Midnight Oil 'Song a Day' #17 "When the Generals Talk"

I know many will want to choose the Oils on the Water version, but I wasn't there and this one gives me the chance to shout out to friends who came to Canberra for this miracle show, brought about by tragedy and carried out with the surreal presence of several Labor 'pollies', like Julia Gillard, who came to experience this great joy with the rest of us!! Hat tip to Lubo front and centre complete with outsretched arm and head wobble [I hope enjoys Alice Springs in 2 fish weeks!!! We preferred to eat food before we queued up... sadly!!

I was comfortable back about ten deep from the stage and just loved listening to the musicianship and passion that night. I think Pete really missed busting out to these tunes!!

I guess for me this is 1984... the doomsday clock is close to midnight so the genuine threat of nuclear war was palpable through the ongoing 'Cold War.' This is also the era that gives rise to Gordon Gekko and films like "Wall St" so the Generals were global companies, not just despots... on that score countries like Chile would 'get' this song!!

"When the Generals Talk"
Up there on the platform
He is speaking to the people
The people are responding
With clapping and a'cheering
But the meaning of the message
Not revealed to those assembled
They're taken for a ride
Taken In his stride
When the Generals talk
You better listen to him
When the Generals talk
You better do what he say
There's a rumor in the ranking
Someone's talking insurrection
So the General has a purge
Cause he wants to win elections
With the certain satisfaction
That the people are appeased
Long live the revolution
The General's very pleased
Sitting on the fence both ears to the ground
The fat cats still push the thin cats around