First Nation (song)

"First Nation" is a song by Australian rock band Midnight Oil featuring Jessica Mauboy and Tasman Keith. The song was released on 25 September 2020 as the second single from the band's twelfth studio album The Makarrata Project; a themed mini-album of collaborations with Indigenous artists.[4]

"First Nation"
Single by Midnight Oil featuring Jessica Mauboy and Tasman Keith
from the album The Makarrata Project
Released	25 September 2020[1]
Recorded	2019[2]
Length	4:51
Label	Sony Music Australia
Songwriter(s)	Robert Hirst, Tasman Keith[3]
Producer(s)	Warne Livesey
Midnight Oil singles chronology
"Gadigal Land" (2020) "First Nation" (2020)
Jessica Mauboy singles chronology
"Butterfly" (2020) "First Nation" (2020)
Tasman Keith singles chronology
"64 Bars" (2020) "First Nation" (2020) "No Country" (2020)

Background and recording

Tasman Keith said Midnight Oil contacted him and asking to contribute to the album, which Keith described as "a surreal moment". Keith said "the first song they had in mind for me, I wasn't sure about it, I couldn't see myself adding to it, so they played me a few other songs, when I heard 'First Nation', I knew it was the one."[2] Keith felt connected to the song and wrote his own verse, putting his own touch on the tune, which made the final version.[5] Keith said it was only once he was in the studio that someone told him that Jessica Mauboy was also contributing vocals to the song as well with Keith confessing "It was a while before I processed it all, I was too busy working to get star struck, but a few weeks later, it hit me, I have a song with Jess Mauboy and Midnight Oil."[2]

Jessica Mauboy told National Indigenous Times she was "pinching herself the entire time they were recording", and she felt "a deep connection to the track". Mauboy said "This is such a signature for Midnight Oil. This is their identity. The lyrics are so proper true, tears started rolling out my eyes when I heard it and I looked at Peter and he started crying. It was the first time falling in love with it … when I got an MP3 file I was playing it non-stop."[5]

Live performances

The group performed the song on The Sound on 1 November 2020.[6]

Critical reception

In an album review, Bernard Zuel from The Guardian described the song as having "tense-but-rhythmic groove" and believed it echoed their 1987 single "Put Down That Weapon".[7]

Also in an album review, Timothy Monger from AllMusic said "The powerful opener (First Nation) weaves its collaborators seamlessly into Midnight Oil's wiry guitar attack with pop singer Jessica Mauboy and rapper Tasman Keith adding some youthful fire into the mix."[8]

References

1. "New single 'First Nation' music video". midnightoil. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
2. "Tasman Keith provides vocals for Midnight Oil song "First Nation"". Bellingen Courier. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
3. "'First Nation' at APRA search engine". APRA AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association, Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society). Retrieved 27 September 2020. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'
4. Maloon, Natacha (7 August 2020). "Midnight Oil release their first new song in 20 years, "Gadigal Land"". 9Honey. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
5. "Midnight Oil breaks hiatus with new album supporting Uluru Statement". NIT. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
6. Langford, Jackson (24 October 2020). "Kylie Minogue, Ruel, Midnight Oil to perform on season two premiere of 'The Sound'". NME Australia. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
7. Zuel, Berard (30 October 2020). "Midnight Oil: The Makarrata Project review – a chorus of anger over stolen land". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
8. Monger, Timothy (4 November 2020). "Midnight Oil - The Makarrata Project". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 November 2020.