Wake up from what exactly? The fantasy that humans have any hope of stopping the rhythms of this planet at any cost? You mean that one? 

Wake up from what exactly? The fantasy that humans have any hope of stopping the rhythms of this planet at any cost? You mean that one? 

So many negative comments below... I guess everyone's entitled to their opinion, but for the record: 1. Peter Garrett is not solely responsible for the politics and lyrics of the band. Guitarist Jim Moginie is the band member credited (alone or as co-writer) on every song on "Capricornia," while Garrett has songwriting credits on only a third of the songs (including this one). Drummer Martin Rotsey also writes quite a bit (and has written a book about the band on tour), and is quite articulate about the band's vision. Agree or disagree with them, but I think you have to respect a group that rocked out for a quarter of a century and stayed consistent in terms of personnel and messages while never standing still musically. And by the way, some of their lyrics are quite positive: "Forgotten Years," "Outbreak of Love," and "Golden Age" come to mind. 2. It's so intellectually lazy to slap a label on something you don't like rather than state your disagreement. Again, believe what you will, but instead of the label "leftist" or "socialist," maybe some of you could state which of the following ideas you disagree with (issues taken from a long time frame of Oils' songs): - nuclear weapons are dangerous - indigenous peoples were robbed by colonial powers - corporations should value human life above profit - industrialization and globalization may have negative impacts on some people - pollution poses a threat to the environment, and by extension, to our health and future - regardless of borders and ideologies, humans have a lot in common with each other - governments and corporations should be viewed critically rather than trusted blindly So, yeah, call me a liberal. You could counter that I over-simplified their views - I concede that I simplified them. But their lyrics are more artful than explicitly political, so I haven't simplified the lyrics by much. They're not detailed manifestoes. The songs just raise the issues. 3. Don't like his voice? Fine. I get so tired of that knock against good music. Who among us doesn't like some singer with a questionable voice? Dylan, Springsteen, Jagger, Vedder, Stipe, Cobain, Joplin... Tom Waits, Richard Butler, Billy Bragg, John Hiatt... You like or dislike based on more than the voice, no? 4. If you think their songs all sound alike, blame a lack exposure to their music. They've got the rock anthem down, sure, but also the danceable songs, the hard core industrial sound, the moody atmospheric piano and acoustic guitar, twangy psychedelic, the brass and woodwind ooom-pah instrumental, and the use of the didgeridoo (sp?) in a rock song... I would say that most of their albums have a distinctive character that can't be appreciated if you only know a few songs from different albums.

I'm not a fan of preaching either, but he's right and this is the most important issue of our generation. The Aussies are well acquainted with the horrors that Climate Change is bringing. Big storms and drowning cities are the least of it. We should all be worried about low precipitation and unprecedented droughts leading to food and water shortages leading to mass migrations and wars. It's past time for everyone to wake up. WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!

Yes, that was an annoying comment from me, but right on target. We should be screaming this from the trees. It's also a good song, love the guitar. Fight the good fight brother!

Never thought to much about this band until I saw them live last year. I have been converted...

Couldn't agree more.

 Businessgypsy wrote: 

So many negative comments below... I guess everyone's entitled to their opinion, but for the record: 1. Peter Garrett is not solely responsible for the politics and lyrics of the band. Guitarist Jim Moginie is the band member credited (alone or as co-writer) on every song on "Capricornia," while Garrett has songwriting credits on only a third of the songs (including this one). Drummer Martin Rotsey also writes quite a bit (and has written a book about the band on tour), and is quite articulate about the band's vision. Agree or disagree with them, but I think you have to respect a group that rocked out for a quarter of a century and stayed consistent in terms of personnel and messages while never standing still musically. And by the way, some of their lyrics are quite positive: "Forgotten Years," "Outbreak of Love," and "Golden Age" come to mind. 2. It's so intellectually lazy to slap a label on something you don't like rather than state your disagreement. Again, believe what you will, but instead of the label "leftist" or "socialist," maybe some of you could state which of the following ideas you disagree with (issues taken from a long time frame of Oils' songs): - nuclear weapons are dangerous - indigenous peoples were robbed by colonial powers - corporations should value human life above profit - industrialization and globalization may have negative impacts on some people - pollution poses a threat to the environment, and by extension, to our health and future - regardless of borders and ideologies, humans have a lot in common with each other - governments and corporations should be viewed critically rather than trusted blindly So, yeah, call me a liberal. You could counter that I over-simplified their views - I concede that I simplified them. But their lyrics are more artful than explicitly political, so I haven't simplified the lyrics by much. They're not detailed manifestoes. The songs just raise the issues. 3. Don't like his voice? Fine. I get so tired of that knock against good music. Who among us doesn't like some singer with a questionable voice? Dylan, Springsteen, Jagger, Vedder, Stipe, Cobain, Joplin... Tom Waits, Richard Butler, Billy Bragg, John Hiatt... You like or dislike based on more than the voice, no? 4. If you think their songs all sound alike, blame a lack exposure to their music. They've got the rock anthem down, sure, but also the danceable songs, the hard core industrial sound, the moody atmospheric piano and acoustic guitar, twangy psychedelic, the brass and woodwind ooom-pah instrumental, and the use of the didgeridoo (sp?) in a rock song... I would say that most of their albums have a distinctive character that can't be appreciated if you only know a few songs from different albums.

Yet it came out in the early 90s … I remember driving through the Australian outback alone for a couple of days while listening to this song on FM radio over and over b/c the Aussies were so proud of this band making a big splash all over the world. Good times …

Geeze, this guy's voice is annoying.

Why we never-ever hear of
"3 Doors Down" here...?
Any reason?

Sure is. I love the guitar sound in this tune. Another hidden gem unearthed by RP. Not many people here seem to appreciate it, though.

This song is soooo good for the ears...

 

Let's be positive about stuff eh? Encourage what we like - more carrot than stick. 

You've neatly summarized our point.

 Stingray wrote: 

BULLSHIT!!!

Couldn't agree more.

 Businessgypsy wrote: 

Parts of this are merely boring, and the rest is really, really bad.

How do we sleep when our beds are burning.....

SoCal psychedelia riff. Good stuff.

tired of being preached at by midnight oil. some is okay.

thumbs way up on the guitar riff.... and way down on the lead vocals, as per usual for MO

:lol: :roflol: :lol: Still you gotta admit, ol' Physicsgenius made quite an impression. Maybe an itching and burning impression, but still... :wink:

Yeah, charming like hemorrhoids.

You know, when you read a lot of his posts together, he has a certain cantankerous charm :)

Choked to death on his own negative bile and self-satisfaction, most likely. Although I do kind of miss the bast... uh, gentleman. "Where have all the good trolls gone?"

BTW, what ever happened to Physics Genius? Anybody know?

One trick pony, these guys.

Wow, another physicsgenius wannabe! :clap:

Wow, another physicsgenius wannabe! :clap:

Nah, he would have bashed the song and the politics. And the lead singer's mother's virtue.

Nah, he would have bashed the song and the politics. And the lead singer's mother's virtue.>Ah, yes. You are beginning to walk in the path of The Master. But what is the lesson to be learned? <~physica eruditus veritatum indegamus~ (by devotion to physics, let us seek the truth) yours in Jenius, oz.