Thomas Anderson

singer, songwriter, rock 'n' roller

Petroleum

by Thomas Anderson

from the album Blues for the Flying Dutchman

All the ships in all the seas

Bring it home to you and me

Oh petroleum.

Lay the tracks build the towns,

Hear it rumble in the ground

Oh petroleum.

All the clothes I wear,

All my worldly share,

Takes me everywhere,

Answers all my prayers.

     Petroleum, petroleum,

     Burn from here to kingdom come;

     Petroleum, petroleum,

     Preach it from the podium;

     Makes life what it is.

In the sea black and crude,

In your lungs and in your food

Oh petroleum.

Fill the trucks stock the stores,

Fight for it in all your wars

Oh petroleum.

See you in your dreams,

Big jet engines scream,

Live like kings and queens,

Stoke that big machine.

     Petroleum, petroleum,

     River subterranean;

     Petroleum, petroleum,

     Turn the wheels American;

     Makes life what it is.

Drink that gas burn that oil

Drive that plastic and tinfoil,

Rubber tires blacktop road

Four on the floor and baby on board;

So dodge those shells watch those mines,

Put it all on the line;

Pay the price, we don't mind,

Keep it flowing right on time.

     

     Petroleum, petroleum,

     Save us each and everyone;

     Petroleum, petroleum,

     Save us from the tedium;

     Makes life what it is.

Sixty-five coast to coast,

All empty fields and the small town ghosts;

Don't you worry don't you care,

Roll down the window and breathe that air;

Time is just time to kill,

Tomorrow's somewhere over the hill;

Don't need problems to think about,

Let your kids work it out.

     Petroleum, petroleum,

     Feel it in your skeleton;

     Petroleum, petroleum,

     Desert sand to midnight sun;

     Makes life what it is.