This song was released when I was in junior high and we happened to be studying Australia, so it couldn't have been more timely to have this song come out. Our teacher even had us watch the video and discuss the lyrics. You're definitely on the right track and giving this song another listen and looking into its background would be worth your while. The lyrics, "the time has come, a fact's a fact, it belongs to them let's give it back... the time has come to say fair's fair; to pay the rent, to pay our share"... This is about the displacement of the Indigenous Australians.. . it was emotional then and more relevant than ever, not just in Australia, but all over, and particularly hits home now where I am, Canada. So glad you did this one...
Great song about returning land rights to the indigenous peoples. Midnight Oil always great songs with a strong message. Peter Garrett has a very unique voice and very unique dancing style 🤣
I Love Peter Garrett's dancing. It also makes me think of Roland Orzabal's dancing in the Tears For Fears "Mad World" video. Unique and mesmerizing. I Love it!
Back in the 80's. before I ever heard of them, one of my friends said that I should go see this band with him. WOW!!! I was blown away, and have been a fan ever since, what a powerful show it was. Keep it coming with Midnight Oil, they have lots of good songs !
Midnight Oil was a political band with strong messages. Peter Garret ended up a politician for quite a few years. They always have great music and the backbone beats always get you rocking
Joe Smith was my music teacher in middle school when this came out. I will appreciate him for opening my eyes to new sounds like this. Great teachers are never forgotten.
Great and insightful reaction. You're right, the song has political overtones regarding the confiscation of the Aboriginal land, similar to our plundering of Native American land. Midnight Oil, like U2, is a band with heart. I'd suggest you check out Truganini, another great song by them.
I was 10! So the meaning was lost to me, but omg did I love it. Only when became adult I realised. It made me love it so much more. Ty, hugs from Sweden.
Midnight Oil is a band of the 1980s & 1990s with a string of world wide hits. This song is about Native TItle rights for australian indigenous people. How can we dance while our Earth is turning, how can we sleep while our beds are burning, The time has come to say fairs fair, it belongs to them we're gonna give it back. POWERFUL WORDS
Midnight Oil are great... lost of strong songs, most of them fairly political. Some of their other great songs include The Dead Heart, or Dreamworld. And if you're looking for some more great Aussie bands, check out Divinyls, particularly Science Fiction or Sleeping Beauty; or Eurogliders whose song Heaven (Must Be There) is lovely. Lots of great music from Australia.
Super hit, down under and in Europe. Special voice and sound. I especially love the chorus. But I know basically nothing about them. *LOL* Yes, 45C. Great reaction.
The oils have been around Australia for along time they play a lot of political songs which draw people's attention to the plight of the Aboriginal people.
It's been taken up as a anthem for land rights but the song is about the Pintupi people (those in the video) who were removed from their Western Australian lands and relocated to the Northern Territory so the Military could test their rockets/artillery in the 50's/60's.
Even though its specific to the plight of the Aboriginal people in their native country of Australia, the message of this song can be applied anywhere that colonization stole and destroyed the land of indigenous people and enacted genocidal practices on them (killing them off in large numbers, imprisonment, separating families, eliminating language and culture, etc). I would say it is a "political" message, but more so, its a humanistic and important one that gets largely ignored (as the saying goes, history is written by the victors). I had just started high school when this came out, and in the US at least, this was the kind of song/video you only heard on "college radio" (which played progressive/indie/subculture music back then) or on alternative video programs. It wasn't uncommon to find songs with social messaging and emotional depth in that genre that you might not as often in mainstream music. As a member of the Choctaw tribe, the song was especially meaningful for me. This also brings back memories of a lot of other songs from my high school days that are definitely worth a listen. The horns and arrangement (and video) of "Beds Are Burning" reminded me of "Born of Frustration" by James, which is what came to mind first. But I'll list a bunch of others from back then that were faves because, why not? 😄: I Wanna Be Adored - The Stone Roses Just Like Honey - The Jesus & Mary Chain Just Like Heaven - The Cure Don't Let's Start - They Might Be Giants Under The Miky Way - The Church Cuts You Up - Peter Murphy Spellbound - Siouxsie and the Banshees Monkey Gone to Heaven - The Pixies Here's Where the Story Ends - The Sundays Heaven or Las Vegas - Cocteau Twins Motorcrash - The Sugarcubes Sweet Jane - The Cowboy Junkies Mountain Song - Jane's Addiction There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths The Only One I Know - The Charlatans UK Fall On Me - REM Sweetness and Light - Lush Dirty Boots - Sonic Youth (ok, ok, I'll stop! LOL believe me I could keep going...) Many of these bands have catalogs worth further exploring, but you gotta start somewhere😝
Bryson - great reaction and analysis! Yes, you were definitely on the right track on the meaning of the song. I loved how Midnight Oil pushed us to uncomfortable places with their music. Unfortunately we're not much better with our treatment of Indigenous Australians and there is still a lot of work and healing to do!! Would definitely recommend "The Dead Heart", "Power and the Passion", "Forgotten Years", "Blue Sky Mine", "US Forces", "When The Generals Talk", "Truganini", "Short Memory" and "King of the Mountain".
You were spot on. Definitely a deeper, political meaning. With that being said, a great song by a great band. I was fortunate enough to see them perform this tour and saw them a total of three times live. If you liked them, I’d love to see you give a try to “Kosciusko”. It’s my fave. Thanks again for another great vid!
The music expresses the support they have for environmental issues, colonialism, loss of indigenous rights etc. The live from S Africa version is a must experience , thanks
The song was about the indigenous people who were forcibly removed from parts of Australia to make way for agriculture and mining should have ownership rights.
When this came out I liked the song due to just the music. Now that I know what really the song is about I am sad at my younger self for not looking deeper! The song is about the native people of Australia and how all there should give back to them! Powerful!
Plenty of political bangers from Australia. I’m obviously bias but I don’t think anywhere else has quite nailed the raw unvarnished honesty that some of our songwriters have come up with.
I never knew what this song was about when it was released and still didn't until just a few years ago. I only really liked the chorus before then but when I understood it was about giving the land back to the aboriginal people it has become one of my favorites.
The chorus lyric are so powerful for first nation people in Australia, "How can we dance when our Earth keeps turning." This refers to the common practice of removal of first nations people in Australia onto mission where culture was partly or totally lost. Ceremonial dance needs to be done on the tribes own ceremonial grounds to appease the spirit. How can we dance when our earth keeps moving.
Midnight Oil are my favourite band! (Probably helps that I'm Australian, so I know the meanings behind a lot of the songs) they have plenty of great songs, such as Dreamworld, Blue Sky Mine, Forgotten Years, Truganini, and My Country, just to name a few. Great video!
Interesting song. I remember hearing the remake version by a German dance pop group Novaspace first in the early 2000s. They also covered such 80s classics like Time after Time and To France.
It may be that it was written in relation to Australia, but, it applies to ANY land which was 'colonized', including the US, and the land basically stolen from the aboriginal folks who actually possessed and managed the land before colonization. "Let's Give It Back"... powerful, political, and simply humane... sadly, so far, no nation seems to be very good at reparations to the original landholders... I'm Canadian, and we are, as other countries, still struggling with just exactly how to make things fair... "To Say Fair's Fair, To Pay The Rent, To Pay Our Share"... Many say things like, "I was Born Here!... I didn't steal the land!... Its not my fault"... and those ideas may very well be true... but... "A Fact's A Fact"!!! To ignore the past, the history, which lead to 'us' living on these colonized lands... is to deliver a slap in the face to those who lost so much, for our gains... sigh🤔
As usual you are on point love and appreciate your reaction s .. Would love if you'd check out one of my all time fav band. Underrated underappreciated period.. Even better live. Check out the Feath Heart or stand in line
Don't be too impressed. The singer Peter Garrett despite all these protesting songs became a politician. BUT... rather than be an independent and possibly live up to any of M.O.'s lyrical sentiments he became a lackey for one of Australias' worst Prime Ministers, Kevin Rudd. Garrett was given a job now known as the Pink Batts fiasco which was to install pink insulation batts into houses ceilings to 'allegedly' improve heat retention during colder seasons. However, this pathetically considered idea immediately opened the door for every possible shonky dealer and a-hole in the country to incorrectly install them, each of who got paid BIG bucks. Unfortunately over 200 houses burnt to the ground leaving those owners homeless and 4 people were killed. No one was made responsible. 'Beds Are Burning"? Indeed. Garrett eventually went back to preaching at us about what WE should do i.e. demanding we give the land back to the indigenous while never giving any of HIS own land back. The band are without doubt some of THE biggest hypocrites and wankers in our music industry.
Peter Garrett is an Australian musician, environmentalist, activist and former politician.
At one time a Senator....
This song was released when I was in junior high and we happened to be studying Australia, so it couldn't have been more timely to have this song come out. Our teacher even had us watch the video and discuss the lyrics.
You're definitely on the right track and giving this song another listen and looking into its background would be worth your while. The lyrics, "the time has come, a fact's a fact, it belongs to them let's give it back... the time has come to say fair's fair; to pay the rent, to pay our share"... This is about the displacement of the Indigenous Australians.. . it was emotional then and more relevant than ever, not just in Australia, but all over, and particularly hits home now where I am, Canada. So glad you did this one...
Thank you so much for watching! I did actually look further into the song's meaning, shortly after filming my reaction. 🙂
Great song about returning land rights to the indigenous peoples. Midnight Oil always great songs with a strong message. Peter Garrett has a very unique voice and very unique dancing style 🤣
I Love Peter Garrett's dancing. It also makes me think of Roland Orzabal's dancing in the Tears For Fears "Mad World" video. Unique and mesmerizing. I Love it!
Back in the 80's. before I ever heard of them, one of my friends said that I should go see this band with him. WOW!!! I was blown away, and have been a fan ever since, what a powerful show it was. Keep it coming with Midnight Oil, they have lots of good songs !
Midnight Oil was a political band with strong messages. Peter Garret ended up a politician for quite a few years. They always have great music and the backbone beats always get you rocking
Joe Smith was my music teacher in middle school when this came out. I will appreciate him for opening my eyes to new sounds like this. Great teachers are never forgotten.
I am Native American this song is about us. 😎
Great and insightful reaction. You're right, the song has political overtones regarding the confiscation of the Aboriginal land, similar to our plundering of Native American land. Midnight Oil, like U2, is a band with heart. I'd suggest you check out Truganini, another great song by them.
Wow. This is deeper than I imagined. Thanks.
@@winnied87 Not just words either. Lead singer Peter Garrett was actually later made a minister in the Australian government.
Thank you!
Well said they have been my social conscience since I was a teen. ✌️❤️
I was 10! So the meaning was lost to me, but omg did I love it. Only when became adult I realised. It made me love it so much more. Ty, hugs from Sweden.
Thanks for watching! ♥️
Midnight Oil is a band of the 1980s & 1990s with a string of world wide hits. This song is about Native TItle rights for australian indigenous people. How can we dance while our Earth is turning, how can we sleep while our beds are burning, The time has come to say fairs fair, it belongs to them we're gonna give it back. POWERFUL WORDS
I have to point out, they started in the mid 1970's. 1st album 1978, latest album in 2022.
Great song - but even deeper message!
Midnight Oil are great... lost of strong songs, most of them fairly political. Some of their other great songs include The Dead Heart, or Dreamworld. And if you're looking for some more great Aussie bands, check out Divinyls, particularly Science Fiction or Sleeping Beauty; or Eurogliders whose song Heaven (Must Be There) is lovely. Lots of great music from Australia.
Super hit, down under and in Europe. Special voice and sound. I especially love the chorus. But I know basically nothing about them. *LOL* Yes, 45C. Great reaction.
The oils have been around Australia for along time they play a lot of political songs which draw people's attention to the plight of the Aboriginal people.
It's been taken up as a anthem for land rights but the song is about the Pintupi people (those in the video) who were removed from their Western Australian lands and relocated to the Northern Territory so the Military could test their rockets/artillery in the 50's/60's.
Even though its specific to the plight of the Aboriginal people in their native country of Australia, the message of this song can be applied anywhere that colonization stole and destroyed the land of indigenous people and enacted genocidal practices on them (killing them off in large numbers, imprisonment, separating families, eliminating language and culture, etc). I would say it is a "political" message, but more so, its a humanistic and important one that gets largely ignored (as the saying goes, history is written by the victors).
I had just started high school when this came out, and in the US at least, this was the kind of song/video you only heard on "college radio" (which played progressive/indie/subculture music back then) or on alternative video programs. It wasn't uncommon to find songs with social messaging and emotional depth in that genre that you might not as often in mainstream music. As a member of the Choctaw tribe, the song was especially meaningful for me.
This also brings back memories of a lot of other songs from my high school days that are definitely worth a listen. The horns and arrangement (and video) of "Beds Are Burning" reminded me of "Born of Frustration" by James, which is what came to mind first.
But I'll list a bunch of others from back then that were faves because, why not? 😄:
I Wanna Be Adored - The Stone Roses
Just Like Honey - The Jesus & Mary Chain
Just Like Heaven - The Cure
Don't Let's Start - They Might Be Giants
Under The Miky Way - The Church
Cuts You Up - Peter Murphy
Spellbound - Siouxsie and the Banshees
Monkey Gone to Heaven - The Pixies
Here's Where the Story Ends - The Sundays
Heaven or Las Vegas - Cocteau Twins
Motorcrash - The Sugarcubes
Sweet Jane - The Cowboy Junkies
Mountain Song - Jane's Addiction
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths
The Only One I Know - The Charlatans UK
Fall On Me - REM
Sweetness and Light - Lush
Dirty Boots - Sonic Youth
(ok, ok, I'll stop! LOL believe me I could keep going...)
Many of these bands have catalogs worth further exploring, but you gotta start somewhere😝
Great suggestions... Like you're looking at my high school (and now) playlist 🤣
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, and for the recommendations!! 🙂
AC/DC and Midnight Oil, Amazing!! 🇨🇦
Loved this! In my opinion, this is a very underrated band. Thanks for your reaction!
Thank you for watching!
Bryson - great reaction and analysis! Yes, you were definitely on the right track on the meaning of the song. I loved how Midnight Oil pushed us to uncomfortable places with their music. Unfortunately we're not much better with our treatment of Indigenous Australians and there is still a lot of work and healing to do!! Would definitely recommend "The Dead Heart", "Power and the Passion", "Forgotten Years", "Blue Sky Mine", "US Forces", "When The Generals Talk", "Truganini", "Short Memory" and "King of the Mountain".
All fab recommendations! But oh man, Dead Heart is a particular favorite of mine
Took the words right out of my mouth, even the songs you suggested!
Oh wow a classic haven't heard this in ages
You were spot on. Definitely a deeper, political meaning. With that being said, a great song by a great band. I was fortunate enough to see them perform this tour and saw them a total of three times live. If you liked them, I’d love to see you give a try to “Kosciusko”. It’s my fave. Thanks again for another great vid!
Thanks for watching!
Live they are another level!
The music expresses the support they have for environmental issues, colonialism, loss of indigenous rights etc. The live from S Africa version is a must experience , thanks
Saw them live, they were amazing.
I did too, such a tight band. 💜 The Oils.
The song was about the indigenous people who were forcibly removed from parts of Australia to make way for agriculture and mining should have ownership rights.
Always loved this song ❤️
the dead heart ❤️
Wow I haven't heard this song in a long time! Love it!
When this came out I liked the song due to just the music. Now that I know what really the song is about I am sad at my younger self for not looking deeper! The song is about the native people of Australia and how all there should give back to them! Powerful!
Plenty of political bangers from Australia. I’m obviously bias but I don’t think anywhere else has quite nailed the raw unvarnished honesty that some of our songwriters have come up with.
I never knew what this song was about when it was released and still didn't until just a few years ago. I only really liked the chorus before then but when I understood it was about giving the land back to the aboriginal people it has become one of my favorites.
Really appreciated this reaction to an 80s classic. Liked subbed and set notifications. Thanks so much!
Thank you!!
Yes thank u it is about Aboriginal people in Australia ❤
oils one of v best bands 2 cme pout of oz, songs that mean something
The chorus lyric are so powerful for first nation people in Australia, "How can we dance when our Earth keeps turning." This refers to the common practice of removal of first nations people in Australia onto mission where culture was partly or totally lost. Ceremonial dance needs to be done on the tribes own ceremonial grounds to appease the spirit. How can we dance when our earth keeps moving.
Dispossession of indigenous land, culture & children…reconciliation & Indigenous land rights activism…love the reactions…hope you enjoyed the ‘Oils’…
Thank you!
you should also check out The Dead Heart and Warakurna songs from the same album which both have a deeper meaning
Midnight Oil are my favourite band! (Probably helps that I'm Australian, so I know the meanings behind a lot of the songs) they have plenty of great songs, such as Dreamworld, Blue Sky Mine, Forgotten Years, Truganini, and My Country, just to name a few. Great video!
Thank you!
The Dead Heart is a great track
Interesting song. I remember hearing the remake version by a German dance pop group Novaspace first in the early 2000s. They also covered such 80s classics like Time after Time and To France.
It may be that it was written in relation to Australia, but, it applies to ANY land which was 'colonized', including the US, and the land basically stolen from the aboriginal folks who actually possessed and managed the land before colonization. "Let's Give It Back"... powerful, political, and simply humane... sadly, so far, no nation seems to be very good at reparations to the original landholders... I'm Canadian, and we are, as other countries, still struggling with just exactly how to make things fair... "To Say Fair's Fair, To Pay The Rent, To Pay Our Share"...
Many say things like, "I was Born Here!... I didn't steal the land!... Its not my fault"... and those ideas may very well be true... but... "A Fact's A Fact"!!! To ignore the past, the history, which lead to 'us' living on these colonized lands... is to deliver a slap in the face to those who lost so much, for our gains... sigh🤔
You are ADORABLE PanMarshD !
Thank you! ❤️
You are going down under. 👍 Good to know.
Can apply to US & Canadian First Nations sad history as well
☮️ 💕
For a collision of 80's pop culture and music, you can't get much crazier than... Eddie Murphy - Party All the Time
Now you really need to check out midnight oil stand in line live 👍
Will you please react to Dreamworld by them. I think the video is so funny and cool and the lead singer dancing is classic
As usual you are on point love and appreciate your reaction s .. Would love if you'd check out one of my all time fav band. Underrated underappreciated period.. Even better live. Check out the Feath Heart or stand in line
Thank you!
I would like to see a Native American react to this song.
The Oils have loads of political content in their songs
The lead singer was a senator for the environment for a few years
45°C = 115°F.
Coldplay Fix You react please.
Come down under
"Dead Heart" by Midnight Oil
czcams.com/video/G9VjTYnLyvM/video.html
it is about aborigenes!
Bullroarer
MIDNIGHT oil were against the big names, so wearing CK dont do any favours
Don't be too impressed. The singer Peter Garrett despite all these protesting songs became a politician. BUT... rather than be an independent and possibly live up to any of M.O.'s lyrical sentiments he became a lackey for one of Australias' worst Prime Ministers, Kevin Rudd. Garrett was given a job now known as the Pink Batts fiasco which was to install pink insulation batts into houses ceilings to 'allegedly' improve heat retention during colder seasons. However, this pathetically considered idea immediately opened the door for every possible shonky dealer and a-hole in the country to incorrectly install them, each of who got paid BIG bucks. Unfortunately over 200 houses burnt to the ground leaving those owners homeless and 4 people were killed. No one was made responsible. 'Beds Are Burning"? Indeed.
Garrett eventually went back to preaching at us about what WE should do i.e. demanding we give the land back to the indigenous while never giving any of HIS own land back.
The band are without doubt some of THE biggest hypocrites and wankers in our music industry.