Diesel and Dust

{{Infobox album

| name = Diesel and Dust

| type = studio

| artist = Midnight Oil

| cover = MidnightOil_DieselAndDust.jpg

| alt =

| released = August 1987

| recorded = January–April 1987

| venue =

| studio = Albert (Sydney)

| genre = Alternative rock

| length = {{Duration|m=46|s=37}}

| label = Sprint / Columbia

| producer = Warne Livesey, Midnight Oil

| prev_title = Species Deceases

| prev_year = 1985

| next_title = Blue Sky Mining

| next_year = 1990

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Diesel and Dust

| type = studio

| single1 = The Dead Heart

| single1date = August 1986

| single2 = Beds Are Burning

| single2date = August 1987

| single3 = Put Down That Weapon

| single3date = December 1987

| single4 = Dreamworld

| single4date = 1988

}}

Diesel and Dust is the sixth studio album by Australian rock band Midnight Oil, released in August 1987 by SPRINT Music label under Columbia Records. Diesel and Dust was produced by Warne Livesey and the band. It is a concept album about the struggles of Indigenous Australians and environmental causes, issues important to the band. It drew inspiration from the Blackfella/Whitefella Tour of remote Indigenous communities with the Warumpi Band and Gondwanaland in 1986. The album peaked at No. 1 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart for six weeks.

Diesel and Dust has been critically lauded since its release. Rolling Stone editors named it the best album of 1988 (the year of its United States release),{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060222083523/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/rolling.htm#1988 "End of Year Critic Lists: 1988"]}}. Rolling Stone. Archived at Rocklist.net. Retrieved 17 June 2018. and later ranked it the 13th greatest record of the 1980s. In October 2010, Diesel and Dust was listed at number 1 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums. In December 2021, the album was listed at no. 5 in Rolling Stone Australia's "200 Greatest Albums of All Time" countdown.[https://au.rollingstone.com/rolling-stones-200-greatest-australian-albums-of-all-time Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Australian Albums of All Time]. Rolling Stone Australia, Rolling Stone Australia, 06 December 2021. Retrieved 06 December 2021.

Background

Midnight Oil spent several months in mid-1986 on the Blackfella/Whitefella Tour of outback Australia with indigenous music groups Warumpi Band and Gondwanaland, playing to remote Aboriginal communities and seeing first hand the seriousness of the issues in health and living standards. The tour was criticised by some journalists for being a one-off event instead of a long-term attempt to build bridges between communities. The band was galvanised by the experiences and made them the basis of their next album, Diesel and Dust, which was released in August 1987 and produced by Warne Livesey and the band. The album focused on the need for recognition by white Australia of past injustices involving the Aboriginal nation and the need for reconciliation. Peter Gifford left the band before the album's release due to extensive touring schedules, and was replaced on bass guitar by Bones Hillman, formerly of The Swingers. The track "Gunbarrel Highway" was not included on the United States version of the album, reportedly, because the line "shit falls like rain on a world that is brown" was deemed too offensive for US audiences.

Diesel and Dust peaked at No. 1 on the Australian albums charts for six weeks, No. 21 on the US Billboard 200 in 1988, and No. 19 on the UK Albums Chart. "Beds Are Burning" was their biggest international hit single, peaking at No. 6 in Australia, No. 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart. "The Dead Heart" peaked at No. 4 in Australia, and charted on the Hot 100 and in the UK. "Put Down that Weapon" also charted in Australia, while "Dreamworld" charted on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks and at No. 16 on its Modern Rock Tracks.

At the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) 1988 Awards ceremony, Midnight Oil won "Best Cover Art" for Diesel and Dust. The album cover was designed by photographer Ken Duncan (b.1954, Mildura, VIC) and visual artist Wart (also known as Jen Waterhouse) (b.1958, Geelong, VIC). It also won "Best Single" and "Best Song" for "Beds Are Burning". A fracas developed between Gary Morris, their manager who was accepting awards for Midnight Oil, and former Countdown compere Ian Meldrum who was presenting: Meldrum objected to Morris making political commentary from the podium.

There were concerns about Diesel and Dust and Midnight Oil's attempts to express indigenous issues to white urban audiences – namely, the question "who holds the power to tell whose history?" The lyrics of "The Dead Heart" tell the story of colonisation from an indigenous point of view, but some critics felt they reinforced the "primitive" stereotype. Use of the bullroarer was criticised as belonging to sacred rituals, and therefore not appropriate for rock songs. "The Dead Heart" had been written in response to a request by organisers of the 1985 ceremony to return control of Uluru to its indigenous caretakers; Midnight Oil originally resisted being added to a concert bill that they believed should contain indigenous groups, but the organisers insisted, arguing that the band would reach a wider audience within the predominantly Caucasian urban centres. Midnight Oil requested that all royalties from the song go to indigenous communities. In addition, two indigenous groups, Warumpi Band and Gondwanaland, toured with them.

Hirst said, "There's been a kind of folky element in Midnight Oil for a very long time. I think you first heard it in songs like "Kosciusko", but it really burst forward when we did Diesel and Dust."{{cite magazine| magazine= Australian Musician | title=A Studio Tour| date=Winter 1998|page=15|issue=14}}

Following the 1988 American tour in support of Diesel and Dust with Australian band Yothu Yindi, Midnight Oil launched the Burning Bridges album with various artists contributing, including Paul Kelly, Scrap Metal, Coloured Stone, Hunters & Collectors, James Reyne, The Saints, Crowded House, and INXS. All sales proceeds were donated to the National Coalition of Aboriginal Organisations.

Reception

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/diesel-and-dust-mw0000651747 |title=Diesel and Dust – Midnight Oil |website=AllMusic |access-date=2 October 2015 |last=Deming |first=Mark}}

| rev2 = Daily Record

| rev2score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite news|last=Dingwall|first=John|date=20 June 2008|title=Albums|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/ALBUMS%3B+singles+and+albums-a0180339570|work=Daily Record|access-date=1 March 2022}}

| rev3 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music

| rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |last=Larkin |first=Colin |author-link=Colin Larkin (writer) |publisher=Omnibus Press |edition=5th concise |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-85712-595-8}}

| rev4 = Los Angeles Times

| rev4Score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-03-06-ca-680-story.html |title=Burning Midnight Oil |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=6 March 1988 |access-date=10 October 2015 |last=Willman |first=Chris}}

| rev5 = PopMatters

| rev5Score = 9/10{{cite web |url=https://www.popmatters.com/midnight-oil-diesel-and-dust-2496144108.html |title=Midnight Oil: Diesel and Dust |work=PopMatters |date=19 June 2008 |access-date=16 June 2018 |last=Gilstrap |first=Andrew}}

| rev6 = Rolling Stone

| rev6Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/midnightoil/albums/album/203471/review/5945431/diesel_and_dust |title=Midnight Oil: Diesel And Dust |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=7 April 1988 |access-date=2 October 2015 |last=Fricke |first=David |author-link=David Fricke |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111203545/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/midnightoil/albums/album/203471/review/5945431/diesel_and_dust |archive-date=11 November 2007}}

| rev7 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev7Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite book |chapter=Midnight Oil |last=Fricke |first=David |author-link=David Fricke |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |edition=4th |year=2004 |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/541 541–42] |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide }}

| rev9 = The Village Voice

| rev9Score = B+{{cite news |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv289-89.php |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide |newspaper=The Village Voice |location=New York |date=14 March 1989 |access-date=29 April 2013 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}

}}

According to Australian rock music historian Ian McFarlane, Midnight Oil "reached the peak of its powers with the release of the groundbreaking Diesel and Dust... [it] is arguably one of the greatest Australian albums of all time. Powerful, dynamic and passionate songs like 'Beds are Burning', 'Put Down that Weapon', 'Dreamworld', 'The Dead Heart' and 'Sell My Soul' were statements of intent and a call to action backed by the strength of their convictions". Mark Deming of AllMusic called the record "an artistic success and a triumph for leftist politics" which "makes clear that the bandmembers could apply their intelligence and passion to less aggressive material and still come up with forceful, compelling music".

Track listing

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Peter Garrett, Rob Hirst, Jim Moginie, except where noted

| headline = Side one

| title1 = Beds Are Burning

| writer1 =

| length1 = 4:14

| title2 = Put Down That Weapon

| writer2 =

| length2 = 4:38

| title3 = Dreamworld

| writer3 =

| length3 = 3:36

| title4 = Arctic World

| writer4 = Garrett, Moginie

| length4 = 4:21

| title5 = Warakurna

| writer5 = Moginie

| length5 = 4:38

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Side two

| title6 = The Dead Heart

| writer6 =

| length6 = 5:10

| title7 = Whoah

| writer7 = Garrett, Moginie

| length7 = 3:50

| title8 = Bullroarer

| writer8 =

| length8 = 4:59

| title9 = Sell My Soul

| writer9 = Garrett, Moginie

| length9 = 3:35

| title10 = Sometimes

| writer10 =

| length10 = 3:53

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Not included on the vinyl and cassette releases or the original US CD release.

| title11 = Gunbarrel Highway

| writer11 = Garrett, Peter Gifford, Hirst, Moginie, Martin Rotsey

| length11 = 3:38

}}

Charts

=Weekly charts=

scope="col"\| Chart (1987–1988) !scope="col"\| Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="row"\| Australian Albums Kent Music Report{{cite book\|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992\|last=Kent\|first=David\|author-link=David Kent (historian)\|publisher=Australian Chart Book\|location=St Ives, NSW\|year=1993\|isbn=0-646-11917-6\|title-link=Kent Music Report}} NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988. \| style="text-align:center;"\| 1
{{Album chart\|Canada\|1\|artist=Midnight Oil\|album=Diesel and Dust\|chartid=8699\|access-date=1 December 2021\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Germany4\|13\|id=684\|artist=Midnight Oil\|album=Diesel and Dust\|rowheader=true\|access-date=30 November 2018}}
{{album chart\|Netherlands\|14\|artist=Midnight Oil\|album=Diesel and Dust\|rowheader=true\|access-date=30 November 2018}}
{{album chart\|New Zealand\|1\|artist=Midnight Oil\|album=Diesel and Dust\|rowheader=true\|access-date=30 November 2018}}
{{album chart\|Sweden\|5\|artist=Midnight Oil\|album=Diesel and Dust\|rowheader=true\|access-date=30 November 2018}}
{{album chart\|Switzerland\|7\|artist=Midnight Oil\|album=Diesel and Dust\|rowheader=true\|access-date=30 November 2018}}
{{album chart\|UK\|19\|artist=Midnight Oil\|rowheader=true\|access-date=18 February 2021}}
{{album chart\|Billboard200\|21\|artist=Midnight Oil\|rowheader=true\|access-date=18 February 2021}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
scope="col"\| Chart (1987) !scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) \| style="text-align:center;"\| 11
scope="row" \| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ){{cite web\|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1987-12-31\|title=Top Selling Albums of 1987 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart\|publisher=Recorded Music New Zealand\|access-date=5 February 2022}} \| style="text-align:center;" \| 6
scope="col"\| Chart (1988) !scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100){{cite web\|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1988&cat=a\|title=Jaaroverzichten – Album 1988\|website=dutchcharts.nl\|access-date=18 February 2021}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| 88
scope="row"\| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ){{cite web\|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1988-12-31\|title=Top Selling Albums of 1988\|publisher=Recorded Music NZ\|access-date=18 February 2022}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| 13
scope="row"\| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1988/top-billboard-200-albums\|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1988\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=17 March 2021}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| 30

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

scope="col"| Chart (1987)

!scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)

| style="text-align:center;"| 11

scope="row" | New Zealand Albums (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1987-12-31|title=Top Selling Albums of 1987 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart|publisher=Recorded Music New Zealand|access-date=5 February 2022}}

| style="text-align:center;" | 6

scope="col"| Chart (1988)

!scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1988&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten – Album 1988|website=dutchcharts.nl|access-date=18 February 2021}}

| style="text-align:center;"| 88

scope="row"| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1988-12-31|title=Top Selling Albums of 1988|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=18 February 2022}}

| style="text-align:center;"| 13

scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1988/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1988|magazine=Billboard|access-date=17 March 2021}}

| style="text-align:center;"| 30

Certifications

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Australia|artist=Midnight Oil|title=Diesel and Dust |award=Platinum|number=7|certyear=2014|refname="Album Certification"|access-date=31 December 2014}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Canada|artist=Midnight Oil|title=Diesel and Dust|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=1987|certyear=1988|access-date=July 18, 2022}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=France|artist=Midnight Oil|title=Diesel and Dust|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=1987|certyear=1990|access-date=July 18, 2022}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Germany|artist=Midnight Oil|title=Diesel and Dust|award=Platinum|relyear=1987|certyear=1993|access-date=July 18, 2022}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Netherlands|artist=Midnight Oil|title=Diesel and Dust|award=Gold|relyear=1987|certyear=1996|access-date=July 18, 2022}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=New Zealand|artist=Midnight Oil|title=Diesel & Dust|award=Platinum|relyear=1987|id=1988-06-03|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|certyear=1988}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Switzerland|artist=Midnight Oil|title=Diesel and Dust |award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=1994|relyear=1987|accessdate=2 May 2022}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United Kingdom|artist=Midnight Oil|title=Diesel and Dust|award=Gold|id=1794-1227-2|relyear=1988|certyear=1989|access-date=July 18, 2022}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United States|artist=Midnight Oil|title=Diesel and Dust|award=Platinum|relyear=1988|certyear=1988|access-date=July 18, 2022}}

Personnel

;Midnight Oil

Peter Garrett – lead vocals and backing vocals
Peter Gifford – bass and backing vocals
Robert Hirst – drums, drum machine and backing vocals
Jim Moginie – guitars, synthesizers, backing vocals and string arrangements
Martin Rotsey – guitars

;Additional musicians

Glad Reed – trombone
John Ockwell – cello
Jeremy Smith – French horn

;Production

Midnight Oil – production
Warne Livesey – production, additional keyboards
Guy Gray – engineering
Greg Henderson – engineering (6)
Gary Morris – management (credited as "facilitator")

References

{{Reflist|30em|refs=

{{Cite book |title=Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop |last=McFarlane |first=Ian |author-link= Ian McFarlane |publisher=Allen & Unwin |year=1999 |chapter= Encyclopedia entry for 'Midnight Oil' |chapter-url=http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=487 |isbn=1-86448-768-2 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20040813100940/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=487|archive-date= 13 August 2004|title-link= Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop}}

{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927020538/http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/m/midnightoil.html |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/m/midnightoil.html |title=Midnight Oil |last1=Holmgren |first1=Magnus |last2=Stenerlöv |first2=Carl-Johan |publisher=Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren) |archive-date=27 September 2012 |url-status=usurped |access-date=12 February 2014 }}

[http://www.deadheart.org.uk/news_and_info/faq/album_faq/diesel_and_dust.htm The Dead Heart] Midnight Oil FAQ, retrieved 11 March 2007.

{{Cite book | title = Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 | last1 = Kent | first1 = David | author-link1 = David Kent (historian) | publisher = Australian Chart Book Ltd | location = St Ives, NSW | year = 1993 | isbn = 0-646-11917-6 | title-link = Kent Music Report }} Note: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) created their own charts in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.

{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artists/ |title=The Official Charts Company Midnight Oil |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=22 October 2008 }}

{{cite web |archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20120726191200/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/14231/20120727-0512/www.howlspace.com.au/en/midnightoil/midnightoil.htm |url=http://www.howlspace.com.au/en/midnightoil/midnightoil.htm |title=Midnight Oil |publisher=Howlspace |editor=Ed Nimmervoll |editor-link=Ed Nimmervoll |archive-date=26 July 2012 |access-date=22 January 2014 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

{{cite web |url=http://www.api-network.com/main/index.php?apply=scholars&webpage=default&flexedit=&flex_password=&menu_label=&menuID=62&menubox=&scholar=76 |last=Vellutini |first=Laetitia |title=Finding a Voice on Indigenous Issues: Midnight Oil's Inappropriate Appropriations |website=The Australian Public Intellectual Network |date=30 September 2012 |access-date=24 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930201344/http://www.api-network.com/main/index.php?apply=scholars&webpage=default&flexedit=&flex_password=&menu_label=&menuID=62&menubox=&scholar=76 |archive-date=30 September 2012}}

{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4911|pure_url=yes}} |title=Midnight Oil – Charts & Awards – Billboard Albums |website=allmusic |access-date=21 October 2008 }}

{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4911|pure_url=yes}} |title=Midnight Oil – Charts & Awards – Billboard Albums |website=allmusic |access-date=22 October 2008 }}

{{cite web|url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-artist.php?letter=M&artist=Midnight%20Oil |title=ARIA Awards 2008: History: Winners by Artist search result for Midnight Oil |publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) |access-date=25 August 2008 }}{{dead link|date=February 2017|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

{{cite web|url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-year.php?year=1988 |title=ARIA Awards 2008: History: Winners by Year search result for 1988 |publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) |access-date=24 October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926235720/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-year.php?year=1988 |archive-date=26 September 2007 }}

{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3577232#back1 |title=Midnight Oil: a band with a conscience |publisher=BBC |date=11 February 2005 |access-date=23 October 2008 }}

{{cite web|url=http://www.memorabletv.com/musicworld/ozrock/ltom.htm |title=Memorable TV – L to M |publisher=Memorable TV |access-date=22 October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017142844/http://www.memorabletv.com/musicworld/ozrock/ltom.htm |archive-date=17 October 2008 }}

{{cite magazine | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-best-albums-of-the-eighties-20110418/midnight-oil-diesel-and-dust-20110315 | title = 100 Best Albums of the Eighties: Midnight Oil, Diesel and Dust | magazine = Rolling Stone | access-date = 17 July 2014 }}

{{cite news | url = http://www.popmatters.com/feature/171171-power-and-the-passion-an-interview-with-midnight-oil/ | title = 'Power and the Passion': An Interview with Midnight Oil | last = McCarthy | first = Sean | website = PopMatters | publisher = Sarah Zupko | date = 6 May 2013 | access-date = 17 July 2014 }}

{{Cite book | title = 100 Best Australian Albums | last1 = O'Donnell | first1 = John | author-link1 = John O'Donnell (music journalist) | last2 = Creswell | first2=Toby | author-link2 = Toby Creswell | last3 = Mathieson | first3 = Craig | author-link3 = Craig Mathieson | publisher = Hardie Grant Books | date = October 2010 | location = Prahran, Vic | isbn = 978-1-74066-955-9 | title-link = 100 Best Australian Albums }}

}}