The Banks of Marble

I've traveled around this country

From shore to shining shore;

It really made me wonder,

The things I heard and saw.

I saw the weary farmer

Plowing his sod and loam;

I heard the auction hammer

Just a-knockin' down his home.

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 weary miner

Scrubbin' coal dust from his back;

And I heard his children crying,

"We've 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 saw the seaman standing

Idly by the shore;

And I heard the owner sayin',

"Got no work fer 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 see my brothers working

Throughout this mighty land.

And I pray we'd get together,

And together make a stand.

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.