On December 3rd, 1984, an accident at the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India released over 40 tons of toxic methyl isocyanate gas, exposing hundreds of thousands of people in the shantytowns immediately surrounding the plant. Most safety systems at the plant were broken, or had been disabled as cost-saving measures. The best, accepted estimates say that 8,000-10,000 people died within the first 72 hours of the leak. It is estimated that 20,000 have died since the accident from gas-related diseases, and another 120,000 people are estimated to have permanent injuries and chronic medical conditions that require constant healthcare. The Bhopal Disaster is widely considered the worst industrial disaster in history. This piece is written in memory of the victims. All proceeds from this song go to the Sambhavna Clinic in Bhopal. lyrics A wind invades your slumber at midnight Bringing you poisoned mists of progress Progress slips away in the pale moonlight Leaving only pain and distress Through the trenches, the noxious stenches Form the clouds of impending disaster Broken dreams and industrial schemes Render you victim to the corporate bastards Mothers without daughters Daughters without fathers Fathers without brothers Brothers without mothers Mothers without brothers Brothers without fathers Fathers without daughters Daughters without mothers In the city of lakes, the worst of our fears A nightmare flow yields a river of tears A pestilence, made of corporate greed The blindness to life makes the soul bleed Sister, your eyes burn with tears Never again shall you see morning Brother, you are riddled with fear Holding your child, who from the mouth is frothing The heart of India shattered Bodies scattered The fabric of society tattered Still, the thieves dismiss the matter Profit locks compassion’s cage credits from The Humours of Autorickshaw, released 10 November 2013 (Suba Sankaran/Ed Hanley; additional lyrics by Andrew Craig) Music and lyrics © Suba Sankaran and Ed Hanley Additional lyrics © 2013 Suba Sankaran/Andrew Craig/Opus Nopus Music Arranged by Andrew Craig and Autorickshaw Suba Sankaran: lead and background vocals Ed Hanley: tabla Rich Brown: electric bass Andrew Craig: synth and orchestral programming Adrian Eccleston: guitars Patrick Graham: sabar, chenggo, pandero, bongos, agogo bells, shakers, concert bass drum, shakers George Koller: dilruba Larnell Lewis: drum kit