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.
Short Memory
Midnight Oil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Belgians in the Congo short memory
Plantation in Virginia, the Raj in British India
The deadline in South Africa short memory
The story of El Salvador, the silence of Hiroshima
Destruction of Cambodia short memory
Short memory, must have a, short memory
The sight of hotels by the Nile, the designated Hilton style
With running water specially bought short memory
A smallish man Afghanistan, a watch dog in a nervous land
They're only there to lend a hand short memory
Wake up in sweat at dead of night
And in the tents new rifles hey short memory
If you read the history books you'll see the same things happen again and again
Repeat repeat short memory they've all got it
When are we going to play it again
Got a short, got a short, got a short, got a short
They've got a short must have a short they've got a short aah
Short memory, they've got a.
The opening verse of Midnight Oil's "Short Memory" presents examples of political violence and exploitation across several cultures and nations. It highlights a common theme of forgotten or minimized atrocities, often perpetrated by those in power. The lyrics mention the Conquistadors of Mexico, the Zulus of South Africa, and the Navajo people, and their respective oppressors. The verse further encompasses the Belgians in the Congo, plantation owners in Virginia, the British Raj in India, and the South African deadline - all of which represent different forms of colonialism and exploitation. The story of El Salvador, Hiroshima, and Cambodia’s destruction are mentioned, emphasizing the persistent cycle of violence.
The chorus of the song reinforces the core theme of the lyrics, where the singer claims that people seem to have a "short memory" when it comes to historical atrocities that repeat themselves. The audience is encouraged to recognize the pattern of repeat occurrences of human rights tragedies that continue throughout history. There is a reference to "running water specially brought,” which points towards how modern amenities only serve to hide the roots of such exploitative actions, distracting society from the damage done to those who suffered in the past. The song concludes with a somewhat cynical suggestion that human beings will continue to ignore history and repeat past mistakes.
Line by Line Meaning
Conquistador of Mexico, the Zulu and the Navaho
The conquerors of Mexico, the Zulu tribe, and the Navaho tribe are forgotten despite the atrocities committed against them
The Belgians in the Congo short memory
The ruthless colonization of the Congo by the Belgian Empire is forgotten
Plantation in Virginia, the Raj in British India
The history of cruel slavery in Virginia plantations and the exploitation of India during the British Raj are forgotten
The deadline in South Africa short memory
The discriminatory Pass Laws and apartheid regime in South Africa are forgotten
The story of El Salvador, the silence of Hiroshima
The civil war in El Salvador and the devastation of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima are forgotten
Destruction of Cambodia short memory
The genocide in Cambodia and the destruction caused by the Khmer Rouge are forgotten
Short memory, must have a, short memory
The cycle of forgetting and repeating past atrocities suggests that people must have a short memory
The sight of hotels by the Nile, the designated Hilton style
The luxurious hotels along the Nile river, built and styled for Western tourists, are forgotten despite the poverty and inequality around them
With running water specially bought short memory
The access to running water in these hotels is taken for granted by those who can afford it and forgotten by those who cannot
A smallish man Afghanistan, a watch dog in a nervous land
The plight of Afghani civilians and the role of foreign military forces in their country are forgotten
They're only there to lend a hand short memory
The supposed good intentions of foreign military forces are forgotten while their actions may continue to cause harm
Wake up in sweat at dead of night
The haunting memories of past atrocities may continue to affect individuals and communities
And in the tents new rifles hey short memory
The cycle of violence and conflict caused by the presence of armed forces is forgotten
If you read the history books you'll see the same things happen again and again
History repeats itself and the same cycle of violence and forgetting occurs
Repeat repeat short memory they've all got it
The repetition of past atrocities and the tendency to forget them is a universal problem
When are we going to play it again
The question of when the cycle of violence and forgetting will end remains unanswered
Got a short, got a short, got a short, got a short
The repetition of 'short' emphasizes the need for people to remember past atrocities and prevent them from happening again
They've got a short must have a short they've got a short aah
The repetition of 'they've got a short' reinforces the idea that people must remember the past and break the cycle of violence and forgetting
Short memory, they've got a
The song concludes with a reminder that society must overcome the tendency to forget past atrocities and strive for a better future
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES MOGINIE, MARTIN ROTSEY, PETER GARRETT, PETER GIFFORD, ROBERT HIRST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind