Blue Sky Mining

Blue Sky Mining
Studio album by Midnight Oil
Released 25 February 1990
Recorded Sydney, 1989 in Rhino
Genre Rock
Length 46:52
Label Columbia
Producer Warne Livesey & Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil chronology
Diesel and Dust
(1987)
Blue Sky Mining
(1990)
The Green Disc
(1990)

Blue Sky Mining is an album by Australian alternative rock band Midnight Oil which was released on 25 February 1990 under the Columbia Records label. It received high ratings from critics. In March the album peaked at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart for two weeks. A limited release of the record featured clear blue vinyl. The lead single "Blue Sky Mine" reached #1 on Modern Rock Tracks.

Background

Blue Sky Mining, produced by Warne Livesey, was released by CBS/Columbia on 25 February 1990.[1] It peaked at number one on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) albums chart.[2] It stayed at number one for two weeks in Australia and had Top 5 chart success in Sweden, Switzerland and Norway.[3] It peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200[4] and number 28 on the UK charts.[5] The album was "more defiant and outspoken" than their previous work;[6] the single "Blue Sky Mine" describes asbestos exposure in the Wittenoom mine tragedy.[6] The lead single peaked at number eight on the ARIA singles charts,[2] top 15 in Norway and Switzerland,[7] number 47 on Billboard Hot 100 and number one on both their Mainstream and Modern Rock Tracks charts,[8] and appeared on the UK charts.[5] The second single, "Forgotten Years," was more moderately successful, reaching number 26 on the ARIA singles chart, number 97 in the UK, number 11 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks, and number one on the Modern Rock Tracks.

At the ARIA Music Awards of 1991, Midnight Oil won 'Best Group' and an 'Outstanding Achievement Award', and were awarded 'Best Cover Art', 'Best Video' and 'Album of the Year' for Blue Sky Mining.[9][10] Manager Gary Morris, accepting awards for Midnight Oil, was criticised for a speech lasting 20 minutes.[10][11]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic link
Rolling Stone link

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Blue Sky Mine"  Garrett, Hillman, Hirst, Moginie, Rotsey 4:18
2. "Stars of Warburton"  Garrett, Moginie 4:43
3. "Bedlam Bridge"  Hirst 4:25
4. "Forgotten Years"  Hirst, Moginie 4:21
5. "Mountains of Burma"  Hirst 4:50
6. "King of the Mountain"  Hirst, Moginie 3:58
7. "River Runs Red"  Hirst, Moginie 5:28
8. "Shakers and Movers"  Garrett, Moginie 4:32
9. "One Country"  Garrett, Moginie 5:56
10. "Antarctica"  Garrett, Hirst, Moginie, Rotsey 4:22
11. "You May Not Be Released**"  Moginie 3:38

Chart positions

Year Chart Position
1990 Australian ARIA Albums Chart 1

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[13] 5× Platinum 350,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Year-end charts

Chart (1990) Position
Australian Albums Chart[14] 3

Singles

Singles
"Blue Sky Mine"
  • Released: 1990 (Netherlands, Australia, UK, US)
  • Written by: Midnight Oil
  • Produced by: Warne Livesey, Midnight Oil
  • Chart positions: #66 UK, #47 US, #8 Australia, #1 US Modern Rock Tracks
"Forgotten Years"
  • Released: 1990 (Netherlands, UK, US, Australia)
  • Written by: Moginie, Hirst
  • Produced by: Warne Livesey, Midnight Oil
  • Chart positions: #26 Australia, #1 US Modern Rock Tracks
"Bedlam Bridge"
  • Released: 1990 (Netherlands, US, Australia)
  • Written by: Hirst
  • Produced by: Warne Livesey, Midnight Oil
  • Chart positions: #46 Australia
"King of the Mountain"
  • Released: 1990 (Australia, US)
  • Written by: Moginie, Hirst
  • Produced by: Warne Livesey, Midnight Oil
  • Chart positions: #25 Australia
"One Country"
  • Released: 1991 (Australia)
  • Written by: Moginie, Garrett
  • Produced by: Warne Livesey, Midnight Oil
  • Chart positions: #51 Australia

[15][16]

Personnel

Midnight Oil
Additional personnel

References

  1. Holmgren, Magnus; Stenerlöv, Carl-Johan. "Midnight Oil". Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Midnight Oil discography". Australian Charts Portal. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  3. "Blue Sky Mining album charting". Australian Charts Portal. Retrieved 23 October 2008.
  4. "Midnight Oil – Charts & Awards – Billboard Albums". allmusic. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
  5. 1 2 "Chart Stats Midnight Oil". Chart Stats. Retrieved 22 October 2008.
  6. 1 2 McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Midnight Oil'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-768-2. Retrieved 20 October 2008.
  7. ""Blue Sky Mine" single charting". Australian Charts Portal. Retrieved 23 October 2008.
  8. "Midnight Oil – Charts & Awards – Billboard Albums". allmusic. Retrieved 22 October 2008.
  9. "ARIA Awards 2008: History: Winners by Artist search result for Midnight Oil". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 25 August 2008.
  10. 1 2 "ARIA Awards 2008: History: Winners by Year search result for 1991". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 24 October 2008.
  11. Jenkins, Jeff; Ian Meldrum (2007). Molly Meldrum presents 50 years of rock in Australia. Melbourne: Wilkinson Publishing. pp. 21, 82, 237–241. ISBN 978-1-921332-11-1.
  12. Album FAQ - Blue Sky Mining at the Wayback Machine (archived February 6, 2012)
  13. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2014 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  14. "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums1990". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  15. True Believers - Hunters & Collectors Online at the Wayback Machine (archived May 10, 2013)
  16. "Midnight Oil Discography at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 8 October 2014.

External links

Preceded by
The 12th Man Again! by The 12th Man
Australian ARIA Albums Chart number-one album
11–24 March 1990
Succeeded by
I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got by Sinéad O'Connor
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