The Hillmans: A Tribute To Bones

It’s 12 months today since Bones Hillman exited the stage ... and what better way to commemorate his singular memory than with a new bittersweet song featuring some of his many friends. "One Voice” can be downloaded right now for free here https://www.midnightoil.com/one-voice...

The initial inspiration came to Midnight Oil’s Rob Hirst soon after Bones’ passing. Rob recorded the song live at Jim Moginie’s Oceanic Studio, with Hamish Stuart on drums, Jim producing and playing guitar and Mellotron, and Rob singing and playing acoustic. The track also features contributions by Martin Rotsey (guitar), Peter Garrett (vocals) and Warne Livesey (bass), plus the distinctive vocals of Rob’s daughter Jay O’Shea. Their joint tribute even includes an apt slice of the Kiwi classic “Counting The Beat” (co-written by Bones along with his Swingers bandmates, Phil Judd and Buster Stiggs). “One Voice”was mixed by Warne Livesey with a stirring music video by Robert Hambling, using Bones’ home movie footage.

As Peter Garrett exhorts near the end of the piece ... “hey Bonesy, can you believe it? We’re singing this song about you, without you!”.

On this sad anniversary The Hillmans add their voice to all those sending their best wishes to Denise from across the waves. They also send their love to Bones who is hopefully holding court right now in some celestial bar, surrounded by eternal laughter.

The Hillmans are: Rob Hirst, Jim Moginie, Peter Garrett, Martin Rotsey, Hamish Stuart, Jay O’Shea, Warne Livesey.
Recorded by Jim Moginie at Oceanic Studio, Brookvale NSW.
Mixed by Warne Livesey.
Mastered by Brock McFarlane at CPS Mastering.
Photo of Bones’ bass guitar: Rob Hambling.
Artwork: Stu Eadie.
Thanks to John and Melissa at Eleven, Denise, The Swingers, Rob Hambling, Hamish Stuart.

Lyrics:
Writers: Hirst, Judd, Stiggs, Hillman

rocks are met with bullets, real bullets
kites are met with rockets, live rockets
but one voice rang out loud
one voice rose above the crowd
still hear you singing now

words are sharp as thistles, dry thistles
skin as thick as metal, gun metal
but one voice rang out loud
one voice rose above the crowd
still hear you singing now (rpt)

you didn’t go screaming, kicking and screaming
kicking and screaming out
you wouldn’t go pleading, praying and pleading,
still believing somehow

love is never bought with nuggets, gold nuggets
but blood is shed in buckets, deep buckets

one voice rang out loud
one voice rose above the crowd
still hear you singing now (rpt)

I hear you singing now

I’m counting the beat 2345
I’m feeling the heat 6789
I’m wishing that you, you were still singing now

Da da de da (etc)