SLICK

Down in the Gulf of Mexico
Where the warm ocean currents flow
A pipe has burst and eleven are dead
And a shadow has started to spread
To the size of England it grows
Where next nobody knows
They put their faith in technology
Suddenly they are all at sea

I'm talking about the oil slick
It's spreading and it's making me sick
Today it's priority one
Tomorrow - the show will move on

The Gulf fishermen try to kick up a stink
But who cares about what the hell they think?
When the shrimping barons defer
To the bigger fish in the pecking order
When it feeds an addiction like a shot in the vein
It's a vain search for somebody to blame
And the dolphin and the pelican
Who's going to represent them?
(I protest, your Honour)

I'm talking about the oil slick
It's spreading and it's making me sick
Today it's priority one
Tomorrow - the show will move on

Beyond petroleum, or that's what they say
Beyond caring, to put it another way
With some slack regulations to thank
They're laughing all the way to the bank
Cutting corners, stretching the law
A fat chance of being caught
The slick reassurance of the PR man:
"We are doing everything we can"
(For our shareholders)

Down in the groin of Africa
Where the Niger weeps for its black delta
Far from the lenses of the media
It all sounds so familiar
They've seen it so many times before
How their riches have made them poor
And one leak doesn't seem very much
When you've lost everything you had
And everyone you loved

I'm talking about the oil slick
It's still spreading and it's making me sick
Today it's priority one
Tomorrow - will we just move on?