So deaf to the call of the wild
Ignoring one's primal instincts or desires
Deaf to the first born's whispering plea
Ignoring the needs of future generations
Expanding frame the city is in heat
The city is growing quickly and chaotically
Burning at the edges of the lonely street
The outskirts of society are struggling
But I want to hold your precious head
Desire for intimacy with someone special
I will not leave you nor pretend
Promising to stay true and honest
I'm going to hold you to the end
Standing by someone until the very end and providing comfort
Hey mama didn't know we'd end up here
Unexpectedly ending up in unfavorable circumstances
The snapshot is all tiles and red walls
A vivid image of a particular place or time
Down at the squatter's camps they cannot compete
Those in poverty are disadvantaged
The shepherd has been bound up by his hands and his feet
Those in authority may be restrained or powerless
Make love make peace make haste it's a slow release
Urging people to focus on building relationships and making change, even if the results take time
Great changes gonna carry you
Encouraging hope for a better future
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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