In April 2010, the BP Oil Spill devastated the US Gulf Coast - an environmental disaster the region is still recovering from. Evidence showed the tragedy was compounded by corporate greed to cut construction and operational costs of deep water drilling - and in the years since, regulatory measures to address deficiencies have been rolled back, making another such disaster possible. "Black Gold" is a song lyric telling the story of the BP Oil Spill from this perspective. An acoustic version of the song can be found here: https://youtu.be/NuOrn3UG0LU

————

[Verse 1]

Deep ‘neath the waters all ‘cross the Gulf of Mexico

Lies buried a vast sea of oil that’s countless years old

There’s greedy men b’lieve with no doubt

It’s their destiny to pump that crude out

They’re chasing their fortunes in currency they call Black Gold

[Chorus]

Black Gold

They crave wealth and riches untold

Environment need only be sold

For Black Gold

[Verse 2]

Business and profits come first, nature and safety last

Disaster’s inev’table, fate fell with a shattering blast

That fire blew a wellhead away

There’s five million barrels of oil dumped in the waves

And in that explosion eleven men from this life passed

[Chorus:]

For Black Gold

The Gulf will now reap what they’ve sewed

A harvest of death, grief and woe

For Black Gold

[Bridge]

Sixty-eight thousand square miles of sea poisoned by man

Wetlands befouled, sludge and tarballs wash up on beach sand

Sea turtles, crabs, dolphins die at ten times normal rates

Dead zones created, fish stocks decimated

All life of the Gulf’s in a perilous state

For Black Gold For Black Gold

[Verse 3]

Years have passed and the Gulf still feels that oil spill’s pain

But Govt regulations and industry practice hadn’t changed

Them greedy men’s in the Gulf still

They’re chantin’ their mantra, it’s, “drill, baby, drill”

And if we don’t stop them, they’ll do it again and again

[Chorus]

For Black Gold

Deep drilling, if left uncontrolled

Envi’ment will pay a cruel toll

For Black Gold

Protecting Nature’s our goal

A Gulf clean, healthy and whole

And savin’ the Earth’s very soul

Of Black Gold

By Mike Turner

From: United States

Website: http://www.MikeTurnerSongwriter.com

Twitter: SchoonerSkipper

Facebook URL: https::/www.facebook.com/MikeTurnerSongwriter