Midnight Oil 'Song a Day' #34 "King of the Mountain"

Hat tip to Powderworker Richard for the pics from one who was there...

The ideal pairing with Blue Sky Mine and another of my fav. tracks live...
The lyrics speak of Far North Queensland and although 'King of the Mountain' is a Festival involving horse riding it does get a run in connection with motor racing legend Peter Brock and it kinda works,. Jim Moginie used it himself in soundtracking the TV two nighter last year dramatising Brock's life and story...

All that aside it's one of those songs if you stop and really listen at a gig you'll hear almost the entire crowd singing along to every word [with some unusual versions where the lyrics haven't necessarily been clear]. There's only one clip to use, the EXXon protest clip the Oils made juxtaposed with their own filming alongside...

"King of the Mountain"
Walking through the high dry grass, pushing my way through slow
Yellow belly black snake, sleeping on a red rock
Waiting for the stranger to go
Sugar train stops at the crossing, cane cockies cursing below
Bad storm coming, better run to the top of the mountain

Mountain in the shadow of light, rain in the valley below
Well you can say you're Peter, say you're Paul
Don't put me up on your bedroom wall, call me the king of the mountain
Blacksmith fires up the bellows, cane cutters burning the load
Workers of the world, run to the top of the mountain

Mountain in the

I can't take my hands from my face, there are some things we can't replace

Mountain in the

Over liquid tarmac wastelands of cactus and heat
Down cobblestone alleyways of washing day sheets
Up ghost prairie mountains of sunset and space
Down the road at a familiar place, across the wilderness
Out further than the bush I will follow you