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Back on the Borderline Lyrics
From the bar to the bedroom I'm swimming in the neon
Lighted pictures of a redhead, plastic-coated hot on
And sometimes when that mirror shows
The smile of disbelief
Stained signature of nightmares
They're stolen by the thief
I'm back on the borderline
Yes I'm back on the borderline
By the end make a bet and only place is laminex
Laugh a lot cry a lot salt and pepper supper sex
And sometimes when that magic of the moment
Fails the test
In retrospect that diamond day
Did not make second best
And sometimes when a thousand voices
Tell you that you're wrong
A saint in any form
Becomes a sinner all along
Lighted pictures of a redhead, plastic-coated hot on
And sometimes when that mirror shows
The smile of disbelief
Stained signature of nightmares
They're stolen by the thief
Yes I'm back on the borderline
Laugh a lot cry a lot salt and pepper supper sex
And sometimes when that magic of the moment
Fails the test
In retrospect that diamond day
Did not make second best
And sometimes when a thousand voices
Tell you that you're wrong
A saint in any form
Becomes a sinner all along
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It seems to me this starts off referring to a guy living a rockstar life style with free sex - then he gets married / settles with one partner, becomes jaded and goes back to his old lifestyle [in his dreams perhaps......]
The line 'plastic coated hot on' sounds like '...hard on' - and I guess that's what it means?
@Sunnyhill I love this song and I've been thinking about its meaning for a long time. Peter Garret studied law at ANU in Canberra. Midnight Oil was formed in 1976. In those days, and maybe now too, brothels were not allowed in the ACT, so horny blokes had to cross the boder line to Queenbeyan, a town in neighbouring NSW. The first verse seems clearly about having sex in a brothel. I agree with your assessment that "Diamond day" refers to marriage, and it sounds like it was an unsatisfactory one from the second verse. In the January 1985 "Oils on...
@Sunnyhill I love this song and I've been thinking about its meaning for a long time. Peter Garret studied law at ANU in Canberra. Midnight Oil was formed in 1976. In those days, and maybe now too, brothels were not allowed in the ACT, so horny blokes had to cross the boder line to Queenbeyan, a town in neighbouring NSW. The first verse seems clearly about having sex in a brothel. I agree with your assessment that "Diamond day" refers to marriage, and it sounds like it was an unsatisfactory one from the second verse. In the January 1985 "Oils on the Water concert", Garrett sings clearer and after the word laminex he says "touch wood, she looks good", and in the next line I think he says "alright now, I'm high". So clearly he is hoping the marriage will work, but when things don't go to plan, he finds himself back on the border line, on his way to see the Queenbeyan girls.
@grahamp thanks for your comment - sounds good!