thanks, Max - this gives me a chance to introduce songwriter Paul Spencer to 'Catters

When coal seam gas was new by Paul Spencer

as sung by Paul

traditional English tune "When Jones's Ale Was New"
new words by Paul Spencer and John Spencer 2012

1. On grazing land that was priceless, a company sought a gas licence,
A company sought a gas licence, they'd have a jolly good spree,
They quickly came up with a marvellous plan,
To frack for gas all over the land,
And sell it to China and Japan,
When coal seam gas was new, my boys,
When coal seam gas was new.

CHORUS:
And they called for more wells and more land and more leases,
And oh the expansion it just never ceases,
And nobody mentioned all these increases,
When coal seam gas was new, my boys,
When coal seam gas was new.

2. Well at first it's just exploration, a simple investigation,
A simple investigation, if only it were true,
For once the company passes the gate,
You're likely to find you've left it too late,
With all their sweet-talking you've taken the bait,
When coal seam gas was new, my boys,
When coal seam gas was new.

CH

3. Well the next to come in is the drilling, no chance of anything spilling,
No chance of anything spilling, if only it were true,
There's sodium hydroxide, ammonium persulfate,
Or muriatic acid or sodium borate,
Disodium octaborate tetrahydrate,
So drink your chemical brew, my boys,
So drink your chemical brew.

CH

4. When drilling down past the water, they seal it just like they oughter,
They seal it just like they oughter, if inly it were true,
The water flows out from the basin cracking,
And mixes with chemicals used in the fracking,
And all of it's done with government backing,
The profits will go to a few, my boys,
The profits will go to a few.

CH

5. And when the mining is over, the land will go back to clover,
The land will go back to clover, if only it were true,
We can't use the water, the poison's still there,
The methane's still leaking into the air,
And the company's gone with never a care,
When coal seam gas is through, my boys,
When coal seam gas is through.

CH