The Oils’ song from their break-out album , Diesel and Dust 20+ years ago, maybe closer to 30 …

These guys brought the sound and the kenetic energy with social issues to the fore, audiences unable to look away,

So good, timeless…

Lyrics START

I know
That the sunset empire shudders and shakes
And I know
There’s a floodgate and a raging river
And I say, yeah
See the silence of the ribbons of iron and steel
And I say
Hear the punch-drunk huddle as they drive on a hammer and steel
Sometimes you’re beaten to the call
Sometimes
Sometimes you’re taken to the wall
And you don’t give in
Sometimes you’re beaten to the call
Sometimes
Sometimes you’re taken to the wall
But you don’t give in
I know
I know
That the cannibals wear smart suits and ties
And I know
They arm wrestle on the altar
And I say
Don’t leave your heart in a hard place
Sometimes you’re beaten to the call
Sometimes
Sometimes you’re taken to the wall
Ah, yeah, yeah
Sometimes you’re beaten to the call
Sometimes
Sometimes you’re taken to the wall
But you don’t give in
Sometimes you’re beaten to the call
Sometimes
Sometimes you’re taken to the wall, ohh
And you don’t give in
Sometimes your face is gonna fall
Don’t you mean it
Sometimes you’re beaten to the call
Sometimes
Sometimes you’re taken to the wall
But you don’t give in

Songwriters: James Moginie / Martin Rotsey / Peter Garrett / Peter Gifford / Robert Hirst

Lyrics END.

And then,

Gut check.

A particular friend who particularly enjoyed The Oils passed about eight years ago from cancer…

And now another friend from our same group has a different kind of cancer…

Sometimes you just don’t know what’s gonna happen, sometimes you just have to rally, sometimes there’s no weight, all the time you need to rally.

Rally? Be there? GOOD.