#Songs of the revolution The piece we use for our #PeoplesHistory segment is a song called Banks of Marble originally written sometime between 1947 and 1948 by an apple farmer and union organizer. The version we use was performed by The Weavers. It has been performed by many folk artists over the years, most famously by Pete Seeger who finally recorded the song in 1959 and released again in 1974. In recent years it has been recorded by numerous punk, dub, reggae, country and electronica artists. The Banks are Made of Marble Ive 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 l heard the auction hammer A knocking 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 l saw the seaman standing Idly by the shore l 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 Ive seen my brothers working Throughout this mighty land l prayed wed get together And together make a stand Final Chorus Then wed own those banks of marble With a guard at every door And wed share those vaults of silver That we have sweated for Notes In the notes to this song on Pete Seegers 1959 Folkways LP American Industrial Songs Irwin Silber wrote: Les Rice, the composer of this song, is a New York State apple farmer and one-time president of the Ulster County chapter of the Farmers Union. His songs have made him well-known to farmers throughout the northeast. Perhaps his most well-known composition is Banks of Marble which achieved great popularity among union members throughout the country and even in Canada, where new verses have been found. This song, written around 1948-49. deals with the farmers perennial problem of parity and how it affects the farmers life. Im sixty per cent an American, Im sixty per cent a man. Thats what parity says I am, Thats the law of the land. Now, do I work sixty per cent of each day? Eat sixty per cent of my meals? And does my truck take me into town on sixty per cent of its wheels? Now will my chicks be content to eat just sixty per cent of their mash? And will the middleman give my throat just sixty per cent of a slash? Now all you workers in city and town, I know your budgets a mess; But when you get down to that last lousy buck, remember Ive forty cents less! The song has gained new resonance since the 2008-2009 financial meltdown! https://youtube/watch?v=ZzTT5fXquTo
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 17:00:05 +0000
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