Midnight Oil "Song a Day" #9 "Armistice Day"

Sydney's Capitol Theatre and the legendary show...
Demonstrating Pete didn't just pick up a megaphone for Redneck years later!!

"Armistice Day"
You're watching people fighting, you're watching people losing
On Armistice Day

The watchers do the wincing, reporters so convincing
But the TV never lies
I went looking for a war, but the only guns I saw
Never used in anger

You're watching people fight, say they fight, oh say they lose
On Armistice Day

The fixers do the fixing, the locals do the lynching
The papers deny
I went looking for a headline, got talking to the backline
They'd never seen the action...

I look forward to hearing this live in the Domain on Armistice Day 2017!!
A song about the futility of war, observance at such a distance from the reasons, sacrifice and the reality of war and the co-option of troops and whole countries, seemingly without learning the lessons. This song is connected to later tracks and the family histories of the band as well as their passion for our country and it's story... I can remember when this song and others were released, wishing I'd had access to them in 1978 trying to write an ANZAC Day 5min speech for High School and frantically looking for the right piece of prose to express solidarity and frustration... sadly, we haven't seen "The Last of the Diggers"!!