I thought I'd post a correction version of the song. The main difference from the entry in the Digital Tradition is that the first verse is kind of an introduction, and doesn't have a chorus after it. Seems to make more sense to me. -Joe Offer-
BANKS OF MARBLE (Les Rice) I've traveled 'round this country. From shore to shining shore; It really made me wonder The things I heard and saw. I saw the weary farmer, Plowing sod and loam; I saw the auction hammer Just a-knocking down his home. CHORUS But the banks are made of marble, With a guard at every door, And the vaults are stuffed with silver That the farmer (worker, etc.*) sweated for. I saw the seaman standing Idly by the shore, I heard the bosses saying, "Got no work for you no more." I saw the weary miner Scrubbing coal dust from his back, And I heard his children crying, "Got no coal to heat the shack." ** I've seen my brothers (good people) working Throughout this mighty land, I prayed we'd get together And together make a stand. Final Chorus: Then we'd own those banks of marble With a guard at every door (or: With no guard at any door) And we'd share those vaults of silver That the workers sweated for! *change to fit verse **Additional verse by John Braxton: (I've seen my sisters working On the job they're underpaid While at home they work for nothing Half the night and all the day) Copyright 1950 by Stormking Music Inc. Source: Carry It On, songbook by Pete Seeger & Bob Reiser, 1985 and Collected Reprints from Sing Out! @political @labor filename[ BNKMRBLE TUNE FILE: BNKMRBLE CLICK TO PLAY RG
The Seeger book adds some updates to include genders and the like. Seeger's updates are in parentheses. The basic text I've posted is from Sing Out! - apparently published a year after Les Rice wrote the song in 1950.
|