Brother, Can You Spare a Dime

lyrics by Yip Harburg, music by Jay Gorney (1931)

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?

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!

Oh, say don’t you remember?
They called me Al. It was Al all the time.
Say, don’t you remember?
I’m your pal. Buddy, can you spare a dime?

These lyrics were retrieved from protestsonglyrics.net.
Hear The Weavers sing it from 1961.
Included here by special request of Lorraine Chavez.