Lyrics Iris DeMent

Iris DeMent

Banks 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

l heard the auction hammer

just 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

I've seen 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

l prayed we'd get together

and together make a stand

Then we might own those banks of marble

with a guard at every door

and we might share those vaults of silver

that we have sweated for