"Blue Sky Mine" is a song by Australian rock band Midnight Oil, released in February 1990 as the first single from their seventh studio album, Blue Sky Mining (1990). The song was inspired by the experiences of workers at the Wittenoom asbestos mines who contracted various asbestos-related diseases The "blue" refers to blue asbestos, and the "sugar refining company" mentioned in the lyrics refers to the Colonial Sugar Refining Company Ltd, the owner of the mines. The town of "Wittenoom" Closure Bill became law in March 2022. Tourists have been warned to stay away from Wittenoom for years. More than 2,000 Wittenoom residents and former mine workers have died from mesothelioma. Asbestos is the primary cause of this malignant cancer. Peace out.
For context though this was asbestos mining and this song came out just after it was proven in court that the mining company knew the health risks of asbestos well before it was generally known (a bit like the tobacco companies) and still kept the mines going when their workers didn’t know the risks.
Me and my dad (God rest him) used to drive around when I was a kid, listening to music and singing along. This was on high rotation. ❤ thanks for the memory's. Xx
The Oils are a band with a conscience and a message for the greater good . Many of the workers did not know of the effects of asbestos mining on health. When the company knew they kept quiet about it until people with the disease and their families started bringing it to public attention..
Great reaction Mi!! This is one of my favourite Oils song. So powerful! Released in 1990, the song is about the workers at the Wittenoom asbestos mines (Western Australia) who contracted various asbestos-related diseases. 'Blue' refers to dangerous blue asbestos. 'Sugar refining company' is a reference to the Colonial Sugar Refining Company that owned the mine. The mines closed in the 1960's. The line 'and some have sailed from a distant shore' definitely fits in with my relatives who were 10 pound poms. They lived and worked in Wittenoom, and some died as a result of the asbestos.
Great song! Im pretty sure that the Oils usually have a message or political or environmental statement! The main drive of the song is actually that the companies knew asbestos was dangerous well before it was commonly known to be. Asbestos has been since banned.
They also often say; "If you don't like it -then eff off!". Fair enough. I chose to stay in order to provide. In that sense....., No regrets!. Kids come first eh mate!. That's the job of a man in my book. It's bloody lonesome now,but I'd do it again if I had to!.👍👍 Cheers Uncle, Z.👍
This has nothing to do with workers going to an unsafe workplace. It’s about the aftermath of what was being mined. Asbestos. Families losing loved ones from mesothelioma. They were bringing awareness to asbestosis, and making those being responsible to exposing others to the dangers of it responsible.
This is one of my favourite Oils songs. The asbestos lawsuit, the Blue Sky Mining Co. not supporting their workers is the theme. Yes, they are a political/protest band, but their subjects vary. Check out “King of the Mountain” - this is a song about an iconic cross-country foot race. I think you would like “Forgotten Years” - it celebrates war veterans and everything they fought for (and it does have a protest element, which I think everyone would agree with).
This is particularly about mining asbestos, which caused a whole hell of a lot of disease here amongst miners and others. Also indigenous children playing in asbestos tailings, and the use of asbestos caused disease everywhere. The real scandal was how hard it was to get the company to pay out for their injured workers and others, having known how dangerous the stuff was. Yes, pretty much all their songs are activist, which sometimes means they're a bit stuck in a date. But some of their songs are timeless.
Funny thing is with "The Oils" as they are known here they originally were a surf music style band with lots of early surf covers as well as their own music then found the ability to change everything time and again into activism in a lot of their music.They were never afraid to cover issues of the day and advance the cause to fight injustice, no not every song is about activism. Blue Sky mine was all about asbestos killing so many workers and families involved with the mines, finally they had to pay out but as always they made it go on for years in the hope most died before any payout had to be meet. For a change in The Oils try "Wedding Cake Island" pure instrumental surf music.
Midnight Oil is very much an activist band. Lead singer, Peter Garrett also was a member of federal parliament for a term or two, serving as a Government Minister during his time. Funnily enough, he joined a party which is owned by mining companies via party donations.
both major parties are owned by mining companies - it seems the voters like mining companies plundering the land and garrett only joined the labor party after the greens because he thought he could make more of an impact but ultimately he was undermined by the fat cats of canberra
The money in the NorthWest was good. Welding teeth back on a digger bought my first house. Utah Mining was good to their workers. Free housing. (SMQ's). Supermarket vouchers, free cars and fuel.
The workers didn't know asbestos was deadly for a long time Mike it was just a great work opportunity. A lovely town called Wittenoom Gorge was created for the workers and the community was happy and full of young families, lots of children and new born babies too. The company did know the danger at some point and hid it and then, workers got sick, sometimes decades later and the company insisted they didn't know and weren't responsible. None of the workers would have worked there if they had known it would kill them Mike. It only took one exposure to asbestos. Wittenoom Gorge (the town) was eventually closed with warning signs telling people not to go in there. The asbestos is still flying around. My cousin was called in to do a couple of necessary jobs, not as a mine worker, he was there doing something else and was only there for a couple of weeks in the town not the mine. A few years later he was playing golf and suddenly couldn't breathe. He died 6 months later. A few people refused to move from the town but the last person was eventually evicted. The legal fight was one of the longest in legal history here. You probably know a bit about the tobacco company fight over there, it was a similar fight hers with asbestos.
Lol, maybe you should put a monocle and a little moustache on that camera. .. The lead singer (Peter Garret) put his money where his mouth is and became a member of parliament. In fact he became a senior member in the federal govt. where he became the Minister for the Environment.. He tried his best but eventually found that idealism and hard political reality don't mix too well.
I just suggested you check this out … and I see that you’ve already done it. But I think you need some background. Asbestos dust causes, among other things, Mesothelioma. It’s a horrible disease,; it often doesn’t make its presence felt for decades after it was inhaled. It’s incurable and results in a long, slow and lingering death. It’s not just the miners who were subject to it; their families when they brought their work clothes home. The town of Wittenoom is now uninhabitable. It wasn’t just the mining company either. Asbestos was used for a long time in the manufacture of building products and car parts like brake linings. James Hardie was the company which became notorious for one of the most shameful episodes of corporate bastardry in Australian history. And now a new generation of sufferers of dust diseases: people who renovate old houses, not knowing what they’re getting into, and disturbing the asbestos all over again. I live in Sydney’s inner west: want a very new story about asbestos and incompetence? Hooo boy… I’ll leave that for another time. So, without wishing to flame you, “go and work somewhere else” is not really something that you would say now, right?
There's a fascinating 60 Minutes interview on RUclips with a bloke who was the last resident of Wittenoom, he came after the problems were well known, but he stayed for decades, If I remember rightly.
You are so funny sometimes mate, in a nice way though. You make some really valid points Mike I have a friend who works in the mines and he gets $4k a week yet he never has any money just lots of expensive toys and debts up to his neck.
During the early 90's recession, an American fast food company opened in my town. Their behaviour showed how wrong US companies behave and take advantage by making the prerequisite of being interviewed for a job was to buy their uniform to wear for the job interview, without guarantee of employment and no refund. When I went, I only saw a few people wearing their uniform they purchased. Everyone else rocked up in our own clothing, refusing to hand over that cash to them.
Watched a bunch of your videos in the last few days. Great videos, but this one was a bit off Mike. The workers didn't know about the dangers, Mike. The companies found out and kept it hidden, while continuing to exploit those workers, who yes probably felt that they needed that job, kept working. It is NOT the fault of the workers. We also don't have any industries in Australia where you can retire and get a pension so young, except.......Politicians.
"Blue Sky Mine" is a song by Australian rock band Midnight Oil, released in February 1990 as the first single from their seventh studio album, Blue Sky Mining (1990). The song was inspired by the experiences of workers at the Wittenoom asbestos mines who contracted various asbestos-related diseases The "blue" refers to blue asbestos, and the "sugar refining company" mentioned in the lyrics refers to the Colonial Sugar Refining Company Ltd, the owner of the mines. The town of "Wittenoom" Closure Bill became law in March 2022. Tourists have been warned to stay away from Wittenoom for years. More than 2,000 Wittenoom residents and former mine workers have died from mesothelioma. Asbestos is the primary cause of this malignant cancer. Peace out.
For context though this was asbestos mining and this song came out just after it was proven in court that the mining company knew the health risks of asbestos well before it was generally known (a bit like the tobacco companies) and still kept the mines going when their workers didn’t know the risks.
one of the best aussie songs period.
They are absolutely a protest/political band. Peter Garret is a lawyer who ended up as a minister in the federal government. Very strong in his views
One of my favourite Oils songs…not just for the topic, but the sonic vibe is just so evocative of our landscape.
Me and my dad (God rest him) used to drive around when I was a kid, listening to music and singing along. This was on high rotation. ❤ thanks for the memory's. Xx
This whole album is brilliant. I still listen to it today. My favourite track is One Country 👌.
You gotta love Mike. Seems like a great man to me..
Love your insights into your work Mike. This was another great album from Midnight Oil.
The Oils are a band with a conscience and a message for the greater good . Many of the workers did not know of the effects of asbestos mining on health. When the company knew they kept quiet about it until people with the disease and their families started bringing it to public attention..
Great reaction Mi!! This is one of my favourite Oils song. So powerful! Released in 1990, the song is about the workers at the Wittenoom asbestos mines (Western Australia) who contracted various asbestos-related diseases. 'Blue' refers to dangerous blue asbestos. 'Sugar refining company' is a reference to the Colonial Sugar Refining Company that owned the mine. The mines closed in the 1960's. The line 'and some have sailed from a distant shore' definitely fits in with my relatives who were 10 pound poms. They lived and worked in Wittenoom, and some died as a result of the asbestos.
Great song! Im pretty sure that the Oils usually have a message or political or environmental statement!
The main drive of the song is actually that the companies knew asbestos was dangerous well before it was commonly known to be. Asbestos has been since banned.
G'day Mike. Keep up the Aussie reviews, You will have a blast when you get to bands like Skyhooks.
They also often say;
"If you don't like it -then eff off!".
Fair enough.
I chose to stay in order to provide. In that sense.....,
No regrets!.
Kids come first eh mate!.
That's the job of a man in my book.
It's bloody lonesome now,but I'd do it again if I had to!.👍👍
Cheers Uncle,
Z.👍
You're a good man!
"Is every song of theirs a protest song?" Yes, yes it is. 🤣
Except for the one about Brocky - king of the mountain 🇭🇲
This has nothing to do with workers going to an unsafe workplace. It’s about the aftermath of what was being mined. Asbestos. Families losing loved ones from mesothelioma. They were bringing awareness to asbestosis, and making those being responsible to exposing others to the dangers of it responsible.
This is one of my favourite Oils songs. The asbestos lawsuit, the Blue Sky Mining Co. not supporting their workers is the theme.
Yes, they are a political/protest band, but their subjects vary.
Check out “King of the Mountain” - this is a song about an iconic cross-country foot race.
I think you would like “Forgotten Years” - it celebrates war veterans and everything they fought for (and it does have a protest element, which I think everyone would agree with).
G'day Mike, There are so many reasons for staying in a place. It can also be the same reason to move away.
This is particularly about mining asbestos, which caused a whole hell of a lot of disease here amongst miners and others. Also indigenous children playing in asbestos tailings, and the use of asbestos caused disease everywhere. The real scandal was how hard it was to get the company to pay out for their injured workers and others, having known how dangerous the stuff was.
Yes, pretty much all their songs are activist, which sometimes means they're a bit stuck in a date. But some of their songs are timeless.
Funny thing is with "The Oils" as they are known here they originally were a surf music style band with lots of early surf covers as well as their own music then found the ability to change everything time and again into activism in a lot of their music.They were never afraid to cover issues of the day and advance the cause to fight injustice, no not every song is about activism. Blue Sky mine was all about asbestos killing so many workers and families involved with the mines, finally they had to pay out but as always they made it go on for years in the hope most died before any payout had to be meet. For a change in The Oils try "Wedding Cake Island" pure instrumental surf music.
Midnight Oil is very much an activist band. Lead singer, Peter Garrett also was a member of federal parliament for a term or two, serving as a Government Minister during his time. Funnily enough, he joined a party which is owned by mining companies via party donations.
both major parties are owned by mining companies - it seems the voters like mining companies plundering the land and garrett only joined the labor party after the greens because he thought he could make more of an impact but ultimately he was undermined by the fat cats of canberra
The money in the NorthWest was good. Welding teeth back on a digger bought my first house. Utah Mining was good to their workers. Free housing. (SMQ's). Supermarket vouchers, free cars and fuel.
The town has been erased from maps.
The workers didn't know asbestos was deadly for a long time Mike it was just a great work opportunity. A lovely town called Wittenoom Gorge was created for the workers and the community was happy and full of young families, lots of children and new born babies too. The company did know the danger at some point and hid it and then, workers got sick, sometimes decades later and the company insisted they didn't know and weren't responsible. None of the workers would have worked there if they had known it would kill them Mike. It only took one exposure to asbestos. Wittenoom Gorge (the town) was eventually closed with warning signs telling people not to go in there. The asbestos is still flying around. My cousin was called in to do a couple of necessary jobs, not as a mine worker, he was there doing something else and was only there for a couple of weeks in the town not the mine. A few years later he was playing golf and suddenly couldn't breathe. He died 6 months later. A few people refused to move from the town but the last person was eventually evicted. The legal fight was one of the longest in legal history here. You probably know a bit about the tobacco company fight over there, it was a similar fight hers with asbestos.
thats a great summary @Reefsider-fq4sk and a very apt comparison to the tobacco companies
Lol, maybe you should put a monocle and a little moustache on that camera. .. The lead singer (Peter Garret) put his money where his mouth is and became a member of parliament. In fact he became a senior member in the federal govt. where he became the Minister for the Environment.. He tried his best but eventually found that idealism and hard political reality don't mix too well.
I just suggested you check this out … and I see that you’ve already done it.
But I think you need some background. Asbestos dust causes, among other things, Mesothelioma. It’s a horrible disease,; it often doesn’t make its presence felt for decades after it was inhaled. It’s incurable and results in a long, slow and lingering death. It’s not just the miners who were subject to it; their families when they brought their work clothes home. The town of Wittenoom is now uninhabitable.
It wasn’t just the mining company either. Asbestos was used for a long time in the manufacture of building products and car parts like brake linings. James Hardie was the company which became notorious for one of the most shameful episodes of corporate bastardry in Australian history.
And now a new generation of sufferers of dust diseases: people who renovate old houses, not knowing what they’re getting into, and disturbing the asbestos all over again. I live in Sydney’s inner west: want a very new story about asbestos and incompetence? Hooo boy…
I’ll leave that for another time.
So, without wishing to flame you, “go and work somewhere else” is not really something that you would say now, right?
There's a fascinating 60 Minutes interview on RUclips with a bloke who was the last resident of Wittenoom, he came after the problems were well known, but he stayed for decades, If I remember rightly.
Wasn't he the weather reporter for the bureau of meteorology taking the weather readings for the area.
maybe you should also listen to their song "forgotten years" - a very anti-war song but a respectful song about the soldiers that lost their lives
You are so funny sometimes mate, in a nice way though. You make some really valid points Mike I have a friend who works in the mines and he gets $4k a week yet he never has any money just lots of expensive toys and debts up to his neck.
During the early 90's recession, an American fast food company opened in my town. Their behaviour showed how wrong US companies behave and take advantage by making the prerequisite of being interviewed for a job was to buy their uniform to wear for the job interview, without guarantee of employment and no refund. When I went, I only saw a few people wearing their uniform they purchased. Everyone else rocked up in our own clothing, refusing to hand over that cash to them.
Video may have killed the radio star, but corporates are killing my kingdom.
Watched a bunch of your videos in the last few days. Great videos, but this one was a bit off Mike. The workers didn't know about the dangers, Mike. The companies found out and kept it hidden, while continuing to exploit those workers, who yes probably felt that they needed that job, kept working. It is NOT the fault of the workers. We also don't have any industries in Australia where you can retire and get a pension so young, except.......Politicians.
This man talks a load of BS