Letras Black Sea - John McCutcheon

Black Sea

Now, friends, I know you read about it in the papers\nOr perhaps you saw the pictures on TV\nHow the tanker cracked and the sea turned black\nBut it’s time for some compassion, don’t you see\nHell, the shipping lane was only 10 miles wide\nYou fishermen, you ought to understand\nAnd when the captain asked for «one on the rocks»\nWell, the third mate followed his command\nAnd we’ll change the name to «The Black Sea»\nWe’ll make it all a tourist spot\nAnd when we’re done we’ll give it back to the people of\nAlaska\nJust to show what man hath wrought\nAnd we’ll pass along the cost to the ones who’ve lost\n'Cause you know it’s the American Way\nErect a neon sign for the rest of time:\n«Brought to you by Exxon-USA»\nNow the government, it was quick on its feet\nNo, they didn’t leave a single thing to chance\nBut when it came to pressuring a corporate giant\nDon’t you know they did a brand new dance\n«I know you got your birds and your mammals and your\nfishing and your fam’lies\nSo I hope you’ll understand the brief delay»\nBut you can bet if this had happened off of\nKennebunkport\nThey’d have cleaned it up the very same day\nAnd we could call it «Spill of Fortune»\nMaybe you could buy a fowl\nExxon pulls the strings and the government sings\nThrows up its hand and throws in the towel\nAnd if we can get the clearance a special appearance\nIs scheduled by the IRS\nWith a mop and a rake and a big tax break\n'Cause they’re used to working in an awful mess\nNow I don’t claim to have any answers\nBut you know that I’ve got questions by the score\nLike, who has the power and who has the name\nWho has the right and who has the blame\nAnd who has the lawyers and who has the tax breaks\nWho has the damage control\nWho has the home and who has the future\nWho has the troubled soul?\nSo you can skim off the oil as you skim off the profits\nBut you’ll only skim the surface of the crime\nAnd when you drive to the pump watch the gas price jump\nAnd I think you’ll understand it all in time\nWhy up in the land of the midnight sun\nYou know, we’re really in an awful fix\nSeems corporate profits and the public good\nLike oil and water, don’t mix\nAnd we could call it «I've Got a Secret»\nAnd everyone could guess what’s being done\nOr maybe we could call it «To Tell the Truth»\nNow wouldn’t that be a lot of fun?\nBut it’s more like «Good Morning America»\nAnd everyone is waking up to find\nThat feather and fin and fur and skin\nWe’re all judged by the bottom line\nBut, side by side, we’re gonna turn that tide\n'Cause there ain’t gonna be a second time