Gunbarrel Highway
Midnight Oil · Diesel And Dust [1987]
I'll give you something to write home about
And I'll take you somewhere, show you around
We burnt all the cars that laid down and died
We burnt all the trees to keep us alive
Sat 'round the fire, sang like a choir
With the ashes of civilization in our eyes
I come alive, I read the signs on the Gunbarrel Highway
Far off, a dull radio beats for the young uninvolved
The meaning's a football
A stick and a can and a Kakadu man
Will the speaker speak up or the talker talk down?
The world is no oyster and here in this town
Shit falls like rain on a world that is brown
I come alive, I read the signs on the Gunbarrel Highway
I come alive and the children will sing as the
Satellite swings down that highway
Nothing could be longer than that corrugated road
No ever follows where the road trains go
And no where in the country do the dust storms blow so hard
So hard
I come alive, I read the signs on the Gunbarrel Highway
I hear the sound, it's the wheels as they drive
And the cultures collide on that highway
Ah, it's a hard day, the children will sing as the
Satellite swings down that highway
And I'll take you somewhere, show you around
We burnt all the cars that laid down and died
We burnt all the trees to keep us alive
Sat 'round the fire, sang like a choir
With the ashes of civilization in our eyes
I come alive, I read the signs on the Gunbarrel Highway
Far off, a dull radio beats for the young uninvolved
The meaning's a football
A stick and a can and a Kakadu man
Will the speaker speak up or the talker talk down?
The world is no oyster and here in this town
Shit falls like rain on a world that is brown
I come alive, I read the signs on the Gunbarrel Highway
I come alive and the children will sing as the
Satellite swings down that highway
Nothing could be longer than that corrugated road
No ever follows where the road trains go
And no where in the country do the dust storms blow so hard
So hard
I come alive, I read the signs on the Gunbarrel Highway
I hear the sound, it's the wheels as they drive
And the cultures collide on that highway
Ah, it's a hard day, the children will sing as the
Satellite swings down that highway
Gunbarrel Highway
Midnight Oil's 'Gunbarrel Highway' stands as a defining anthem of Australian rock, capturing the rugged spirit and social consciousness of the 1980s. Released on the album 'Diesel And Dust,' the track blends hard rock energy with the band's signature political activism, reflecting the nation's frontier history and environmental concerns. The song's driving rhythm and soaring vocals made it a staple at major sporting events and political rallies, cementing the band's status as a cultural icon. Its enduring popularity highlights the group's ability to fuse musical prowess with powerful messaging, creating a recording that remains relevant decades later.