# Midnight Oil's "Beds Are Burning" - why so popular? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 17, 2007, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402 "2007-05-17T02:37:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2007, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/41 "2007-05-18T00:38:44Z")
[QUOTE=Jodi] I think it’s just a catchy song. It didn’t make a lot of sense to me though: Something about boiling wrecks steaming at 45 degrees. I grew up in the United States of Farenheidt; nothing steamed at 45 degrees to my knoweldge. [/QUOTE] I’m ashamed to say that this was the first time I realized they were talking about celcius. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2007, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/42 "2007-05-18T00:48:38Z")
[QUOTE=amarinth] I’m ashamed to say that this was the first time I realized they were talking about celcius. :smack: [/QUOTE] Not as ashamed as I am to admit that not only did I have no idea they were talking about Aboriginals, I had no idea they were Australian! I didn’t even really think it meant _anything_ in particular, to be honest. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2007, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/43 "2007-05-18T02:55:02Z")
[QUOTE=msmith537] Blue Sky Mine is the only other song I remember. [/QUOTE] If you listen to **The Dead Heart** , I guarantee that you will recognize it. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2007, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/44 "2007-05-18T08:15:11Z")
[QUOTE=woodstockbirdybird] That might be the answer you’re looking for; look at some of the crap on that list - Chicago, Expose, Tiffany, Richard Marx, Whitney Houston, Samantha Fox - and you can see why “Beds Are Burning” stands out a bit. Not quite as locked-in to that specific time, sound-wise, and not nearly as disposable as most of that year’s (or any year’s) hits. Also because it’s more rock-oriented than pop-oriented, and rock seems to have more staying power than pop, at least for fans and DJs, as most “pop” is considered flavor-of-the-month by Serious Music Geeks. [/QUOTE] That’s it really. _Naughty girls need love too_ vs _Beds are Burning_ Hmmm? What would YOU choose? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/45 "2007-05-19T04:33:48Z")
[QUOTE=Frostillicus] If you listen to **The Dead Heart** , I guarantee that you will recognize it. [/QUOTE] Yeah, talk about a hook. That’s the song that first turned me on to them. Of course, it’s hugely anti-corporate & construably anti-white. :rolleyes: Anyway, I bet you would recognize the song if you’re that old, but not the name. “We carry in our hearts the true country…” ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/46 "2007-05-19T04:40:52Z")
I think “Beds Are Burning” is nonsensical enough to make it onto American radio. (I _think_ it’s really about deforestation.) On the one hand, Midnight Oil were so serious. It can be hard to get airplay in a foreign country when you’re talking really seriously about specific realworld issues. On the other hand, they kept their thick Aussie accents instead of doing a sort of “mid-Atlantic” generic accent for international success, which combined with their love of obscure & bizarre lyrics made them pretty much impenetrable sometimes. Also, I imagine “Forgotten Years” was getting a lot more airplay up through Sept 10, 2001. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/47 "2007-05-19T04:52:53Z")
[QUOTE=Monstre] **Little Nemo** , what kind of radio station have you been hearing “Beds Are Burning” on? I only hear it when I’m listening to Sirius satellite radio, tuned either to the 80s station, or more often to “New Wave” (playing 80s and 90s alternative, mostly). [/QUOTE] I’m not **Little Nemo** , but I heard it on a Clear Channel Adult Contemporary/Classic Rock station literally ten minutes before I opened this thread. The radio stays tuned to that station all night at work, and I hear it at least three times a week. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/48 "2007-05-19T05:39:52Z")
[QUOTE=foolsguinea] I think “Beds Are Burning” is nonsensical enough to make it onto American radio. (I _think_ it’s really about deforestation.) On the one hand, Midnight Oil were so serious. It can be hard to get airplay in a foreign country when you’re talking really seriously about specific realworld issues. On the other hand, they kept their thick Aussie accents instead of doing a sort of “mid-Atlantic” generic accent for international success, which combined with their love of obscure & bizarre lyrics made them pretty much impenetrable sometimes. Also, I imagine “Forgotten Years” was getting a lot more airplay up through Sept 10, 2001. [/QUOTE] The 80s were a perfect decade for the Oils, though. The lyrics are indeed serious - in fact, the only album I can think of that doesn’t really have a lot of “message” songs would be Breathe, which has songs about surfing. If you listen to the lyrics, though, you have to have an understanding of Australian politics and history. One of the fan websites used to have a listing of all of the places and people in Oils songs - General Insurance, Wedding Cake Island, Dreamworld, Kosciosko… They worked with some of the top producers of the time. Glyn Johns, Nick Launay, Warne Livesey. Rotsey and Moginie are amazing guitarists, and Rob Hirst is a beast on the drums. (I’d put him up there with Copeland, Collins, Terry Chambers, and Topper Headon as the best drummers of the day.) I think they were a band that didn’t compromise and accepted the fact that they would be an Australian phenomenon. They were probably as surprised as the OP when they had success in America. I love bands that make you pick up a book, and the Oils made me do that more than once. And Garrett’s fun to watch. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/49 "2007-05-19T05:46:56Z")
Yeah, there’s a lot of specifically Australian stuff in their songs, but “Harrisburg” is about Harrisburg, PA, of course, & isn’t there at least one song that references South African history? Besides “Short Memory,” which is about the whole of European imperialist history (& really, “The Dead Heart” kind of is, too, by extension). Or am I imagining that there’s a South African history song? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/50 "2007-05-19T05:54:00Z")
I liked the bald guy’s off rythym. I bought the tape and loved it. It made me interested in aboriginal injustice (including American aboriginals). A political album for me as a child of the eighties. ---
**Author:** ![Matt\_Holck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Matt\_Holck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Matt_Holck)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/51 "2007-05-19T05:54:03Z")
because everyone can relate to the passionate insomnia of the horny and lonely ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/52 "2007-05-19T18:20:34Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] Then I cut out all the songs in the list that are forgettable corporate pop or just plain shitty, leaving only the legitimately good ones, in my opinion: 1. “Need You Tonight,” INXS 2. “Got My Mind Set On You,” George Harrison 3. “Sweet Child Of Mine,” Guns ‘n’ Roses 4. “Wishing Well,” Terence Trent D’Arby [/QUOTE] I’d agree with most of your assessment. Except you forgot to cut out #5, as well. _shudder_ This song is just siiiiix words long… This song is just siiiiix words long… This song is just siiiiiix words long… This song is just siiiiiix words long… ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/53 "2007-05-19T18:45:03Z")
[QUOTE=foolsguinea] I think “Beds Are Burning” is nonsensical enough to make it onto American radio. (I _think_ it’s really about deforestation.) [/QUOTE] No, it’s unequivocally about Aboriginal land rights. > [@](#): > > The time has come > To say fair’s fair > To pay the rent > To pay our share. > The time has come > A fact’s a fact > It belongs to them > Let’s give it back. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/54 "2007-05-20T04:06:18Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] No, it’s unequivocally about Aboriginal land rights. [/QUOTE] No doubt, and not an uncommon subject for Midnight Oil, from what I remember. “Truganini” is a song about the last Tasmanian Aboriginal of the same name (the facts are disputed about whether she actually was the last Tasmanian Aboriginal, but, at any rate, she represents that in the popular conscience.) ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/55 "2007-05-20T04:29:49Z")
I just heard that song today at lunch! ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/56 "2007-05-21T13:51:43Z")
[QUOTE=Monstre] I’d agree with most of your assessment. Except you forgot to cut out #5, as well. _shudder_ This song is just siiiiix words long… This song is just siiiiix words long… This song is just siiiiiix words long… This song is just siiiiiix words long… [/QUOTE] God, yes, and now it’s stuck in my head. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/57 "2007-05-21T14:23:40Z")
“It’s actually _seven_ words long…” “SSSSHHHH!” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/58 "2007-05-21T15:14:20Z")
[QUOTE=John DiFool] “It’s actually _seven_ words long…” “SSSSHHHH!” [/QUOTE] Yes, the correct lyric and title is, of course, “(This Song\*\*'s\*\* Just) Six Words Long.” ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/59 "2007-05-21T21:39:46Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] “Truganini” is a song about the last Tasmanian Aboriginal of the same name [/QUOTE] Actually, the song’s less _about_ Truganini as it is about the (then) present state of Australia, and especially the continued colonial status of Australia & the flag debate (“I hear the Union Jack’s to remain”[on the flag]). Rob Hirst (the songwriter) has said as much in interviews. Truganini (and Namatjira) are evoked as an image of the past and what the canton on the flag actually represents as a symbol of conquest & colonialism, but I wouldn’t say the song was actually _about_ her. I’d say something like _The Dead Heart_ comes a lot closer to being about Truganini and other Aborigines like her. ---
**Author:** ![DaveRaver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daveraver/32/1078_2.png) [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402/60 "2007-05-22T02:00:45Z")
[QUOTE=OpalCat] Really? Wow. Multiple songs from that album got radio and MTV play. My favorite was “Forgotten Years”. Oh and I mentioned the politically active thing because they did things that made them very visible… like giving a free outdoor concert outside some corporate building (I think? It was a long time ago, my memory’s not so great) in NYC as some sort of protest. [/QUOTE] They played in front of the Exxon building to protest the Exxon Valdez oil spill. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/midnight-oils-beds-are-burning-why-so-popular/404402.md?page=2)