John McCutcheon Black Sea Lyrics

Now, friends, I know you read about it in the papers
Or perhaps you saw the pictures on TV
How the tanker cracked and the sea turned black
But it's time for some compassion, don't you see
Hell, the shipping lane was only 10 miles wide
You fishermen, you ought to understand
And when the captain asked for "one on the rocks"
Well, the third mate followed his command

And we'll change the name to "The Black Sea"
We'll make it all a tourist spot
And when we're done we'll give it back to the people of
Alaska
Just to show what man hath wrought
And we'll pass along the cost to the ones who've lost
'Cause you know it's the American Way
Erect a neon sign for the rest of time:
"Brought to you by Exxon-USA"

Now the government, it was quick on its feet
No, they didn't leave a single thing to chance
But when it came to pressuring a corporate giant
Don't you know they did a brand new dance
"I know you got your birds and your mammals and your
fishing and your fam'lies
So I hope you'll understand the brief delay"
But you can bet if this had happened off of
Kennebunkport
They'd have cleaned it up the very same day

And we could call it "Spill of Fortune"
Maybe you could buy a fowl
Exxon pulls the strings and the government sings
Throws up its hand and throws in the towel And if we can get the clearance a special appearance
Is scheduled by the IRS
With a mop and a rake and a big tax break
'Cause they're used to working in an awful mess

Now I don't claim to have any answers
But you know that I've got questions by the score
Like, who has the power and who has the name
Who has the right and who has the blame
And who has the lawyers and who has the tax breaks
Who has the damage control
Who has the home and who has the future
Who has the troubled soul?

So you can skim off the oil as you skim off the profits
But you'll only skim the surface of the crime
And when you drive to the pump watch the gas price jump
And I think you'll understand it all in time
Why up in the land of the midnight sun
You know, we're really in an awful fix
Seems corporate profits and the public good
Like oil and water, don't mix

And we could call it "I've Got a Secret"
And everyone could guess what's being done
Or maybe we could call it "To Tell the Truth"
Now wouldn't that be a lot of fun?
But it's more like "Good Morning America"
And everyone is waking up to find
That feather and fin and fur and skin
We're all judged by the bottom line
But, side by side, we're gonna turn that tide
'Cause there ain't gonna be a second time