Versions

Version	Length	Source	Availability
Live Acoustic	?	Mark was to play this song live in 2006, but was unable to attend the function to play it.	Unreleased.

Recommended Version.

Commentary

This is a classic Midnight Oil song from their album “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1”.

Lyrics

Conquistador of Mexico, the Zulu and the Navaho
The Belgians in the Congo, short memory
Plantation in Virginia, the Raj in British India
The deadline in South Africa, short memory
The story of El Salvador, the silence of Hiroshima
Destruction of Cambodia, short memory

Short memory, must have a, short memory
Short memory, must have a, short memory

The sight of hotels by the Nile, the designated Hilton style
With running water specially bought, short memory
A smallish man Afghanistan, a watch dog in a nervous land
They’re only there to lend a hand, short memory
The friendly fire a dusty smile
Wake up in sweat at dead of night
And in the tents new rifles hey short memory

Short memory, must have a, short memory
Short memory, must have a, short memory
Short memory, must have a, short memory

Short memory, must have a
Short memory, must have a

If you read the history books you’ll see the same things happen again and again
Repeat repeat short memory they’ve all got it
When are we going to play it again
Got a short, got a short, got a short, got a short
They’ve got a short must have a short they’ve got a short aah
Short memory, must have a

[Hirst/Moginie/Garrett]