“Song of the ‘Lower Classes’” Sheet Music (pdf).
“Song of the ‘Lower Classes’” Karaoke (midi with lyrics).
Lyrics: Ernest Jones.
Tune: Ernest Jones.
We plow and sow; we’re so very, very low
That we delve in the dirty clay
Till we bless the plain with the golden grain
And the vale with the fragrant hay.
Our place, we know; we’re so very, very low;
’Tis down at the landlord’s feet;
We’re not too low the grain to grow
But too low the bread to eat.
We’re not too low the grain to grow
But too low the bread to eat!
We’re not too low the grain to grow
But too low the bread to eat!
Down, down we go (we’re so very, very low)
To the hell of the deep-sunk mines,
But we gather the proudest gems that glow
When the brow of a despot shines.
And whene’er he lacks, upon our backs,
Fresh loads he deigns to lay:
We’re far too low to vote the tax,
But we’re not too low to pay.
We’re far too low to vote the tax,
But we’re not too low to pay!
We’re far too low to vote the tax,
But we’re not too low to pay!
We’re low; we’re low; mere rabble, we know;
But at our plastic pow’r,
The world at the lordling’s feet will grow
Into palace, and church, and tow’r.
Then prostrate fall in the rich man’s hall
And cringe at the rich man’s door:
We’re not too low to build the wall
But too low to tread the floor.
We’re not too low to build the wall
But too low to tread the floor!
We’re not too low to build the wall
But too low to tread the floor!
We’re low; we’re low; we’re very, very low;
Yet from our fingers glide
The silken flow and the robes that glow
’Round the limbs of the sons of pride.
And what we get, and what we give,
We know, and we know our share:
We’re not too low the cloth to weave
But too low the cloth to wear.
We’re not too low the cloth to weave
But too low the cloth to wear!
We’re not too low the cloth to weave
But too low the cloth to wear!