The Dead Heart

For the 1996 Australian film, see Dead Heart.

"The Dead Heart" is a song by Australian rock band Midnight Oil.^[2] It was first released as a single in Australia in 1986 and in the United Kingdom and the United States in 1988 after it had been included on the 1987 album, Diesel and Dust.^[2] It peaked at number four on the Australian singles chart and at number 11 on the U.S. Mainstream rock chart.

"The Dead Heart"
Australian 12-inch vinyl single
Single by Midnight Oil
from the album Diesel and Dust
Released	August 1986 (AUS) 1988 (UK, U.S.)
Genre	Folk rock[1] alternative rock
Length	5:10 (album version) 6:20 (extended version)
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Rob Hirst Jim Moginie Peter Garrett Martin Rotsey Peter Gifford
Producer(s)	Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil singles chronology
"Best of Both Worlds" (1985) "The Dead Heart" (1986) "Beds Are Burning" (1987)

At the 1986 Countdown Australian Music Awards, the song was nominated for Best Single.^[3][4]

In January 2018, as part of Triple M's "Ozzest 100", the 'most Australian' songs of all time, "The Dead Heart" was ranked number 76.^[5]

Background

The song deals with the mistreatment of indigenous Australians and the nonrecognition of indigenous cultures in Australia, and was part of efforts to raise awareness of Australia's Stolen Generations - the forcible removal of Australian Aboriginal children from their families between 1909 and the 1970s.

Midnight Oil recorded "The Dead Heart" for the handing back ceremony of Uluru (Ayers Rock) to its traditional Aboriginal owners. The band was then invited to tour through some of the most remote communities in the Australian outback with the Aboriginal group, the Warumpi Band, a tour that was known as the Blackfella/Whitefella tour.^[6]

Track listing

7" single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Dead Heart"	R. Hirst, J. Moginie, P. Garrett, M. Rotsey, P. Gifford[7]	5:10
2.	"Kosciusko"	R. Hirst, J. Moginie[8]	4:57
Total length:			10:07

12" single

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Dead Heart"	R. Hirst, J. Moginie, P. Garrett, M. Rotsey, P. Gifford[7]	6:20
2.	"Blackfella/Whitefella" (performed by Warumpi Band)	N.Murray, G. Djilaynga[9]	3:25
3.	"This Land" (performed by Coloured Stone)	B.Lawrie[10]	5:00
Total length:			14:45

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1986–1989) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[11] 4 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 20 Canada RPM Top Singles 38 France (SNEP)[13] 19 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] 40 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] 14 UK Singles (OCC)[16] 62 U.S. Billboard Hot 100[17] 53 U.S. Billboard Top Albums Tracks[18] 11

Year-end charts Chart (1986) Rank Australia (Kent Music Report)[19] 30