Power and the Passion (song): Difference between revisions

"Power and the Passion"
"Power and the Passion"
	Standard artwork (Australian 7-inch vinyl single pictured)
Single by Midnight Oil
from the album 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Released	March 1983
Genre	New wave, post-punk
Length	5:39
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	James Moginie; Robert Hirst; Peter Garrett
Producer(s)	Midnight Oil, Nick Launay
Midnight Oil singles chronology
Music video
	Power and the Passion on YouTube

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"Power and the Passion" is the second single from Midnight Oil's 1982 album 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (following "US Forces"). The song is one of the band's most famous, and it was performed on every Midnight Oil tour since the issue of 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 as well as at the WaveAid concert.

At the 1983 Countdown Music Awards, the song won Best Australian Single.^[1]

In January 2018, as part of Triple M's "Ozzest 100", the 'most Australian' songs of all time, "Power and the Passion" was ranked number 29.^[2]

Lyrics and composition

The lyrics mention former Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam and his dismissal in 1975, as well as the Pine Gap spy base, which remain controversial issues in Australia to this day. The song also makes reference to the McDonald's Big Mac and paraphrases Emiliano Zapata with the line "It's better to die on your feet than to live on your knees."

The song includes a drum solo by Rob Hirst; it is the only studio recording by Midnight Oil to feature a drum solo.

Legacy

In May 2001 the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Power and the Passion" as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time.^[3]^[4] It was the second Midnight Oil song in the list with "Beds Are Burning" declared third behind the Easybeats' "Friday on My Mind" and Daddy Cool's "Eagle Rock".^[5]

It was performed by the band at the 2009 Sound Relief concert in Melbourne.

On 5 June 2012, the song was released as downloadable content for the video game Rock Band 3.

Music video

The video for "Power and the Passion" was filmed in 1982 amongst the "Woolloomooloo Mural Project" in Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Track listing

"Power and the Passion" - 4:45
"Power and the Passion" (Dub Version) - 4:39

Compilations

This track was placed on the band's collection 20,000 Watt R.S.L.

More recently, the title of the collection Flat Chat was derived from the lyrics of this song. However, this song was not featured on that collection.

A newly remastered version was then featured on the band's second "greatest hits" album, Essential Oils, in 2012.

US 12-inch version

The US 12-inch single release features a little-known specially remixed version, mixed by François Kevorkian and Dominic Malta at RPM Sound Studios specifically for the North American market.^[6] This special version, titled "Glitch Baby Glitch", did not appear on the 12-inch single as released elsewhere in the world, including in Australia, whose 12-inch single featured the standard album version which runs for 5:38. The remix features echo effects added to Peter Garrett's vocals and a continuation or reprise of Rob Hirst's drum solo after the nominal ending of the song.^[7]

Live versions

Live versions of "Power and the Passion" were not available legally until 2004, when the Best of Both Worlds CD/two-DVD set featured two. One (on the Oils on the Water CD/DVD) was from early 1985 (the Red Sails in the Sunset tour) and the other (on the Saturday Night at the Capitol DVD) was from 1982 ( the 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 tour).

The song's drum solo was often performed significantly faster.

Personnel

Peter Garrett - lead vocals
Peter Gifford - bass, backup vocals
Martin Rotsey - guitar
Jim Moginie - guitar, keyboards
Rob Hirst - drums, percussion

with

Gary Barnacle, Peter Thoms, Luke Tunney - brass

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1983–1984)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[8]	8
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[9]	4

Year-end charts

Chart (1983)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[10]	82
Chart (1984)	Position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[11]	39

References

^ "Australian Music Awards". Ron Jeff. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
^ "Here Are The Songs That Made Triple M's 'Ozzest 100'". Musicfeeds. 27 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
^ "APRA/AMCOS 2001 Top 30 Songs". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 3 November 2008.
^ Kruger, Debbie (2 May 2001). "The songs that resonate through the years" (PDF). Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
^ "The final list: APRA'S Ten best Australian Songs". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). 28 May 2001. Archived from the original on 3 August 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
^ "Midnight Oil - Power And The Passion (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
^ "Midnight Oil - Power And The Passion - Special Version". Blogspot. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 200. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
^ "Midnight Oil – Power & The Passion". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
^ "Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 22 January 2023 – via Imgur.com.
^ "End of Year Charts 1984". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 8 February 2022.

[Top40TV-1] "Australian Music Awards". Ron Jeff. Retrieved 16 December 2010.

[2] "Here Are The Songs That Made Triple M's 'Ozzest 100'". Musicfeeds. 27 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2020.

[APRA2001-3] "APRA/AMCOS 2001 Top 30 Songs". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 3 November 2008.

[Kruger-4] Kruger, Debbie (2 May 2001). "The songs that resonate through the years" (PDF). Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2008.

[5] "The final list: APRA'S Ten best Australian Songs". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). 28 May 2001. Archived from the original on 3 August 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2008.

[6] "Midnight Oil - Power And The Passion (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 9 October 2010.

[7] "Midnight Oil - Power And The Passion - Special Version". Blogspot. Retrieved 9 October 2010.

[8] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 200. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.

[sc_New_Zealand_Midnight_Oil-9] "Midnight Oil – Power & The Passion". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 8 February 2022.

[aus83-10] "Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 22 January 2023 – via Imgur.com.

[11] "End of Year Charts 1984". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 8 February 2022.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
-{{Infobox single |
+{{Infobox song
-| Name          = Power and the Passion
-| Cover         = Power and the Passion Midnight Oil Australian edition.jpg
+| name       = Power and the Passion
+| cover      = Power and the Passion Midnight Oil Australian edition.jpg
-| Caption       = Standard artwork ''(Australian 12-inch vinyl single pictured)''
+| alt        =
+| caption    = Standard artwork ''(Australian 7-inch vinyl single pictured)''
-| Artist        = [[Midnight Oil]]
+| type       = single
-| from Album    = [[10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1]]
+| artist     = [[Midnight Oil]]
+| album      = [[10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1]]
-| Released      = 1983
+| released   = March 1983
-|  Label        = [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
+| recorded   =
-| Genre         = [[New wave music|New wave]], [[post-punk]]
+| studio     =
-| Format        = [[gramophone record|7 in vinyl]]
-| Length        = 4:45
+| venue      =
-| Writer        = [[James Moginie]]<br> [[Rob Hirst|Robert Hirst]]<br> [[Peter Garrett]]
+| genre      = [[New wave music|New wave]], [[post-punk]]
+| length     = 5:39
-| Producer      = [[Midnight Oil]], [[Nick Launay]]
+| label      = [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
-| Last single   = "Armistice Day"<br /> (1981)
+| writer     = [[James Moginie]]<br /> [[Rob Hirst|Robert Hirst]]<br /> [[Peter Garrett]]
-| This single   = "'''Power and the Passion'''"<br /> (1983)
-| Next single   = "[[Read About It]]" <br /> (1983)
+| producer   = [[Midnight Oil]], [[Nick Launay]]
+| prev_title = [[US Forces (song)|US Forces]]
+| prev_year  = 1982
+| next_title = [[Read About It]]
+| next_year  = 1983
+| misc       = {{External music video|{{YouTube|6pKPNnk-JhE|Power and the Passion}}}}
 }}
-"'''Power and the Passion'''" was the second single by [[Midnight Oil]] from their 1982 album ''[[10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1]]'' (following "'''US Forces'''"). The song is one of the band's most famous, and it was performed on every Midnight Oil tour since the issue of ''10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1'' as well as at the [[WaveAid]] concert. It was issued as the album's second single in 1983.
+"'''Power and the Passion'''" is the second single from [[Midnight Oil]]'s 1982 album ''[[10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1]]'' (following "[[US Forces (song)|US Forces]]"). The song is one of the band's most famous, and it was performed on every Midnight Oil tour since the issue of ''10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1'' as well as at the [[WaveAid]] concert.
+At the [[Australian pop music awards|1983 Countdown Music Awards]], the song won Best Australian Single.<ref name="Top40TV">{{Cite web | url = http://users.ncable.net.au/~ronjeff/top40/oz_king.htm | title = Australian Music Awards | publisher = Ron Jeff | access-date = 16 December 2010 }}</ref>
-The video for this song was filmed in 1982 amongst the "Woolloomooloo Mural Project" in Sydney, NSW, Australia.
+In January 2018, as part of [[Triple M]]'s "Ozzest 100", the 'most Australian' songs of all time, "Power and the Passion" was ranked number 29.<ref>{{cite news|work=Musicfeeds|title=Here Are The Songs That Made Triple M's 'Ozzest 100'|url= http://musicfeeds.com.au/news/songs-made-triple-ms-ozzest-100/|access-date=4 January 2020|date=27 January 2018}}</ref>
+==Lyrics and composition==
+The lyrics mention former Australian prime minister [[Gough Whitlam]] and his [[1975 Australian constitutional crisis|dismissal in 1975]], as well as the [[Pine Gap]] spy base, which remain controversial issues in Australia to this day. The song also makes reference to the [[McDonald's]] [[Big Mac]] and paraphrases [[Emiliano Zapata]] with the line "It's better to die on your feet than to live on your knees."
 The song includes a drum solo by [[Rob Hirst]]; it is the only studio recording by Midnight Oil to feature a drum solo.
+==Legacy==
-In May 2001 the [[Australasian Performing Right Association|Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA)]], as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Power and the Passion" as one of the [[APRA Top 30 Australian songs|Top 30 Australian songs]] of all time.<ref name="APRA2001">{{cite web |url=http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/APRAAwards/MusicAwards/History/2001Top30Songs.aspx |title=APRA/AMCOS 2001 Top 30 Songs |publisher=[[Australasian Performing Right Association]] (APRA)|accessdate=2008-11-03 }}</ref><ref name="Kruger">{{cite web |url=http://www.debbiekruger.com/pdfs/aprathirty.pdf |format=PDF |last=Kruger |first=Debbie |title=The songs that resonate through the years |publisher=Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) |date=2001-05-02 |accessdate=2008-11-03 }}</ref> It was the second Midnight Oil song in the list with "Beds Are Burning" declared third behind the [[Easybeats]]' "[[Friday on My Mind]]" and [[Daddy Cool (band)|Daddy Cool]]'s "[[Eagle Rock (song)|Eagle Rock]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.apra.com.au/awards/music/2001_topten.asp |title=The final list: APRA'S Ten best Australian Songs |publisher=Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA) |date=2001-05-28 |accessdate=2008-11-03 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080803151339/http://www.apra.com.au/awards/music/2001_topten.asp <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2008-08-03}}</ref>
+In May 2001 the [[Australasian Performing Right Association|Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA)]], as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Power and the Passion" as one of the [[APRA Top 30 Australian songs|Top 30 Australian songs]] of all time.<ref name="APRA2001">{{cite web |url=http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/APRAAwards/MusicAwards/History/2001Top30Songs.aspx |title=APRA/AMCOS 2001 Top 30 Songs |publisher=[[Australasian Performing Right Association]] (APRA)|access-date=2008-11-03 }}</ref><ref name="Kruger">{{cite web |url=http://www.debbiekruger.com/pdfs/aprathirty.pdf |last=Kruger |first=Debbie |title=The songs that resonate through the years |publisher=Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) |date=2001-05-02 |access-date=2008-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709004348/http://www.debbiekruger.com/pdfs/aprathirty.pdf |archive-date=2011-07-09 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It was the second Midnight Oil song in the list with "Beds Are Burning" declared third behind the [[The Easybeats|Easybeats']] "[[Friday on My Mind]]" and [[Daddy Cool (band)|Daddy Cool]]'s "[[Eagle Rock (song)|Eagle Rock]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.apra.com.au/awards/music/2001_topten.asp |title=The final list: APRA'S Ten best Australian Songs |publisher=Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) |date=2001-05-28 |access-date=2008-11-03 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080803151339/http://www.apra.com.au/awards/music/2001_topten.asp <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2008-08-03}}</ref>
 It was performed by the band at the 2009 [[Sound Relief]] concert in Melbourne.
@@ Line 29: / Line 42: @@
 On 5 June 2012, the song was released  as [[downloadable content]] for the video game ''[[Rock Band 3]]''.
-==Lyrics==
+==Music video==
+The video for "Power and the Passion" was filmed in 1982 amongst the "Woolloomooloo Mural Project" in Sydney, NSW, Australia.
-The lyrics mention former Australian prime minister [[Gough Whitlam]] and his [[1975 Australian constitutional crisis|dismissal in 1975]], as well as the [[Pine Gap]] spy base, which remain controversial issues in Australia to this day. The song also makes reference to the [[McDonald's]] [[Big Mac]] and paraphrases [[Emiliano Zapata]] with the line "It's better to die on your feet than to live on your knees."
 ==Track listing==
@@ Line 41: / Line 54: @@
 More recently, the title of the collection [[Flat Chat]] was derived from the lyrics of this song. However, this song was not featured on that collection.
-It was then featured on the band's second "greatest hits" two-disc 36-track compilation album in 2012, [[Essential Oils (Midnight Oil album)]], fully remastered with the compilation also covering Midnight Oil's entire career, starting with their 1978 self-titled album, and includes tracks from all their studio albums and EPs.
+A newly remastered version was then featured on the band's second "greatest hits" album, [[Essential Oils (album)|Essential Oils]], in 2012.
-==US 12-inch Version==
+==US 12-inch version==
-The US 12-inch single release features a little-known specially remixed version, mixed by [[Francois Kevorkian]] and [[Dominic Malta]] at RPM Sound Studios specifically for the North American market.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/Midnight-Oil-Power-And-The-Passion/release/852177 |title=Midnight Oil - Power And The Passion (Vinyl) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs |accessdate=2010-10-09}}</ref> This special version, which runs for 6:40, did not appear on the 12-inch single as released elsewhere in the world, including in Australia, whose 12-inch single featured the standard album version which runs for 5:38. The remix features echo effects added to [[Peter Garrett]]'s vocals and a continuation or reprise of [[Rob Hirst]]'s drum solo after the nominal ending of the song.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://twelveinch80s.blogspot.com/2010/10/midnight-oil-power-and-passion-special.html |title=Midnight Oil - Power And The Passion - Special Version |publisher=Blogspot |accessdate=2010-10-09}}</ref>
+The US 12-inch single release features a little-known specially remixed version, mixed by [[François Kevorkian]] and [[Dominic Malta]] at RPM Sound Studios specifically for the North American market.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/Midnight-Oil-Power-And-The-Passion/release/852177 |title=Midnight Oil - Power And The Passion (Vinyl) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs |access-date=2010-10-09}}</ref> This special version, titled "Glitch Baby Glitch", did not appear on the 12-inch single as released elsewhere in the world, including in Australia, whose 12-inch single featured the standard album version which runs for 5:38. The remix features echo effects added to [[Peter Garrett]]'s vocals and a continuation or reprise of [[Rob Hirst]]'s drum solo after the nominal ending of the song.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://twelveinch80s.blogspot.com/2010/10/midnight-oil-power-and-passion-special.html |title=Midnight Oil - Power And The Passion - Special Version |publisher=Blogspot |access-date=2010-10-09}}</ref>
 ==Live versions==
-Surprisingly, the song was ''not'' featured on the ''[[Scream in Blue]]'' live album. Live versions were not available legally until 2004, when the ''[[Best of Both Worlds (Midnight Oil album)|Best of Both Worlds]]'' CD/two-DVD set; both DVDs (also the CD, even though it was merely a soundtrack of one of the DVDs) included a different live version; one (the ''Oils on the Water'' CD/DVD) was from early 1985 (on tour for ''[[Red Sails in the Sunset (album)|Red Sails in the Sunset]]'') and the other (the ''Saturday Night at the Capitol'' DVD) was from 1982 (on tour from ''10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1'').
+Live versions of "Power and the Passion" were not available legally until 2004, when the ''[[Best of Both Worlds (Midnight Oil album)|Best of Both Worlds]]'' CD/two-DVD set featured two. One (on the ''Oils on the Water'' CD/DVD) was from early 1985 (the ''[[Red Sails in the Sunset (album)|Red Sails in the Sunset]]'' tour) and the other (on the ''Saturday Night at the Capitol'' DVD) was from 1982 ( the ''10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1'' tour).
 The song's drum solo was often performed significantly faster.
@@ Line 60: / Line 73: @@
 ;with
 * [[Gary Barnacle]], Peter Thoms, Luke Tunney - brass
+==Charts==
+===Weekly charts===
+{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
+|-
+!Chart (1983–1984)
+!Peak<br />position
+|-
+!scope="row"|Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref>{{cite book|title=[[Kent Music Report|Australian Chart Book 1970–1992]]|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=[[St Ives, New South Wales|St Ives, NSW]]|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=200}} NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until [[Australian Recording Industry Association|ARIA]] created their own [[ARIA Charts|charts]] in mid-1988.</ref>
+|8
+|-
+{{single chart|New Zealand|4|artist=Midnight Oil|song=Power & The Passion|rowheader=true|access-date=8 February 2022}}
+|}
+===Year-end charts===
+{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
+|-
+!Chart (1983)
+!Position
+|-
+!scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report)<ref name="aus83">{{cite web |url=https://i.imgur.com/860ttad.jpg |title=Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983 |publisher=[[Kent Music Report]] |via=Imgur.com |access-date=22 January 2023}}</ref>
+|82
+|-
+!Chart (1984)
+!Position
+|-
+!scope="row"|New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1984-12-31|title=End of Year Charts 1984|publisher=[[Recorded Music NZ]]|access-date=8 February 2022}}</ref>
+|39
+|}
 ==References==
-{{reflist}}
+{{Reflist}}
 {{Midnight Oil}}
+{{Authority control}}
 [[Category:1983 singles]]
 [[Category:APRA Award winners]]
 [[Category:Midnight Oil songs]]
+[[Category:1982 songs]]
 [[Category:Columbia Records singles]]
 [[Category:Song recordings produced by Nick Launay]]
+[[Category:Songs written by Jim Moginie]]
+[[Category:Songs written by Peter Garrett]]
+[[Category:Songs written by Martin Rotsey]]

v t e Midnight Oil
Peter Garrett Rob Hirst Jim Moginie Martin Rotsey Andrew James Peter Gifford Bones Hillman
Studio albums	Midnight Oil Head Injuries Place without a Postcard 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Red Sails in the Sunset Diesel and Dust Blue Sky Mining Earth and Sun and Moon Breathe Redneck Wonderland Capricornia The Makarrata Project Resist
Live albums	Scream in Blue The Real Thing Best of Both Worlds Armistice Day Live at the Old Lion, Adelaide, 1982
Compilations	20,000 Watt R.S.L. Flat Chat Essential Oils
EPs	Bird Noises Species Deceases
Singles	"Don't Wanna Be the One" "Armistice Day" "US Forces" "Power and the Passion" "Read About It" "The Dead Heart" "Beds Are Burning" "Put Down That Weapon" "Dreamworld" "Blue Sky Mine" "Forgotten Years" "King of the Mountain" "Sometimes" "Truganini" "Land" "The Real Thing" "No Man's Land" "Gadigal Land" "First Nation" "Rising Seas"
Related articles	Discography Ghostwriters Oil Rag A Version of Now (Garrett solo) The True North (Garrett solo)
Category