Posted by John, November 12th, 2009 - under Midnight Oil, Peter Garrett.

Tags: Beds are burning

Peter Garrett is the man who left his principles at the door in joining the Labor Party and accepting a safe seat. He is now Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts in the Rudd Labor Government.

The Labor Party is the destroyer of dreams, as Garrett’s journey from idealist to ‘pragmatist’ shows.

Joining the ALP to change the world doesn’t work. The host takes over the parasite. Nothing personal in that. Garrett just happens to be the best example around of the futility of joining Labor to make a difference.

Recently demonstrators against Garrett burnt a bed. What a great way to show contempt for what the former lead singer of Midnight Oil has become – a member of a reactionary and racist Government whose sole principle is re-election through pro-profit anti-people policies.

One of Midnight Oil’s most famous songs is beds are burning. It is about giving the land back to the aboriginal people. This is not only something Labor refuses to do; it is something, through the Northern Territory intervention, Labor is actually reversing by stealing Aboriginal lands.

One line in the song goes How do we sleep while our beds are burning?

That’s a question we should ask Garrett every day – how do you sleep while your principles are burning away?

Here are the lyrics. There’s a link after that to a youtube video of the song.

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

A link to the song is here.