After Midnight Oil toured through the Outback in 1986, playing to remote Aboriginal communities and seeing first hand the seriousness of the issues in health and living standards, Peter Garrett, Jim Moginie and Rob Hirst wrote "Beds Are Burning" to criticize how said populations were often forcibly removed from their lands, highlighted by the pre-chorus lines "it belongs to them, let's give it back". Considering such a local affair inspired a worldwide hit, Garrett commented "Who would have thought an Aboriginal land rights song would travel that far?"[7] There are specific references to certain Australian places and politics, such as Kintore Ranges and the town of Yuendumu, vehicles produced by the Holden company, the "It's Time" slogan and the notion of "fair go".[8]
In an interview with British website and publication Songwriting Magazine, Rob Hirst discussed how Midnight Oil were determined to be seen as an Australian band. In the same conversation he stated, "Land rights are something that appear in so many countries around the world, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, but we were determined that Midnight Oil wouldn't be seen as one of those international bands, writing songs that could have come from anywhere. We were determined to put place names and other specific bits and pieces in all our songs."[9]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
In 2001, a cover of "Beds Are Burning" was included on the eponymous Underground Moon album, a one-off modern rock project by former War & Peace band mates, Jeff Pilson (Foreigner, Dokken), using the pseudonym Dominic Moon, and Tommy Henriksen (Alice Cooper, Warlock).[39]
Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings released a cover version on their 2018 album Studio Time. Wyman himself performed co-lead vocals.
On 1 May 2018, Canadian hardcore punk band Comeback Kid released a beefed up version of the song on a digital/7-inch release along with a new original song "Little Soldier".[41]
on 1 June, 2018, Patti Smith performed a version live in Dublin, Ireland. Smith leads into the song with her own 3-minute spoken-word intro about the Aboriginal people of Australia, and the destruction of the Great Barrier Reef.[42]
On 18 February 2020, Australian Julia Stone released a version of the song. The song is the lead single from the 2020 various artists compilation album Songs for Australia.[44]
On 25 February 2022, American band Awolnation released a cover of the song in collaboration with Tim McIlrath of Rise Against. The song is the second release for the album of covers My Echo, My Shadow, My Covers, set for release on 6 May 2022.[45]
A bilingual Arrernte-English version was released by Northern Territory band Southeast Desert Metal in July 2022.[46]
^ abHarrington, Jim (2015). "Midnight Oil - "Beds Are Burning". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die. New York: Universe. p. 598.
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