Formed in 1992, the band originally comprised Tim Freedman (lead vocals, piano), Stevie Plunder (lead vocals, guitar) and Andy Lewis (double bass, backing vocals). The line-up has changed many times over the years with Tim the only consistent member of the band, not to mention the only original member still alive. In the current line-up Terepai Richmond hits the drums, Warwick Hornsby plays the bass, and Jak Housden steals the scene on the electric guitar alongside the ever-present Tim Freedman.
Their style of music has been described as muscular piano based pop/rock, however it has been quite varied over the life of the band. Their latest album is titled Little Cloud and is a double album, separated by the two themes of New York and Tim's homeland Sydney.
The band played their final shows in 2010, taking an extended break for Freedman to pursue a solo career.
In 2012, the band were announced as one of the headliners of the Caloundra Music Festival on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
400 Miles From Darwin
The Whitlams Lyrics
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One among the hundreds, crying for the millions
And when the house lights break the trance
Only then unclasp our hands
Compose ourselves and fix our hair
"We would have all been Schindler there"
Drive in silence slowly home
Now horror's more than skin and bone
We'll pay to shed the same cheap tears?
In a film about an island, watch our hero take a stand
Pay our money gladly to wash our hands
Watching the movie we'll ask how the people might have known
Let it happen there without a fight
Kept driving on quietly home
Left the Timorese alone
400 miles from Darwin
The 2 minute hate is now the 3 hour love
With any action left to up above
Those people then could turn their heads
Now all the same we sleep instead
While 400 miles form Darwin East Timor is dying
Watching the movie we'll ask how the people might have known
Let it happen there without a fight
Kept driving on quietly home
Left the Timorese alone
400 miles from Darwin
The Whiltams's song "400 Miles From Darwin" is a poignant, politically charged track that confronts the listener with the uncomfortable truth of how society reacts to tragic events. The lyrics describe an experience shared by many, whereby they attend a movie or a play that revolves around a tragedy or a genocide and feel emotionally affected, only to return to their mundane lives and forget about the horrors they just witnessed. The line "We pay to shed a sombre tear in the darkness together here, One among the hundreds, crying for the millions" is particularly powerful, as it highlights how people want to appear virtuous and compassionate without taking any real action to effectuate change.
The song mentions the Indonesian occupation of East Timor, and the complicity of the Australian government in its brutal repression. The lines "Left the Timorese alone - 400 miles from Darwin, East Timor is dying" emphasise the distance between the Australian mainland and the atrocities taking place in the country. The song compares the indifference of the Australian public towards the East Timorese people to the indifference of the German people towards the plight of the Jews during the Holocaust. The line "We would have all been Schindler there" is a reference to the fact that most people would like to think that they would have acted differently and helped the oppressed, but the truth is that only a few would have risked their lives to do so.
Line by Line Meaning
We pay to shed a sombre tear in the darkness together here
We willingly pay to cry in public for those who cannot and to show our solidarity and support in the face of tragedy.
One among the hundreds, crying for the millions
We know that our individual tears do not make a huge difference, but together they can represent the emotions felt by millions of people affected by the tragedy.
And when the house lights break the trance
Only when the lights come on at the end of the performance, we are snapped out of our emotional trance and reminded of our reality.
Only then unclasp our hands
We hold hands for support during the performance and only let go of each other when it's over, signifying the end of our emotional journey together.
Compose ourselves and fix our hair
We try to regain our composure and put on a brave face after the performance, as we don't want to show weakness or vulnerability in public.
"We would have all been Schindler there"
We often think that we would have been brave and done the right thing in a historical tragedy like the Holocaust, but in reality, we cannot be sure how we would have acted.
Drive in silence slowly home
We drive home in silence, contemplating the tragedy we witnessed, and feeling the weight of our emotions.
Now horror's more than skin and bone
The horror of the tragedy we witnessed is not just surface-level, but deeply rooted in our souls and emotional well-being.
And can you see in twenty years
Looking ahead, we can predict that we will continue to react to tragedies in a similar way, by paying to see movies or performances that make us cry.
We'll pay to shed the same cheap tears
Our tears may seem cheap and insignificant, but they are a way for us to process our emotions and bring awareness to the tragedy at hand.
In a film about an island, watch our hero take a stand
We will watch movies about heroes who stand up for what is right, and we will feel inspired by their bravery and tenacity in the face of adversity.
Pay our money gladly to wash our hands
By paying to see movies about tragedies, we feel like we are doing our part to bring awareness to the issues at hand, even though we are not actively involved in the fight.
Watching the movie we'll ask how the people might have known
As we watch movies about historical tragedies, we wonder how the victims and bystanders did not see the signs of danger and take action sooner to prevent the tragedy.
Let it happen there without a fight
We question why the people affected by the tragedy did not fight back or resist in any way, even though it seems obvious to us that they should have.
Kept driving on quietly home
After witnessing the tragedy, we wonder why people didn't do more to fight back, even though it may have meant putting themselves in danger.
Left the Timorese alone - 400 miles from Darwin
We are reminded of the tragedy in East Timor and how it was overlooked by people thousands of miles away in Darwin, who could have helped but did not intervene.
The two-minute hate is now the three-hour love
We spend more time and energy celebrating love and unity than we do hating and spreading negativity. However, this love and unity is often fleeting and doesn't necessarily lead to action.
With any action left to up above
We often rely on a higher power or government to take action, rather than taking responsibility for creating change ourselves.
Those people then could turn their heads
People who witnessed the tragedy at the time were able to ignore it or turn away from it, despite the obvious signs of danger.
Now all the same we sleep instead
Today, we are still able to ignore the tragedies that are happening around us and choose to remain asleep in our own comfortable lives.
While 400 miles from Darwin
Even though the tragedy in East Timor is far away from Darwin, it is still a tragedy that deserves our attention and support.
East Timor is dying
The tragedy in East Timor is still ongoing and people are suffering and dying, despite the fact that many people are not even aware of the situation.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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