QUIZ: Guess The ’80s Song By The First Line

“Out where the river broke”

Retry Correct Incorrect Although “Beds Are Burning” by Midnight Oil is a serious rallying cry for the rights of indigenous Australians, American listeners in 1987 didn’t necessarily need to know that context to propel the song into a worldwide hit. Those strong opening notes and Peter Garrett’s unusual vibrato made enough of an impression on their own.

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Photo by Gie Knaeps/Getty Images

Photo by Gie Knaeps/Getty Images

“Out where the river broke”

• “Beds Are Burning”
• “Put Down That Weapon”
• “Short Memory”
• “The Dead Heart”