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.

White Skin Black Heart
Midnight Oil Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yeah, whatcha gonna do now, now that you started?
Whatcha gonna do now, now that it's done?
The words got out there, they float around and are coming right back down.
You gonna leave us lying here
Dealing with the consequences of a bad sound
Of a bad sound.

White skin black heart

White skin black heart

Whatcha gonna do now, that it's spoken?
These words of a habit, have not faded away.
.................... it clear, conscious gets opened like a wound.
If you can't concieve a better line and better times,
Then let silence bury you, in the end.
When you feel it, when you feel it
You're condemned.

You see, you've lost your strangle on the freedom road! You
think ........................of something a long time ago! You
[spewed it out you were so] insecure! It was like ............. on
the toilet floor! You're a [nine seat] drunk, ............... and
you say you want something, .......... you heard the rednecks
roaring for blood and then they wanted more! Life was so small, you
couldn't get enough. You made a start.

White skin black heart
Dripping,
White skin black heart

White skin black heart
White skin black heart

White skin black heart
Drag your eyes from [aurora] black heart!
White skin black heart
Drag your leg, get outta here [my sight]!
White skin black heart
White skin black heart
White skin black heart
White skin black heart
You didn't have to start

White skin black heart
White skin black heart

Overall Meaning

The song "White Skin Black Heart" by Midnight Oil is a powerful commentary on the consequences of using derogatory language and promoting hatred. The lyrics imply that the person who has used such language and promoted such hatred might be feeling guilty or ashamed for what they have done. The repeated question "whatcha gonna do now" seems to be a challenge to the person to take responsibility for the consequences of their words and actions.

The phrase "white skin black heart" seems to suggest that there is something dark and ugly inside the person who has used derogatory language and promoted hatred, even though they might look "white" on the outside. The lyrics also suggest that these words and actions have consequences not only for the people they were directed at, but also for the person who spoke them. The line "you're condemned" implies that the person who spoke these words will have to live with the consequences of their actions, even if they don't feel the immediate effects.

The use of metaphor and imagery in this song is powerful. The line "conscious gets opened like a wound" is a vivid image of the painful process of self-examination and realization. The use of the phrase "drag your eyes from the aurora black heart" suggests that the person is being confronted with their own dark side and forced to acknowledge it. The line "white skin black heart dripping" adds to the sense of disgust and horror at the person's words and actions.

Line by Line Meaning

Yeah, whatcha gonna do now, now that you started?
What action will you take now that you've initiated something?

Whatcha gonna do now, now that it's done?
What are your plans now that it's already complete?

The words got out there, they float around and are coming right back down.
Your words are out there, and soon they will come back to haunt you.

You gonna leave us lying here Dealing with the consequences of a bad sound Of a bad sound.
You will abandon us to bear the repercussions of your misguided actions.

White skin black heart
Your skin may be white, but your heart is black.

Whatcha gonna do now, that it's spoken? These words of a habit, have not faded away. ........ it clear, conscious gets opened like a wound. If you can't concieve a better line and better times, Then let silence bury you, in the end. When you feel it, when you feel it You're condemned.
Now that you've spoken those words of habit that cannot be forgotten, your conscience will be exposed like an open wound. If you cannot think of a better way to express yourself, then silence will be your only redemption. You will be condemned by your own feelings.

You see, you've lost your strangle on the freedom road! You think ..................... of something a long time ago! You [spewed it out you were so] insecure! It was like ............. on the toilet floor! You're a [nine seat] drunk, ............... and you say you want something, .......... you heard the rednecks roaring for blood and then they wanted more! Life was so small, you couldn't get enough. You made a start.
You have lost your grip on the path towards freedom, instead you dwell on things from long ago. You expressed yourself recklessly because of your insecurity, and it was like vomiting on the toilet floor. You are a drunk who can't handle their liquor, and yet you still insist on wanting something, just like when the bloodthirsty rednecks demanded more. Life felt so limited, and you couldn't get enough, but you still decided to start something.

White skin black heart Dripping, White skin black heart
Your white skin may hide your black heart, but it oozes through regardless.

Drag your eyes from [aurora] black heart! White skin black heart Drag your leg, get outta here [my sight]! White skin black heart White skin black heart
Look away from that dark interior you possess, and leave my sight. Your white skin may hide your black heart, but I don't want to see it anymore.

You didn't have to start White skin black heart White skin black heart
You could have chosen differently, but instead, you began with your black heart hidden by your white skin.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES MOGINIE, MARTIN ROTSEY, PETER GARRETT, ROBERT HIRST, WAYNE STEVENS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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