BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME
“Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”, also sung as “Buddy, Can You Spare a Dime?”, is one
of the best-known American songs of the Great Depression. Written in 1931 by lyricist
E.Y. “Yip” Harburg and composer Jay Gorney, “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” was
part of the 1932 musical New Americana. It became best known, however, through
recordings by Bing Crosby and Rudy Vallee. Both versions were released right before
Franklin Delano Roosevelt‘s election to the presidency and both became number one hits
on the charts for Warner Bros. Crosby’s recording became the best-selling record of its
period, and came to be viewed as an anthem of the shattered dreams of the era.
They used to tell me
I was building a dream.
And so I followed the mob
When there was earth to plow
Or guns to bear
I was always there
Right on the job.
They used to tell me
I was building a dream
With peace and glory ahead.
Why should I be standing in line
Just waiting for bread?
Once I built a railroad
I made it run
Made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad
Now it’s done
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once I built a tower up to the sun
Brick and rivet and lime.
Once I built a tower,
Now it’s done.
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once in khaki suits
Gee we looked swell
Full of that yankee doodle dee dum.
Half a million boots went sloggin’ through hell
And I was the kid with the drum!
Say don’t you remember?
They called me Al.
It was Al all the time.
Why don’t you remember?
I’m your pal.
Say buddy, can you spare a dime?
Once in khaki suits,
