☝️ Key Points
- The song 'Beds Are Burning' by Midnight Oil is a political statement that draws attention to the injustices suffered by the Aborigines, the indigenous people of Australia.
- The lyrics 'Out where the river broke / The blood wood and the desert oak / Holden wrecks and boiling diesels / Steam in fourty-five degrees' and 'Four wheels scare the cockatoos / From Kintore East to Yuendemu / The western desert lives and breathes in fourty-five degrees' describe the rugged landscape of the Australian outback and the effects of Western civilization on the environment and wildlife.
- The chorus 'The time has come to say fair's fair / To pay the rent to pay our share' is a call for restitution and taking responsibility. It is about acknowledging the 'guilt' of Australian society and granting land rights and support to the Aborigines to preserve their culture.
- The lines 'How can we dance when our earth is turning / How do we sleep while our beds are burning' criticize the ignorance and indifference towards existing injustices and problems.
- 'Beds Are Burning' is overall a powerful plea for justice and respect towards the Aborigines and their culture.
Interpretation
The song 'Beds Are Burning' by
Midnight Oil is a political statement and a call to action. The Australian band uses the song to draw attention to the injustices suffered by the Aboriginal people of Australia.
The lyrics 'Out where the river broke / The blood wood and the desert oak / Holden wrecks and boiling diesels / Steam in fourty-five degrees' describe the harsh and inhospitable landscape of the Australian Outback, where many Aboriginal people live. 'Holden wrecks' refers to destroyed cars of the Australian brand Holden - a symbol of neglect and destruction of indigenous culture and way of life.
The repeated refrain 'The time has come to say fair's fair / To pay the rent to pay our share' is a call for reparations. It is time for Australian society to acknowledge its 'debt' and 'pay the rent' by granting land rights to Aboriginal people and helping them preserve and maintain their culture.
'How can we dance when our earth is turning / How do we sleep while our beds are burning' poses the question of how we can stay calm while injustice prevails and our 'beds are burning' - a metaphor for urgent, unresolved issues.
The lines 'Four wheels scare the cockatoos / From Kintore East to Yuendemu / The western desert lives and breathes in fourty-five degrees' again describe the harsh reality of life in the Outback and the impact of Western civilization on wildlife and the environment.
Overall, 'Beds Are Burning' is a powerful appeal for justice and respect towards the Aboriginal people of Australia and their culture.