To mark the 25th anniversary of the Sea Empress disaster, which saw 72,000 tonnes of crude oil spilled into the sea off Pembrokeshire when the tanker foundered on rocks off St Anne's Head, the Western Telegraph asked readers for their memories of that fateful time, a quarter of a century ago.
One reader - Heather Green, who works for Paul Sartori Hospice at Home - sent in this in tribute to her late husband:
"Pete Green died too early at the age of 59 in 2019.
"He was a wonderful songwriter and musician and I remember him writing a song about the Sea Empress.
Luckily I found the paper copy amongst his memorabilia. I would be honoured if you would include this memory called the Oily Song.
He would have been delighted for his words to be read by others.
He even wrote the cords at the bottom for any budding guitarists to follow."
Oily Song
Slaving slaving polish up a rock
Slaving slaving the oil has run amok
Money and fame’s the name of the game
Pumping ashore it’s on your door
Ebony black in every crack
Slaving slaving polish up a rock
Slaving slaving the oil has run amok
Sift through the sand of an oily black strand
Covered in lotion birds with no motion
Oily and black meet in a sack
Slaving slaving polish up a rock
Slaving slaving the oil has run amok
Diddle and steal the life of a seal
Submerged on an ebb like a black spider’s web
Floating and cold in white man’s black gold.
Slaving slaving polish up a rock
Slaving slaving the oil has run amok
Chorus ADCB-A
Verse EDCE-A
Written by Pete Green 1997
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