Redgum - Midnight Sun

Redgums's swan song Midnight Sun is a fine record, having been able
to overcome the shock of John Schumann leaving the band in 1986,
they released this Lp that year, a last single "Roll it on Robbie" (1987)
after which Atkinson left.
The remaining members performed until 1990
before breaking up for good.
Bring us to the end of a band which formed back in 1975, becoming
the greatest musical export from Adelaide
and one of Australia's best.
These days John Schumann & the Vagabond Crew (including Hugh)
are performing, doing shows at woodford last year and john, post
Redgum Schumann released two solo albums before pursuing a career
with the Australian Democrats ,
standing for the South Australian seat of Mayo in the 1998
Federal election and only losing by a small margin.
Very nearly knocking off the governments Foreign Affairs Minister.
He left the Democrats in 2000 and returned to further solo works.



When I worked on the Latin American Show on 4zzz in the late 80's
the song "Blood upon the rain" was a favorite, I must of played it
every time and the beautiful version of "La Partida" the
haunting Victor Jara song. This song is a fantastic insightful
song about the struggle for freedom in Latin America which was
my focus for many years and Redgum were singing about it.
Theres plenty more politics on this album, "Talk",
"Running with the hurricane" and "Too many dollars"
all showing the band has lost none of their insight. Also theres
"When your luck runs out" another wonderful Hugh McDonald,
life on the land Masterpiece.
But its "Blood on the rain" and the fantastic
"Running with the hurricane" that make this for me,
with songs like this I was glad they kept going.

Running with the hurricane - Atkinson/McDonald

White domes on sacred land, B52s in Arnhem land
Cold wars buccaneers, lasers in the stratosphere
Theres a shadow across the sun,
alarms of struggle and fight.
Theres poisoned seeds in the perfumed garden
and the spectra of an endless night

Thunder in the distance, Running with the hurricane
Feel the cold winds tuning, keep the faith burning
Fire in the Ukraine, dust on the high plains
Thunder in the distance, running with the hurricane

Vogue fashions, empty passions, world banks,
corporation think tanks.
Feeding us our new-made views,
With our Weeties and our septic news.
Geriatric G-grade actor, power in his paternal smile
His inane quotes are last years jokes
Now we judge all his lies on style

Thunder in the distance, Running with the hurricane
Feel the cold winds tuning, keep the faith burning
Fire in the Ukraine, dust on the high plains
Thunder in the distance, running with the hurricane

Melt-down, southbound, the winds are blowing gale force
Gather up the children, batten down the doors
Hopes like a beacon in the howling night
Muruoa, Pine Gap, Greenham Common
Together its going to be a long, hard fight

Thunder in the distance, Running with the hurricane
Feel the cold winds tuning, keep the faith burning
Fire in the Ukraine, dust on the high plains
Thunder in the distance, running with the hurricane

Rambo, cult machismo, Armageddon, the clouds keep spreading
Warriors rule by fear, fission for the profiteers
Mass march, rally in the twilight, heart and soul, a call for peace
If power is blocked through the ballot box
Then we'll vote in the open streets


This is the sort of song running through my head when I drove
to the front gates of pine gap in 1990, to see for my self the
cold war infrastructure in the center of my country.
It was Redgum and other influences that had led me to
this point and now some 18 years on, as Redgum say
"Nothing much has changed here but the skyline"

Download Here


Stage song list from the tour to promote this album
I grabbed after the show.

Track List

01 - Talk
02 - When Your Luck Ran Out
03 - Running With The Hurricane
04 - Empty Page
05 - Midnight Sun
06 - Too Many Dollars
07 - Another Country
08 - In Their Hands
09 - Blood Upon The Rain
10 - La Partida (The Parting)

Download Artwork Large Files Here