"The Real Thing" is a live album by Midnight Oil, predominantly acoustic in nature, with additional studio recordings. Released initially in Australia, it features a cover of Russell Morris's "The Real Thing" among its tracks. The Australian edition included a bonus disc of interview material structured into 30 tracks, covering discussions on past albums and providing insights into each track on "The Real Thing" followed by snippets from the respective songs.
International releases of the album included a bonus disc featuring music videos for "Cemetery In My Mind" and "Redneck Wonderland." Despite its acclaim and unique content, "The Real Thing" was not included in the Full Tank box set. However, three of its four studio tracks appeared on the b-sides disc of the Overflow Tank box set, with the fourth studio track, part of "Capricornia," included in the Full Tank set. This album stands as a testament to Midnight Oil's versatility and commitment to their distinct brand of socially conscious rock music.
