Song Notes
Jamie O’Reilly
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime
Brother, Can You Space a Dime
Yip Harburg, lyrics; Jay Gorney, composer
The song was featured in the 1932 musical revue Americana.
A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS – Studs Terkel revisited.
“Why the hell should I be standing in line now? What happened to all this wealth that I’ve created? I think that’s what made the song live.” (Yip Harburg)
A. I. be damned! The Studs Terkel’s archive (on WFMT online) is arguably THE treasure trove – short of perhaps the Smithsonian – IMO of the 20th and early 21st centuries! Look-up any major figure: historic, political, in the arts, sciences and humanities from the five decades Studs Terkel wrote and did interviews, and you’ll find he’s there, asking the serious questions with keen insight and awareness of the human condition.
I’m singing” Brother, Can You Spare a Dime” in my April Salon: American Work. The song is certainly the anthem of the Great Depression, its lyrics written by Yip Harburg (who wrote Over the Rainbow), tell the real story.
In this 1971 interview from Sruds’ book Hard Times, Yip tells what inspired the powerful song. How much of it rings true for our unhoused and needy today? How with-it Studs was to see it.
“Seeing the breadlines. Well, “Brother, can you spare a dime,” finally hit you. On every block. On every street. And I thought that would be a wonderful title if I could only work it out by telling people, through the song, that it isn’t just a man asking for a dime, saying:” I’m hard luck”. This is a man whose saying, “I built your railroads. I built that tower. I fought your wars. I was the kid with the drum.”
The Weavers recording, 1961, Fred Kellerman singing
“Brother, Can You Spare a Dime” Lyrics
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 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?
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