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.

The Real Thing
Midnight Oil Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Come and see the real thing
Come and see the real thing
Come and see

Come and see the real thing
Come and see the real thing
Come and see

Is there a meaning here
Is there a meaning here
Does it really mean a thing?

Come and see the real thing
Come and see the real thing
Come and see
I am the real thing

Ooh mow mow mow mow...

Tryin hard to understand it
Tryin hard to make things real
Tryin hard to understand it
But the real things just so sweet
But there's a meaning here
If there's a meaning here
Does it really mean a thing?
Come and see the real thing
Come and see the real thing
Come and see...
I am the real thing

Ooh mow mow mow mow

I am not seeing
I am not feeling
I...

Tryin hard to make things happen
Well it's the way it's always been
Tryin hard to make things happen
When the real thing can be so thin

Is there a meaning here
Is there a meaning here
Does it really mean a thing

Come and see the real thing
Come and see the real thing
Come and see...
I am the real thing
Ooh mow mow mow mow...

I am not seeing
I am not feeling
I...

Ooh mow mow mow mow

Overall Meaning

The song "The Real Thing" by Midnight Oil begins by repeating the phrase "come and see the real thing" three times, as if calling the listener to action. The question then arises: what is the real thing, and is there a deeper meaning behind it? The lyrics seem to suggest that the real thing can be elusive and hard to understand, but that it is worth seeking out nonetheless. The singer asserts that he is the real thing, but there is a sense of uncertainty and doubt as to whether this is true.

As the song progresses, the search for meaning and authenticity continues. The singer is "tryin hard to understand it" and "tryin hard to make things real" but ultimately acknowledges that "the real thing can be so thin". This could be interpreted as a commentary on the superficiality of modern life, where the pursuit of material possessions and social status often overshadow deeper values.

Line by Line Meaning

Come and see the real thing
Invitation to experience something genuine and authentic

Come and see
Repeat of the invitation to witness authenticity

Come and see the real thing
Invitation to experience something genuine and authentic

Come and see
Repeat of the invitation to witness authenticity

Is there a meaning here
Questioning the deeper significance of the situation

Does it really mean a thing?
Wondering if there is any real significance to what is happening

Come and see the real thing
Emphasizing the authenticity of the experience

Come and see
Repeat of the invitation to witness authenticity

I am the real thing
Claiming to embody authenticity

Ooh mow mow mow mow...
Nonverbal expression

Trying hard to understand it
Struggling to comprehend the situation

Trying hard to make things real
Attempting to create something genuine and authentic

Trying hard to understand it
Struggling to comprehend the situation

But the real thing's just so sweet
Acknowledging the inherent goodness in authenticity

But there's a meaning here
Suggesting that there is deeper significance to the situation

If there's a meaning here
Posing a question about the potential for deeper meaning

Does it really mean a thing?
Reiterating the question about real significance

Come and see the real thing
Emphasizing the authenticity of the experience

Come and see
Repeat of the invitation to witness authenticity

I am the real thing
Asserting that the singer embodies authenticity

Ooh mow mow mow mow...
Nonverbal expression

I am not seeing
Acknowledging a lack of perception or understanding

I am not feeling
Acknowledging a lack of emotional connection or response

I...
Unfinished thought or expression of uncertainty

Trying hard to make things happen
Making a concerted effort to create something noteworthy

Well it's the way it's always been
Acknowledging the constancy of a certain experience or pattern

Trying hard to make things happen
Making a concerted effort to create something noteworthy

When the real thing can be so thin
Noting that authenticity can be elusive or difficult to achieve

Is there a meaning here
Questioning the deeper significance of the situation

Does it really mean a thing?
Reiterating the question about real significance

Come and see the real thing
Emphasizing the authenticity of the experience

Come and see
Repeat of the invitation to witness authenticity

I am the real thing
Claiming to embody authenticity

Ooh mow mow mow mow...
Nonverbal expression

Contributed by Sydney M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Muttley

2y↑2

THE REAL THING
01. 00:00 . The Real Thing
02. 03:32 . Say Your Prayers
03. 07:59 . Spirit of the Age
04. 11:11 . Feeding Frenzy (live at the Metro)
05. 17:11 . Tell Me the Truth (live at the Metro)
06. 20:47 . The Dead Heart (live at the Metro)
07. 26:52 . Tin Legs and Tin Mines (live at the Metro)
08. 31:35 . Short Memory (live at the Metro)
09. 36:27 . In the Valley (MTV Unplugged)
10. 39:59 . Blue Sky Mine
11. 44:24 . US Forces (live at the Metro)
12. 48:49 . Warakurna
13. 53:17 . Truganini (MTV Unplugged)
14. 57:55 . The Last of the Diggers

FROM WIKIPEDIA
Released: 8 July 2000

The Real Thing is a mostly acoustic live album by Midnight Oil, which includes four additional studio recordings, among them a cover version of Russell Morris's classic "The Real Thing". It was initially issued in Australia with a bonus disk of interview material listed as containing 2 tracks ("Interview" and "Track by track") but the CD was divided into 30 tracks, dividing the interview up so that past albums and each track on "The Real Thing" gets a short discussion followed by snippet from the album or song being discussed. Later international releases had a bonus disk with videos of "Cemetery In My Mind" and "Redneck Wonderland".

Like the band's previous live album Scream in Blue, it was not included in the Full Tank box set, but three of the four studio tracks appear on the b-sides disc of the Overflow Tank box set (the fourth is included on Full Tank as part of Capricornia).

PERSONNEL
Midnight Oil
Peter Garrett - lead vocals, harmonica
Bones Hillman - bass, vocals
Rob Hirst - drums, vocals
Jim Moginie - guitars, organ, harmonium, autoharp
Martin Rotsey - guitars

Additional personnel
Chris Abrahams - piano, organ (on all live tracks)
Basheri - percussion (on MTV Unplugged tracks)
Sunil de Silva - percussion (on all other live tracks)
Charlie McMahon - Didgeridoo (on "The Dead Heart")

Horns on Say Your Prayers
Stewart Kirwan - trumpet
Andrew Bickers - tenor saxophone
Anthony Kable - trombone