Midnight Oil

[Powderworks] American Cultural Poet

Lina Yune midoil2001@yahoo.com.au
Tue, 24 Sep 2002 00:05:19 +1000 (EST)


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 In a message dated 9/21/02 7:43:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time, jsmacdonaldjr@yahoo.com writes: But, short of them, who does?  Who can be our cultural poet?  Who can bring our 
romantic places, our dreamy lands, into their proper significance?  Who can 
transcend for us?   
 
 The only band really spoke the word for me was Steppenwolf.  Unfortunately, they are only really known to be "biker music", and mostly are known for Born To Be Wild or Magic Carpet Ride.  Many, oh so many of their political and satirical songs, that deal with everyday life, went un-noticed.
I am going to show an example of their lyrics of the song called "Monster/Suicide/America, from the band's 1970 release from the album titled "Monster".
Words and music by John Kay, Jerry Edmonton, Nick St. Nicholas and Larry Byrom

(Monster)
Once the religious, the hunted and weary
Chasing the promise of freedom and hope
Came to this country to build a new vision
Far from the reaches of kingdom and pope
Like good Christians, some would burn the witches
Later some got slaves to gather riches

But still from near and far to seek America
They came by thousands to court the wild
And she just patiently smiled and bore a child
To be their spirit and guiding light

And once the ties with the crown had been broken
Westward in saddle and wagon it went
And 'til the railroad linked ocean to ocean
Many the lives which had come to an end
While we bullied, stole and bought our a homeland
We began the slaughter of the red man

But still from near and far to seek America
They came by thousands to court the wild
And she just patiently smiled and bore a child
To be their spirit and guiding light

The blue and grey they stomped it
They kicked it just like a dog
And when the war over 
They stuffed it just like a hog

And though the past has it's share of injustice
Kind was the spirit in many a way
But it's protectors and friends have been sleeping
Now it's a monster and will not obey

(Suicide)
The spirit was freedom and justice
And it's keepers seem generous and kind
It's leaders were supposed to serve the country
But now they won't pay it no mind
'Cause the people grew fat and got lazy
And now their vote is a meaningless joke
They babble about law and order
But it's all just an echo of what they've been told
Yeah, there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into a noose
And it just sits there watchin'

Our cities have turned into jungles
And corruption is stranglin' the land
The police force is watching the people
And the people just can't understand
We don't know how to mind our own business
'Cause the whole worlds got to be just like us
Now we are fighting a war over there
No matter who's the winner
We can't pay the cost
'Cause there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into a noose
And it just sits there watching

(America)
America where are you now?
Don't you care about your sons and daughters?
Don't you know we need you now
We can't fight alone against the monster

© Copyright MCA Music (BMI)
All rights for the USA controlled and administered by
MCA Corporation of America, INC

--Used with permission-- 

I am also a member of the Wolfpack club, who are dedicated to that band.  Interestingly enough, there are so many Wolfpackers, who also follow Oils, and some were even at the SF shows last spring.

But, Steppenwolf too, went through many staff changes, and unfortunately, the only original band member now is their lead singer John Kay.  Some of the original members are no longer alive, while others have their own acts.  The band also, no longer has the base player currently, and their base line is sequenced by their current keyboard player.  They still rock, but I miss the old band, even though I love the new people there, and they are very talented too.

The Midnight Oil, they, on the other hand have all of their band members, except the base player.  And each of the base players, I definitely love them in their own special way.  Oils have that special sound to them, which always give me that certain power to accomplish whatever task I am doing.  Their music makes me aware of the world around me, not only in Australia, but I can relate to it wherever I am.  Their lyrics make me pay attention, and many times even change my actions.  Also, I learned to speak my mind listening to Oils.

This summer we took a trip out West, to the Rocky Mountains of Montana, Wyoming, and Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota.  I listened to a lot of Oils in the car on the way through the mountains, and my perception of that region of the country is now even more enhanced.  While on our back-country white-water rafting trip, we had no tunes, except two indian guides at night played the flute.  I wish I remembered their names, because that was something.  Back there, I really-really felt what Oils music is all about.  I felt we are so lucky, that we have that beautiful National Park, Glacier National Park.  Or Yellowstone-Teton, or Yosemite, or our local Morraine Hills State Park.  Those places need to be protected and preserved.

Just last week, when I heard on the local news, that they now tried to blame the forest preserves, because of the lakes and water, are breeding grounds for West Nile Virus mosquitoes, really got me to listen to what else will they say next?  That comment on the news in my opinion, was dumb in the way, that if we cut out the forests, we will also get rid of frogs, birds, dragon flies, bats, and other useful animals who eat mosquitoes, and we will have even bigger problem then.

Sorry for long rant....

 


 



Lina



 

Concrete you don't free my soul... ...Midnight Oil



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<P> <FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT lang=0 face="Trebuchet MS" size=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF">In a message dated 9/21/02 7:43:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time, jsmacdonaldjr@yahoo.com writes: </FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF">
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px" TYPE="CITE">But, short of them, who does? &nbsp;Who can be our cultural poet? &nbsp;Who can bring our <BR>romantic places, our dreamy lands, into their proper significance? &nbsp;Who can <BR>transcend for us?&nbsp;&nbsp; </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT>
<P>&nbsp;
<P>&nbsp;The only band really spoke the word for me was Steppenwolf.&nbsp; Unfortunately, they are only really known to be "biker music", and mostly are known for Born To Be Wild or Magic Carpet Ride.&nbsp; Many, oh so many of their political and satirical songs, that deal with everyday life, went un-noticed.
<P>I am going to show an example of their lyrics of the song called "Monster/Suicide/America, from the band's 1970 release from the album titled "Monster".
<P>Words and music by John Kay, Jerry Edmonton, Nick St. Nicholas and Larry Byrom<BR><BR><A name=MONTER>(Monster)<BR>Once the religious, the hunted and weary<BR>Chasing the promise of freedom and hope<BR>Came to this country to build a new vision<BR>Far from the reaches of kingdom and pope<BR>Like good Christians, some would burn the witches<BR>Later some got slaves to gather riches<BR><BR>But still from near and far to seek America<BR>They came by thousands to court the wild<BR>And she just patiently smiled and bore a child<BR>To be their spirit and guiding light<BR><BR>And once the ties with the crown had been broken<BR>Westward in saddle and wagon it went<BR>And 'til the railroad linked ocean to ocean<BR>Many the lives which had come to an end<BR>While we bullied, stole and bought our a homeland<BR>We began the slaughter of the red man<BR><BR>But still from near and far to seek America<BR>They came by thousands to court the wild<BR>And she just patiently smiled and bore a child<BR>To be their spirit and guiding light<BR><BR>The blue and grey they stomped it<BR>They kicked it just like a dog<BR>And when the war over <BR>They stuffed it just like a hog<BR><BR>And though the past has it's share of injustice<BR>Kind was the spirit in many a way<BR>But it's protectors and friends have been sleeping<BR>Now it's a monster and will not obey<BR><BR><A name=SUIDE>(Suicide)<BR>The spirit was freedom and justice<BR>And it's keepers seem generous and kind<BR>It's leaders were supposed to serve the country<BR>But now they won't pay it no mind<BR>'Cause the people grew fat and got lazy<BR>And now their vote is a meaningless joke<BR>They babble about law and order<BR>But it's all just an echo of what they've been told<BR>Yeah, there's a monster on the loose<BR>It's got our heads into a noose<BR>And it just sits there watchin'<BR><BR>Our cities have turned into jungles<BR>And corruption is stranglin' the land<BR>The police force is watching the people<BR>And the people just can't understand<BR>We don't know how to mind our ow
n business<BR>'Cause the whole worlds got to be just like us<BR>Now we are fighting a war over there<BR>No matter who's the winner<BR>We can't pay the cost<BR>'Cause there's a monster on the loose<BR>It's got our heads into a noose<BR>And it just sits there watching<BR><BR><A name=AMICA>(America)<BR>America where are you now?<BR>Don't you care about your sons and daughters?<BR>Don't you know we need you now<BR>We can't fight alone against the monster<BR><BR>© Copyright MCA Music (BMI)<BR>All rights for the USA controlled and administered by<BR>MCA Corporation of America, INC<BR><BR><FONT size=-1><I>--Used with permission--</I></FONT> </A></P>
<P>I am also a member of the Wolfpack club, who are dedicated to that band.&nbsp; Interestingly enough, there are so many Wolfpackers, who also follow Oils, and some were even at the SF shows last spring.</P>
<P>But, Steppenwolf too, went through many staff changes, and unfortunately, the only original band member now is their lead singer John Kay.&nbsp; Some of the original members are no longer alive, while others have their own acts.&nbsp; The band also, no longer has the base player currently, and their base line is sequenced by their current keyboard player.&nbsp; They still rock, but I miss the old band, even though I love the new people there, and they are very talented too.</P>
<P>The Midnight Oil, they, on the other hand have all of their band members, except the base player.&nbsp; And each of the base players, I definitely love them in their own special way.&nbsp; Oils have that special sound to them, which always give me that certain power to accomplish whatever task I am doing.&nbsp; Their music makes me aware of the world around me, not only in Australia, but I can relate to it wherever I am.&nbsp; Their lyrics make me pay attention, and many times even change my actions.&nbsp; Also, I learned to speak my mind listening to Oils.</P>
<P>This summer we took a trip out West, to the Rocky Mountains of Montana, Wyoming, and Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota.&nbsp; I listened to a lot of Oils in the car on the way through the mountains, and my perception of that region of the country is now even more enhanced.&nbsp;&nbsp;While on our back-country white-water rafting trip, we had no tunes, except two indian guides at night played the flute.&nbsp; I wish I remembered their names, because that was something.&nbsp; Back there, I really-really felt what Oils music is all about.&nbsp; I felt we are so lucky, that we have that beautiful National Park, Glacier National Park.&nbsp; Or Yellowstone-Teton, or Yosemite, or our local Morraine Hills State Park.&nbsp; Those places need&nbsp;to be protected and preserved.</P>
<P>Just last week, when I heard on the&nbsp;local news,&nbsp;that they now tried to blame the&nbsp;forest preserves, because of the lakes and water, are breeding grounds for West Nile Virus mosquitoes, really got me to listen to what else will they say next?&nbsp; That comment on the news in my opinion, was&nbsp;dumb in the&nbsp;way, that if we cut out the forests, we will also get rid of frogs, birds, dragon flies,&nbsp;bats, and other useful animals who eat mosquitoes, and we will have even bigger problem then.</P>
<P>Sorry for long rant....</P>
<P>&nbsp;<BR></P>
<P>&nbsp;</P><BR><BR><P>Lina</P>
<P><IMG src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/tsmileys/m.gif"></P>
<P>&nbsp;</P>
<P><STRONG>Concrete you don't free my soul...</STRONG> ...<EM>Midnight Oil</EM></P><p><br><hr size=1>
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