Banks of Marble - by Pete Seeger

Pete Seeger singing the classic "workers' rights" tune from the 1950's.
Lyrics below:
BANKS ARE MADE OF MARBLE

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 heard the auction hammer
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 sweated for.

I saw the seaman standing
Idly by the shore.
I heard the bosses saying,
Got no work for you no more.

But the banks are made of marble,
With a guard at every door,
And the vaults are stuffed with silver,
That the seaman sweated for.

I saw the weary miner,
Scrubbing coal dust from his back,
I heard his children cryin',
Got no coal to heat the shack.

But the banks are made of marble,
With a guard at every door,
And the vaults are stuffed with silver,
That the miner sweated for.

I've seen my brothers 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;
And we'd share those vaults of silver,
That we have sweated for.

Words and Music by Les Rice

• Category

  Sports

[RoseShattuck]

Pete Seeger!! Outstanding yesterday and today. Timeless...

[Dan Steding]

How true! The voice of truth never grows old, does it?

[ljackier]

The more things change, the more they stay the same. This song suddenly does not sound dated anymore.

It's so great that Pete Seeger is no longer on the black list - he's singing for the president!

[Dan Steding]

Isn't it the truth? Thanks for your comments!

Dan

[BadReligion8191]

...and be sure to vote republican so that your hard earned money isn't even given to you in the first place, your job is shipped overseas, and industry continues to be unregulated at the expense of the worker so that this country has one million wealthy citizens and 331 million poor ones!

[bluelinebabe1]

Actually written by Les Rice in 1950 -- at least it says so in Rise Up Singing. Give credit where credit is due, though I certainly love Pete Seeger, and have performed with him!

[ABevs1]

Democrats or Republicans, it doesn't matter. They are both enemies of the working class.

[nbachmann]

Hey Establishment, you just got served.

[nooksak1]

Looks like one percent of people who watched this don't get it.....

[mikerickson01]

And he's now singing with OWS.

Pete would sing for anyone regardless of their persuasion, political or otherwise.

That's what he told HUAC and that's what he did.

[mariolopez420]

anyone know what chords hes playin here. tabs online put this as d-a7-g but it sounds like its in B

[paxamericanafilms]

don't overthink it - i was pissed drunk at the time

[applebutterbaby42]

what?



[Emmett Doyle]

He didn't believe in social democracy; social democracy is just reformed capitalism. He believed in democratic socialism- socialism from below. 

[Bozohotep]

2 marble-heads.