"Truganini" is a song by Australian rock band
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil (known informally as "The Oils") are an Australian rock band composed of Peter Garrett (vocals, harmonica), Rob Hirst (drums), Jim Moginie (guitar, keyboard) and Martin Rotsey (guitar). The group was formed in Sydney in 1972 by ...
from their eighth studio album, ''
Earth and Sun and Moon'' (1993). It was inspired by
Truganini, a
Nuenonne woman from south-east Tasmania. The song uses a recurring Australian issue—drought—to pose the question "what for?", meaning "why did Europeans bother to colonise this harsh place?" The song mentions two prominent indigenous Australians (
Truganini and
Albert Namatjira) whose lives were altered by European settlement and discusses current day sentiment towards the old country, namely the
monarchy.
"Truganini" was a chart success in several countries when released in March 1993, peaking at number four in New Zealand, number 10 in Australia, number 11 in Canada and number 29 in the United Kingdom. In the United States, it peaked at number four on the ''Billboard''
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-played ...
chart and number 10 on the
Album Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock is a music chart in ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States, a category that combines the formats of active rock and heritage rock. The chart was launched in Ma ...
chart. The single's liner notes included the claim that Truganini was the "sole surviving Tasmanian Aborigine" when she died. This sparked protest by some of the 7,000 people who identify as Tasmanian Aboriginal.
Lead singer
Peter Garrett issued an apology.
Live performances
The band performed the song live for American audiences as the musical guest on the American television show ''
Saturday Night Live'' on 8 May 1993, when
Christina Applegate served as host.
Track listings
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
References
External links
Video
{{DEFAULTSORT:Truganini (Song)
1993 singles
1993 songs
Columbia Records singles
Midnight Oil songs
Song recordings produced by Nick Launay
Songs about Australia
Songs against racism and xenophobia
Songs written by Rob Hirst
Songs written by Jim Moginie