Beds are burning - Midnight Oil

by Corina

"Beds are Burning" from Midnight Oil is a political song about giving native Australian lands back to the Pintupi, who were among the very last people to come in from the desert.

Pintupi refers to an Australian Aboriginal group who are part of the Western Desert cultural group.

These people began moving from the Gibson Desert to settlements in the 1930s.

In 1981 they left the desert to return to their own country and they founded the Kintore community settlement.

Today Kintore is a thriving little community with a population of about 400 people.

If you want to know more about Midnight Oil have a look at their official website: http://www.midnightoil.com/

Out where the river broke
The blood wood and the desert oak
Holden wrecks and boiling diesels
Steam in forty five degrees


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


How can we dance when our earth is turning
How do we sleep while our beds are burning
How can we dance when our earth is turning
How do we sleep while our beds are burning


The time has come
To say fair's fair
To pay the rent, now
To pay our share


Four wheels scare the cockatoos
From Kintore East to Yuendemu
The western desert lives and breathes
In forty five degrees


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


How can we dance when our earth is turning
How do we sleep while our beds are burning
How can we dance when our earth is turning
How do we sleep while our beds are burning


The time has come
To say fair's fair
To pay the rent, now
To pay our share
The time has come
A fact's a fact
It belongs to them
We're gonna give it back


How can we dance when our earth is turning
How do we sleep while our beds are burning