Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?
Words & Music:
Edgar "Yip"
Harburg & Jay Gorney
These notes are from the
unknown transcriber of this tune:
"[This song is] from the third (1932) edition of the hit Broadway
revue "Americana". Edgar
"Yip" Harburg (1898-1981) was a former electrician made bankrupt
during the Depression. Jay Gorney
(1896-1990) was a Russian-born American composer, author and Hollywood
film-producer." I need the
chords to the intro!
INTRO:
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?
Cm
G7 Cm F Bb7 Eb7 G7
Once I built a railroad, I
made it run, made it race against time.
Fm
G7 Cm Ab7 Fm
G
Cm
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?
C7
Once in khaki suits, gee, we
looked swell! Full of that
Yankee-Doodly-dum.
F7
Cm7
D7 G7
Half a million boots went
sloggin' through Hell and I was the kid with the drum.
Cm
G7
C7
F7 Bb7
Eb7 G7
Say, don't you remember? They called me "Al". It was "Al" all the time.
Fm
G7
Cm
Ab7 Fm7
G7 Cm
Say don't you remember? I'm your pal. Say, buddy, can you spare a dime?
Once in khaki suits, gee, we
looked swell! Full of that
Yankee-Doodly-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.
Say don't you remember? I'm your pal. Say, buddy, can you spare a dime?