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Midnight Oil — One Country
Album: Blue Sky Mining
Avg rating:
6.5

Your rating:
Total ratings: 435









Released: 1990
Length: 5:49
Plays (last 30 days): 1
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Who'd like to change the world?
Who wants to shoot the curl?
Who wants to work for bread?
Who wants to get ahead?

Who hands out equal rights?
Who starts and ends that fight?
And not rant and rave,
or end up a slave.

Who can make hard-won gains,
fall, like the summer rain?
Every man must be, what his life can be,
So don't, call, me,
the tune, i will walk away.

Who wants to please everyone?
Who says it all can be done?
Still sit up on that fence
no one i've heard of yet

Don't call me baby,
Don't talk in maybe's,
Don't talk like has-beens,
Sing it like it should be.

Who laughs at a naggin-down(?)
Lyin' on a neon shroud, runnin around, yeah
You've gotta touch someone,
yeah, i wanna be.......

So don't, call, me,
the tune, i will walk away. X4

One......country One,country One, country
Who wants to sit around? (country, One)
Turn it up, turn it down? (country,One)
Only a man can be (country One)
what his life can be!

(country one) one vision
(country one) One people
(country one) One landmass
(country one) be our defences
(country one) we have a lifeline

one ocean, one policy, see bad light,
one passion, one movement, one instant, one difference,
one life time and one understanding.

(country one)Yeahhhhhh, one country,
(country one)I..... tell you, its one country
(country one)heyyyyyyyy (country one)

Yeah one, one, one (one country)
one, one, one, one country
one..........(country one)
one.......understanding

Transgression, redemption
one island blue, our place (magic),
one firmament, one element,
one moment, one fusion,
is so on time.
Comments (90)add comment
When i was at Warwickshire college of Agriculture in the very early 1990's i was 16 and listened to Midnight oil on my 50cc motorbike and my 125cc Honda TDC, they really moved me along, not many people liked them but they caught my attention with 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1.... Brilliant , i was born in 1973 and do 51 living in South West Scotland UK. Love to you all.  
Posted 5 hours ago by Quetzal    [ Reply ]
 oppositelock wrote:

Blue Sky Mining is a hugely underrated album.   As good now as when it first came out.



The newest comment is (was) from 9yrs ago. Nice to see this back. Blue Sky Mining was amongst the first CD's I purchased shortly after returning from a six month stint in Melbourne in the (very) late 80's. Happy memories, though the sentiment doesn't fully align with the lyrics. (nor does it need to...)
Posted 6 hours ago by forthbrdge    [ Reply ]
Blue Sky Mining is a hugely underrated album.   As good now as when it first came out.
Posted 9 years ago by oppositelock    [ Reply ]
GT66 wrote:
And if BP doesn't plug that leak in the Gulf soon, it'll be one tiny brown dot. Either that or it'll look like a raisin.
Hope your understanding of volume has improved and your faith in media feeds has diminished.

Posted 13 years ago by Blaggart    [ Reply ]
 jeffcourtney wrote:
Midnight Oil at their very best. A beautiful piece of music. Followed up by U2, nice!!
 
I couldn't agree with you more! And then - RP follows up nicely with U2 - Pride! Doesn't get much better than this. ssuuuhh-wweeeeett!
Posted 14 years ago by mlkman    [ Reply ]
 jeffcourtney wrote:
Midnight Oil at their very best. A beautiful piece of music. Followed up by U2, nice!!
 
spoiler :P

Posted 14 years ago by cosmiclint    [ Reply ]
I'm loving this. I don't recall hearing them before. I'll be listening to a lot more.
Posted 14 years ago by diannemck56    [ Reply ]
Midnight Oil at their very best. A beautiful piece of music. Followed up by U2, nice!!
Posted 14 years ago by jeffcourtney    [ Reply ]
 ambrebalte wrote:
Source APOD

The hell of a small Island isn't it? 

"Far in the distance, visible on the image left just above the bright main rings, is the almost ignorable pale blue dot of Earth."

More here https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap061016.html

 
And if BP doesn't plug that leak in the Gulf soon, it'll be one tiny brown dot. Either that or it'll look like a raisin.

Posted 14 years ago by GT66    [ Reply ]
I think U2 can create passionate social issue music...and Midnight Oil trumps that with added deep environmentalism  They had a run of four or five albums that just knocked me upside the head...and made me dance like a banshee.
Posted 14 years ago by Jeff09    [ Reply ]
Source APOD

The hell of a small Island isn't it? 

"Far in the distance, visible on the image left just above the bright main rings, is the almost ignorable pale blue dot of Earth."

More here https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap061016.html

Posted 14 years ago by ambrebalte    [ Reply ]
Talk about rambing. Sheesh!
Posted 14 years ago by brianlj    [ Reply ]
 crazyossi wrote:
But YOUR Country gave the world Neil Young, Styx, Rush, Saga and more so there is no need to be ashamed !!!!!! I am from Germany and I should be ashamed for NENA and RAMMSTEIN !!!!!!!!
 

You got that right Bo!{#Yes}
Posted 14 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
 peter_james_bond wrote:

Thank you crazyossi! You are right, we should focus on the good artists. It's nice to see you mention Saga, a Canadian group that was bigger in Europe than North America. However I'm pretty sure Styx is an American group. As for Germany, Kraftwerk were pioneers of electronic music and influenced many of today's groups. I also like Wolfsheim.

  sorry i just saw styx was from chicago  (which is not toooooo far away from the border) {#Stupid} but at least you have Radio Free Vestibule

and yes wolfsheim is cool

Posted 15 years ago by crazyossi    [ Reply ]
 crazyossi wrote:
But YOUR Country gave the world Neil Young, Styx, Rush, Saga and more so there is no need to be ashamed !!!!!! I am from Germany and I should be ashamed for NENA and RAMMSTEIN !!!!!!!!
 
Thank you crazyossi! You are right, we should focus on the good artists. It's nice to see you mention Saga, a Canadian group that was bigger in Europe than North America. However I'm pretty sure Styx is an American group. As for Germany, Kraftwerk were pioneers of electronic music and influenced many of today's groups. I also like Wolfsheim.

Posted 15 years ago by peter_james_bond    [ Reply ]
But YOUR Country gave the world Neil Young, Styx, Rush, Saga and more so there is no need to be ashamed !!!!!! I am from Germany and I should be ashamed for NENA and RAMMSTEIN !!!!!!!!
Posted 15 years ago by crazyossi    [ Reply ]
 maroubra wrote:
I think Peter Garret is safe with that title until Kylie Minogue runs for government. No offence to my Aussie friends. I come from a country that gave the world Nickleback. Yes, as Canadians we have to carry that guilt. Sometime the burden of that shame is just unbearable.
 
So very true.....{#Sad}

Posted 15 years ago by peter_james_bond    [ Reply ]
Really boring.{#Puke}
Posted 15 years ago by leap    [ Reply ]

I am going out on a limb here and say this is the best album ever by an Australian member of parliament? No?


I think Peter Garret is safe with that title until Kylie Minogue runs for government. No offence to my Aussie friends. I come from a country that gave the world Nickleback. Yes, as Canadians we have to carry that guilt. Sometime the burden of that shame is just unbearable.


Posted 15 years ago by maroubra    [ Reply ]
 FrankMc wrote:
That sucking sound you hear is the English language disappearing down a huge, lazy suckhole.
 
Couldn't agree more...
Posted 15 years ago by snowcat    [ Reply ]
That album, and Midnight Oil, really take me back...To a great place and time in my life.  LOVELY!!!
Posted 15 years ago by SDMatteo    [ Reply ]
I think a lot of people feel an obligation to diss Midnight Oil. That is a pretty amazing piece of lyrics writing and production. It can't "suck." If nothing else, if you're going to criticize a piece of music that is at least willing to try that hard, you ought to stretch a bit more in criticizing it than to say it "sucks."

That sucking sound you hear is the English language disappearing down a huge, lazy suckhole.

Posted 15 years ago by FrankMc    [ Reply ]
 merkin_muffley wrote:
Fantastic song from the last good album thay made. Very atmospheric.
 
Mr President: 

Great song from a good album they made. I think Earth and Sun and Moon is probably their Zenith.  
I would have loved to see them play last week (3/12, 3/13 and 3/14) in Canberra and Melbourne. 

Posted 15 years ago by randomprime    [ Reply ]
Wow, this really sucks.

Posted 15 years ago by joseseng    [ Reply ]
what a drag it is to listen to ;-(((

Posted 16 years ago by bobcat1963    [ Reply ]
{#Zip-lip}harmless song
Posted 16 years ago by spiritual76    [ Reply ]
Booo... way to kill an upbeat set. LOL. {#Beat}
Posted 16 years ago by Kittee    [ Reply ]
merkin_muffley wrote:
Fantastic song from the last good album thay made. Very atmospheric.
Last good album ?!! What about earth and sun and moon ??  Much better than Blue Sky Mining which was a bit over produced and a bit of a disappointment after Diesel and Dust.
I'll admit there's not much good stuff after Earth and Sun and Moon though.


Posted 16 years ago by rez    [ Reply ]
Fantastic song from the last good album thay made. Very atmospheric.
Posted 16 years ago by merkin_muffley    [ Reply ]
 kaosmonkey wrote:
Who wants to consult the i-ching before doing so? I might.

 
Nitpicker's note: the quote is from Tao Te Ching.
Posted 16 years ago by Darkmatter    [ Reply ]
wow...this is so...bad. ...dotdotdot
Posted 16 years ago by govna    [ Reply ]
a_genuine_find wrote:
Who wants to change the world? 79 Failure is an opportunity. If you blame someone else, there is no end to the blame. Therefore the Master fulfills her own obligations and corrects her own mistakes. She does what she needs to do and demands nothing of others.
Who wants to consult the i-ching before doing so? I might.
Posted 16 years ago by kaosmonkey    [ Reply ]
wow, the ratings distribution is flat--FLAT LIKE THIS SONG! Kidding--couldn't resist! I like it so far, will reserve rating it for another listen...
Posted 16 years ago by FlamingLotus    [ Reply ]
Who wants to change the world? 79 Failure is an opportunity. If you blame someone else, there is no end to the blame. Therefore the Master fulfills her own obligations and corrects her own mistakes. She does what she needs to do and demands nothing of others.
Posted 16 years ago by a_genuine_find    [ Reply ]
Peter Garrett just became Australia's Environment Minister. See: https://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article2971279.ece for details.
Posted 17 years ago by jdemmers    [ Reply ]
Awful
Posted 17 years ago by EssexTex    [ Reply ]
their last good album.seems to me that they forgot how to make good tunes.
Posted 17 years ago by mefrombrazil    [ Reply ]
ladies and gentlemen, you new environment minister for australia
Posted 17 years ago by IMGoph    [ Reply ]
Thea wrote:
Love Midnight Oil--they do perform a FANTASTIC show--but am just not very fond of this particular song. Dunnat why.
Great comment. Totally agree, except for me this is one of their very best from a very impressive body of work.
Posted 17 years ago by nigelr    [ Reply ]
Love Midnight Oil--they do perform a FANTASTIC show--but am just not very fond of this particular song. Dunnat why.
Posted 17 years ago by Thea    [ Reply ]
for the people who don't like Midnight Oil--I wonder if you would have changed your minds after seeing them live? They had a lot of great stage energy.
Posted 17 years ago by lifeboatb    [ Reply ]
Wow, this is one of their best songs! Good on ya RP! Great lyrics! Love Bones' harmonies at the end.
Posted 17 years ago by teapot    [ Reply ]
hcaudill wrote:
Midnight Oil was a two-hit wonder. There's a good reason why their best songs were played to death on the radio and the rest of their catalog was politely ignored.
Listen to When The Generals Talk and Maralinga.
Posted 17 years ago by Brestois    [ Reply ]
I will gladly wield your clue bat should your arm get tired. (Also, looks like whatever thought-dulling substance is in the DC water has also entered the Austin TX aquifer. Lay off the flouride, amigos.) pherthyl wrote:
Their songs tend to send chills down my back. Great stuff. Also funny how people like to label songs about real issues as "pretentious". Just makes we want to go for a stroll with my clue bat.
Posted 17 years ago by alux    [ Reply ]
skdenfeld wrote:
Bill, you have been playing some seriously good music this morning! Thanks, thanks & thanks!
... to continue this choice conversation ... thanx, thanx & thanx!!!
Posted 17 years ago by Mari    [ Reply ]
Bill, you have been playing some seriously good music this morning! Thanks, thanks & thanks!
Posted 17 years ago by skdenfeld    [ Reply ]
Mari wrote:
Ha! How much you think you know, as if there were no World outside of Stateside ... Latest Midnight Oil News 2006-02-14 Midnight Oil to be inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. Midnight Oil are set to be inducted into the ARIA Hall Of Fame this year.
Well, of course they are being inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame. Doesn't really mean much outside of Oz.
Posted 17 years ago by Hannio    [ Reply ]
An fantastic concert a few years ago in Orlando's House of Blues. A fantastic greatest hits album also.
Posted 17 years ago by Jared    [ Reply ]
I must say that even with the two songs that got airplay, this band is not that good. Unfortunately, the vocals override the talent of the band.
Posted 17 years ago by eastcoast    [ Reply ]
hcaudill wrote:
Midnight Oil was a two-hit wonder. There's a good reason why their best songs were played to death on the radio and the rest of their catalog was politely ignored.
I think that living in DC is sucking the perspective out of hcaudill, folks. As a town for the arts, it's pretty tame with the federally subsidized programs dominating the scene. Definitely not a Midnight Oil town.
Posted 17 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
Their songs tend to send chills down my back. Great stuff. Also funny how people like to label songs about real issues as "pretentious". Just makes we want to go for a stroll with my clue bat.
Posted 17 years ago by pherthyl    [ Reply ]
i just can't get into or appreciate this song. it makes me queasy.
Posted 17 years ago by jubilantme    [ Reply ]
this song is better for me while watching snapp radio and listening
Posted 17 years ago by araujokrl    [ Reply ]
Lonestar wrote:
C'mon! The man can't sing! He can barely enunciate!
Don't be so provincial. That is bloody good singing for an Aussie.
Posted 17 years ago by Hannio    [ Reply ]
C'mon! The man can't sing! He can barely enunciate!
Posted 17 years ago by Lonestar    [ Reply ]
These guys bug me
Posted 17 years ago by coccyx    [ Reply ]
Pretentious band at the best of times with some ordinary music dressed up as a "message". There are better Aussie bands to be playing believe me!!!!
Posted 17 years ago by sharpie95    [ Reply ]
What a great collection of songs this band produced, gritty, balsey music that I used to motivate myself to run to - some of best runs I had were to this band cranked on the headset! ...love em!
Posted 18 years ago by go_ski_mully    [ Reply ]
Love how this guy dignifies Mother Earth...
Posted 18 years ago by nuggler    [ Reply ]
Posted 18 years ago by Mari    [ Reply ]
hcaudill wrote:
Midnight Oil was a two-hit wonder. There's a good reason why their best songs were played to death on the radio and the rest of their catalog was politely ignored.
you just lost your favored visa status.
Posted 18 years ago by NoEnzLefttoSplit    [ Reply ]
Posted 18 years ago by donmatthews    [ Reply ]
Posted 18 years ago by andesitic    [ Reply ]
Posted 18 years ago by oppositelock    [ Reply ]
hcaudill wrote:
Midnight Oil was a two-hit wonder. There's a good reason why their best songs were played to death on the radio and the rest of their catalog was politely ignored.
Their "catalogue" of 16 albums over 25 years produced alot more than 2 hits in Australia! Thanks Bill for featuring another great Aussie band!
Posted 18 years ago by breakloose    [ Reply ]
yay, a track from their good days. good tune
Posted 18 years ago by ndfan75    [ Reply ]
hcaudill wrote:
Midnight Oil was a two-hit wonder. There's a good reason why their best songs were played to death on the radio and the rest of their catalog was politely ignored.
If you give attention only to music that hits the charts, then you are missing a whole lot of good stuff...
Posted 18 years ago by rumplestiltskin    [ Reply ]
Ha! How much you think you know, as if there were no World outside of Stateside ... Latest Midnight Oil News 2006-02-14 Midnight Oil to be inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. Midnight Oil are set to be inducted into the ARIA Hall Of Fame this year. hcaudill wrote:
Midnight Oil was a two-hit wonder. There's a good reason why their best songs were played to death on the radio and the rest of their catalog was politely ignored.
Posted 18 years ago by Mari    [ Reply ]
Midnight Oil was a two-hit wonder. There's a good reason why their best songs were played to death on the radio and the rest of their catalog was politely ignored.
Posted 18 years ago by hcaudill    [ Reply ]
MO's bass singer does a lot of the harmonizing including the background on this song and he has a heck of a voice. Fantastic live shows too! Wish they were still doing their thing.
Posted 18 years ago by crazycow    [ Reply ]
MrSpaz wrote:
I hear in this song two things that the complainers often complain of about Midnight Oil; the message in the lyrics and the stretched-too-thin vocals. Before I've never thought too much of it as it never bothered me so bad, but here they both kinda stand out. Still not a *bad* song, but not so good either.
Watch those memes, Spaz, or you'll find yourself thinking like most everyone else around here...
Posted 18 years ago by nuggler    [ Reply ]
midnight oil...always reminds me of my buddy's ranch, saturday night live tonces the driving cat
Posted 18 years ago by GChevy410    [ Reply ]
I hear in this song two things that the complainers often complain of about Midnight Oil; the message in the lyrics and the stretched-too-thin vocals. Before I've never thought too much of it as it never bothered me so bad, but here they both kinda stand out. Still not a *bad* song, but not so good either.
Posted 18 years ago by MrSpaz    [ Reply ]
Are you describing yourself? coding_to_music wrote:
Blah Pretentious Sophmoric... IMHO...
Posted 18 years ago by mistatebird    [ Reply ]
Whateva . . . .
Posted 18 years ago by billery    [ Reply ]
coding_to_music wrote:
Blah Pretentious Sophmoric... IMHO...
Pretentious? Maybe if they didn't also walk the walk, in addition to talking the talk. Sophmoric? Find yourself a dictionary. Cross reference: Blink 182, Offspring.
Posted 19 years ago by DBCinCA    [ Reply ]
Great song from an underrated album.
Posted 19 years ago by Death_to_Clear_Channel    [ Reply ]
The "Country OOOOOOOOOOOOne" really gets on my nerves I like the lyrics though
Posted 19 years ago by sbosque    [ Reply ]
coding_to_music wrote:
Blah Pretentious Sophmoric... IMHO...
"Who wants to please everyone?"
Posted 19 years ago by sirrus    [ Reply ]
randomprime wrote:
Great Oils song - I'm surprised it hasn't been played before. Thanks to whoever uploaded it and thanks to Bill for playing it.
:nodhead:
Posted 19 years ago by rolf    [ Reply ]
TMBG on backup vocals?
Posted 19 years ago by physicsgenius    [ Reply ]
Nice tune from a ass-kicker band.
Posted 19 years ago by Daveinbawlmer    [ Reply ]
flandersdog wrote:
thanks for uploading this, by the way...nice to hear it somewhere other than my own stereo
I know what you mean. I uploaded this and "Antarctica", another favorite. That was played once or twice a few year back after somebody begged .
Posted 19 years ago by Stuart    [ Reply ]
Terrific acoustic song from a band best known for tearing the roof off. Great footage of what was likely Midnight Oil's last concert--ever. https://www.bigpondmusic.com.au/features/exclusive/waveaid.asp
Posted 19 years ago by rockasaurus    [ Reply ]
Stuart wrote:
WOW! I upoaded this ages ago. Like 3 years. Finally played.
good things come to those who wait thanks for uploading this, by the way...nice to hear it somewhere other than my own stereo
Posted 19 years ago by flandersdog    [ Reply ]
Blah Pretentious Sophmoric... IMHO...
Posted 19 years ago by coding_to_music    [ Reply ]
classic!
Posted 19 years ago by sirrus    [ Reply ]
My absolute favorite!!
Posted 19 years ago by rjb4    [ Reply ]
WOW! I upoaded this ages ago. more than 3 years. Too cool that I got to hear it this first time.
Posted 19 years ago by Stuart    [ Reply ]
Great Oils song - I'm surprised it hasn't been played before. Thanks to whoever uploaded it and thanks to Bill for playing it.
Posted 19 years ago by randomprime    [ Reply ]