Power and the Passion (song)

Song infobox
Name = Power and the Passion | Artist = Midnight Oil
Album = 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Genre = Rock
Label = Jimbobs Records
Released = 1982
Producer = Midnight Oil, Nick Launay
track_no = 7
Length = 5:40
Tracks =
# Outside World
# Only the Strong
# Short Memory
# Read about It
# Scream in Blue
# US Forces
# Power and the Passion
# Maralinga
# Tin-legs and Tin Mines
# Somebody's Trying to Tell Me Something
Misc = Extra chronology 2
Artist = Midnight Oil
Type = singles
Last single = "Armistice Day"
(1981)
This single = "Power and the Passion"
(1982)
Next single = "Read about It"
(1982)

"Power and the Passion" is a song by Midnight Oil from their widely-acclaimed 1982 studio album "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1". The song is one of the band's most famous, and it appeared 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 lead single in 1982. (The only other song on this album which has appeared on all tours since their issue is "Read about It.")

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

The song also features use of brass instruments, particularly at the end; this, however, was not the only song to include such. "Best of Both Worlds" and "Say Your Prayers" also included large amounts of brass.

Compilations

This track was an obvious choice to be placed on the band's "greatest hits" collection 20,000 Watt R.S.L. The collection was less a "greatest hits" than a compilation of the band's favorite songs. The band obviously had a soft spot for this song, considering how often it was played live.

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

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" CD/2DVD 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") 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").

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

Personnel

* Peter Garrett - lead vocals
* Peter Gifford - bass, backup vocals (later Bones Hillman)
* Martin Rotsey - guitar
* Jim Moginie - guitar, keyboards
* Rob Hirst - drums, percussion

References

External links

* [http://www.lyricsfreak.com/m/midnight+oil/power+the+passion_20093259.html Power and the Passion lyrics]