Midnight Oil 'Song a Day' #42 "Hercules"

So, here it is...
Although I originally planned to post daily songs right up until this coming Saturday morning, I made that decision to end today [Tuesday] because as much as you're all enthralled and my friends are just loving the resurgence of my obsession... I want to spend the next couple of days listening to full albums... in the car, at my desk... Then on Friday... silence, just to wait!!

I love good music. Although I wish I could make some I never prioritised trying to learn [too much sport, too little time] instead preferring to listen, to be inspired, to find lyrics and tunes that mattered, that transcended and made community and fun!! I've tried to share insights, song poetry and stuff that matters in my youth work and I've enjoyed the responses, debates and arguments that's led to... and occasionally seen others share my discovery...

My upbringing didn't include pubs and clubs... I've had to venture across cultures to go out and hear bands. I've found my favourites and I've listened to a diverse range of acts. I used to enjoy watching music video shows with my girls until the charts were filled with dross and the clips became soft porn, predictably fading from our screens!!

Above all else, coming to this band because I was made to listen to 10, 9, 8... and was hooked, I love that the Oils are: Australian; rock; unique; have superb musicians; harmonies and the spoken word poetry of Peter Garrett. I'm really glad he turned up for that audition and left his other band to join this endeavour...

I enjoyed seeing them live in multiple cities any tour...
I will be euphoric listening to them again, if leg weary and worried about standing up for hours.
That the songs tell stories and are about issues that matter is crucial.
I hope the 'Great Circle' isn't the end but the Oils won't pre plan, it'll be totally up to them when they discuss it, if they do. I'm so glad from everything I've seen that this is no nostalgia tour. My one reservation about heading to the Vineyards was how it's become a venue for sad imitations of former powerhouses with an audience hoping to recapture their youth and ending up thinking how old that band looks... well not this week!! From Selina's onwards it's been about rolling out the relevance, cranking up the performance and delivering to crowds who know how lucky they are [all around the world]. It hasn't been a trip down memory lane so much as a revisiting something special. Have you seen how many 'powderworks' and other punters have been taking their long suffering kids along to see if what the olds have been banging on about is anything like the folklore. I reckon I'll post my ideal setlist later [23-26 songs] and that'll do for now...

"Who'd like to change the world, who wants to shoot the curl..."
There you have it, the mix of surf loving fun and making a difference through justice and values
Thanks Midnight Oil!!!
Something I've had the chance to say to Pete and Rob.
Something I'll say in the next two weeks!!!
Singing myself hoarse, making a fool of myself, and loving it!!!

"This is something I will remember!!!"

"Hercules"
My life is a valuable thing
I want to keep it that way, I won't cry
My life's such a valuable thing
Some things don't fade away, I don't mind
We give the best we can give
We won't forget, we can't forgive
Keep us radioactive free
Strike a bell in Hiroshima park
You know that we can't see in the dark
We try and we try and we try

Who waits for the planes to come
When everybody's got you on the run
South Pacific carry on

It seems to me that what we're saying
Nobody really wants to talk about it
This is no time to be wondering why
I do the best I can do
The human jungle and the global zoo
I'll find my way it's a very special way

Why wait for the planes to come
When everybody's got us on the run
South Pacific carry on
Here come the Hercules
Here come the submarines
Sinking south pacific dreams
This is something I will remember...

Oooiiiillllls!!  Oooiiiillllls!!  Oooiiiillllls!!

The 42 'Song a Day' List
1. Lucky Country
2. Only the Strong
3. Redneck Wonderland
4. Stand in Line
5. Profiteers
6. Section 5 Bus to Bondi
7. US Forces
8. My Country
9. Armistice Day
10. Power and the Passion
11. Read About It
12. Best of Both Worlds
13. Tin Legs and Tin Mines
14. Wedding Cake Island
15. Outside World
16. Short Memory
17. When the Generals Talk
18. Earth and Sun and Moon
19. In the Valley
20. One Country
21. Jimmy Sharman’s Boxers
22. No Time for Games
23. Sometimes
24. Progress
25. Koala Sprint
26. Luritja Way
27. Beds are Burning
28. Deadheart
29. Warakurna
30. Truganini
31. Bullroarer
32. Dreamworld
33. Blue Sky Mine
34. King of the Mountain
35. Don’t Wanna Be the One
36. Cemetery in My Mind
37. Wedding Cake Island
38. Put Down That Weapon
39. In the Valley
40. Forgotten Years
41. Koscuisko
42. Hercules