Do It Rite - Mark Callaghan (1988)

Directed by Kathryn Milliss and Produced by Dan McAloon, 'Do It Rite' was filmed at Sydney's Maroubra Beach for which we thank and acknowledge the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation and offer our deep respect to their elders past, present and emerging. Given this was filmed over 30 years ago, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that the footage may contain images of people who have died.

The track (lyrics can be found below for those interested) was recorded at Rhinoceros studios with Dave Nicholas and myself producing. The session featured Peter Maslen on drums, Michael Hiron on bass, Sean Kelly and myself on guitars and Robert James on guitar and keyboards. The incredible Chris Spedding (then on tour with Jerry Harrison's 'Casual Gods') came by the studio and added some guitars to the track (while Jerry signed my Modern Lovers LP!!!).

Dave Nicholas engineered and mixed the song with Paula Jones and Niven Garland assisting.
Sincere thanks to all the musicians, engineers, crew, video producers, editors and everyone else that made this work possible.

Do It Rite

I am drawn by your rightful indignation
By your endless frustration, to the sadness in your heart
40,000* years between the dreaming and the waking
To the grey suburban shadows of the ugly new day's dawn
The western sun is leeching, fades to white like the seeping
Of the graves all filled with lime
Still don't get the message, though we've been learning painful lessons
For such a long, long time

We gotta do it rite, we gotta get it right,
We gotta do it rite, we gotta get it right,

On the fringe of the mantle of the madness
Live the eldest children of this timeless noble land
Disposed by trinkets and the promise of salvation
They have seen a paradise crumble in our hands
Still don't get the picture thought we've taken all the paintings
And retraced every line
Take it where you find it has been the rule of blind men
Such a long, long time

We gotta do it rite, we gotta get it right,
We gotta do it rite, we gotta get it right,
I said yeah, yeah, do it rite, now is the time for us all to do it rite

Now at last the treaty men are coming
Though there are some among us who would not have it so
They don’t realise that there can be no solution
While their heads are buried on stolen/borrowed sand
Its time to fact the issue, can’t keep praying it’ll miss you
These wheels will always grind
Believe me when I tell you, it’ll work out so much better
If we can get it right this time

We gotta do it rite, we gotta get it right,
We gotta do it rite, we gotta get it right,
I said yeah, yeah, do it rite, now is the time for us all to do it rite

*40,000 years was the scientific understanding then - we now know that First Nations people have been here for over 60,000 years.

[theodorebenton]

Oh my! I was the Designer on this back in 1988! Flash back remember it so well.

[marianrichardson]

Miss seeing you guys, hope one day you'll come back to Perth....PS great song too

[stereomusicvideo]

Glad to finally see this clip - I've never seen it before! Great song. But was this originally a widescreen clip? It looks a bit... truncated at the top and bottom. Also, the horizontal striping in the picture (particularly noticeable with fast-moving scenes) suggests it wasn't de-interlaced properly before uploading. It's a pity - the quality could be so much better. Thanks anyway.

[gabriel]

Do you have Gangajang on Rock Arena? I remember Chris Smith singing lead on Viva Las Vegas.