"Read About It" is a song by Australian rock band Midnight Oil, released as the third and final single from their 1982 studio album, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. It was a favourite with the band and with fans, appearing at least once on every tour since its release, as well as being played at the WaveAid concert in 2005. Only a handful of songs ("Power and the Passion", "Beds Are Burning", "The Dead Heart", and "Say Your Prayers") are known to have been performed so often by the band. (Despite this, "Read About It" failed to make the singles charts in Australia or any other country.)
| "Read About It" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Midnight Oil | ||||
| from the album 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 | ||||
| B-side | "Outside World" | |||
| Released | 1983 | |||
| Length | 3:51 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Robert Hirst, James Moginie, Peter Garrett, Martin Rotsey, Peter Gifford | |||
| Producer(s) | Midnight Oil, Nick Launay | |||
| Midnight Oil singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
At the 1984 Countdown Music Awards, the group were nominated for Best Group Performance in a Video for their work in this work.[1][2]
Song structure and meaning
editThe abrasive "Read About It" has a repeatedly staggered time signature, shifting between 7/4, 4/4, and 6/4.
The song targets Rupert Murdoch in particular and Australian media in general. On the Blackfella/Whitefella Tour, Peter Garrett referred to the song as the 'Rupert Murdoch Alligator Express'.
Track listing
edit- "Read About It" (Rob Hirst, Jim Moginie, Peter Garrett, Martin Rotsey, Peter Gifford)[3] – 3:51
- "Outside World" (Hirst, Moginie, Garrett, Rotsey, Gifford)[4] – 4:22
Compilations
editThe song's original studio version was featured on Flat Chat.
References
edit- ^ "Australian Music Awards". Ron Jeff. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
- ^ "Final episode of Countdown". 1970scountdown. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- ^ ""Read About It" at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 18 November 2010.
- ^ ""Outside World" at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 18 November 2010.