Black Gold (feat. Van Dyke Parks)

I had seen the captain drinking I don't know what he was thinking When he took that stinking cargo out Without a doubt, he went too far But he will take us out to sea 80-thousand metric tons of crude A crew of 21 were pounding through the ocean Just ajar her screws in motion All the stars rotating in their canopy Black gold, rolling in the hold Back and forth in time for every swell Black gold, time would now unfold The heavens fixed upon our last farewell To this black gold Then she hit the water With a shudder, it had got her And she went down, heard to utter Was the captain in his cups, "What's up?" Says, "In my gut, I know we all are doomed" She broke up a hemorrhage of oil Gushed a rage, a broil from the soiled foil of her hull And she was pulled beneath the waves Into her grave down in the gloom Black gold, my heart is still in pain My mandolin will tell her how I feel Black gold, bounding on the main An agony of ebony and steel All this black gold "I'm the way, the resurrection, Christ" I'd say on Him reflecting I'm not sure He'd feel secure With what we're doing here, for sure Or want to lead us clear out of this dark Down the deepest trenches Man is stewing in his stenches Their cadavers hold palaver And the gravity of their endeavors Cleverly convert them into shark Black gold, nature's upper hand With ladies in Mercedes on the strand Black gold, Hades' high command The tar upon her car and in the sand All this black gold