Banquet (Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY, 2/23/1972)

Okay, this is another new song
It's called "The Banquet"
And uh that's about all I can tell you about it

Come to the dinner gown
The table is laiden high, fat bellies, hungry little ones
Tuck your napkins in and take your share
Some get the gravy and some get the gristle
Some get the marrow bone and some get nothing, though there's plenty to spare

I took my share down by the sea
Paper plates and Javics bottles on the tide
Seagulls come down and they squawk at me
Down where the water skiers
Glide

Some turn to Jesus
Some turn to heroin
Some turn to rambling round, looking for a clean sky and a drinking stream
Some watch the paint peel off
Some watch their kids grow up
Some watch their stocks and bonds, waiting for that big deal
American dream

I took my dream down by the sea
Yankee yachts and lobster pots and sunshine
And logs and sails and shell oil pails
Dogs and tugs and summertime
Back in the banquet line, angry young people crying

Who let the greedy in
Who left the needy out?
Who made the salty soup?
Tell them we're very hungry now for a sweeter fare
In the cookie I reap

Some get the gravy
Some get the gristle
Some get the marrow bone and some get nothing
Now there's plenty to spare