NationStates Jolt Archive

Powderfinger, one of the great Aussie bands, is to have it's album pushed back because the lyrics of one of the songs are about black deaths in custody.

Powderfinger facing lyrics ban
By Patrick Lion
May 02, 2007

AUSTRALIAN supergroup Powderfinger's new album could be banned before its release over a song closely resembling the Palm Island death-in-custody case.
The defence team for Palm Island police officer Chris Hurley will reportedly refer the lyrics of Black Tears to State Attorney-General Kerry Shine before next month’s national release of the Brisbane band’s album.

‘‘The content and proposed timing of the song’s release raises some serious concerns regarding Mr Hurley’s trial,’’ lawyer Glen Cranny said today.

In an explosive second verse, singer Bernard Fanning describes a scene similar to one version of events surrounding the 2004 death of Aboriginal man Mulrunji in the Palm Island watchhouse.

‘‘An island watchhouse bed, a black man’s lying dead,’’ Fanning sings in lyrics obtained by mX that cannot be published in full for legal reasons.

Sen-Sgt Hurley will face trial on manslaughter and assault charges in Townsville Supreme Court on June 12, just 10 days after the Dream Days at the Hotel Existence album is released and tipped to debut at No.1.

Band manager Paul Piticco said Fanning confirmed the song was about Palm Island, but was not legalled because it was not specific.

‘‘The song is about the whole issue of Aboriginal deaths in custody,’’ he said.

‘‘(But the island mention)could be a watchhouse in the Bahamas or something.’’

Legal experts believe the Powderfinger album could be delayed, at least in Queensland and nationally online, until after the trial.


Now, had Hurley gone on trial when he should have (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Palm_Island_death_in_custody), instead of racism and bigotry, there would be no need to make such a controversy and censor the band. Although I tend to think it runs deeper than that - the ugly heart of Australia's racism towards it's indigenous population.

have they ever listen to rap

have they ever listen to rap

While noting I disagree with any censorship, I believe the issue is that it's referring to an ongoing criminal case and they're afraid of it influencing the jurors, not the actual content.

the ugly heart of Australia's racism towards it's indigenous population.

To be fair, a lot of them are kinda losers. Their worlds suck.

While noting I disagree with any censorship, I believe the issue is that it's referring to an ongoing criminal case and they're afraid of it influencing the jurors, not the actual content.

why not just ask them change the words then

While noting I disagree with any censorship, I believe the issue is that it's referring to an ongoing criminal case and they're afraid of it influencing the jurors, not the actual content.

Newspapers have been reporting on this for months. The Police Union has been making an outcry for months and months, threatening strikes and marching on Parliament House when it was decided the disgusting excuse for a human being that killed Mulrunji would stand trial.

Furthermore, the song is generic with no references to Palm Island, Mulrunji, or Hurley. Therefore, one could infer that it is about Black Deaths in Custody generally. Also, had Hurley been tried originally (which, had the Queensland police not threatened to strike if he went on trial for murder, he probably would have), there would be no issue here. Had the Dept. of Public Prosecutions not bowed to the boys in blue and had served justice, Fanning may not have even written the song.

To be fair, a lot of them are kinda losers. Their worlds suck.

So they don't deserve justice? Human rights? Human dignity?

Who's fault is it that their worlds suck? Theirs, or ours? I seriously doubt, considering that an indigenous child born in this country has a lower life expectancy than impoverished (not meaning that all people in developing nations are impoverished) citizens of several third world countries, that their problems are their own fault.

To be fair, a lot of them are kinda losers. Their worlds suck.


Seeing as you were trying to be an "internet German" I'd say yours must "suck" too.

Seeing as you were trying to be an "internet German" I'd say yours must "suck" too.

First of all, I'm German/Ukrainian. Second, you're most likely American, so you shouldn't say shit like that about anybody.

First of all, I'm German/Ukrainian. .

A "German/Ukranian" in......?

And as you are an out and out racist, yes, I can indeed say "shit". I find it rather better than talking it.

Would you think that well over a hundred deaths in custody since the 90's would mean that something indeed "sucks" with regard to their treatment? Or is that too much like addressing the issue for you.....