Drums Of Heaven
Midnight Oil · Earth And Sun And Moon [1993]
And tablets of strange love are shattered and bruised
By the time the oleander has fallen from bloom
And the tears of the crocodile water the sun
By the time you make up your mind
If ever you do
I hear the drums of heaven too
By the time paradise alley is littered with rust
And the arc of the dayglo is curtained in gloom
By the time the kidney bone cities are crumbling to dust
And the empires and all of the emirates burn
Ice on the mountain
Wind and the dust storm
Sails in the desert
It's old and exploding
Seers and the prophets
Dramas of heaven
By the time you make up your mind
If ever you do
I hear the drums of heaven too
Drums Of Heaven
Midnight Oil's 'Drums Of Heaven' stands as a defining anthem of the Australian political rock movement, released on the 1993 album Earth And Sun And Moon. The track exemplifies the band's signature fusion of punk energy with melodic sensibilities, often driven by the distinctive drumming of John Butler Capaldi. Thematically, the song addresses the environmental crisis and the urgent need for sustainable living, reflecting the socio-political concerns prevalent in Australia during the early 1990s. As a staple of their discography, it has been widely covered and remains a powerful representation of the band's commitment to activism through music. The recording captures the raw, urgent tone characteristic of their work during this era, cementing its place in the canon of Australian protest rock.