Brother, Can You Spare A Dime? - words by Edgar "Yip" Harburg, music by Jay Gorney - 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. - as recorded by Bing Crosby with Lennie Hayton & his Orchestra October 25, 1932 in New York. They used to tell me I was building a dream And so I followed the mob When their was earth to plow or guns to bear I was always their 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-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 Why don't you remember, I'm your pal Say buddy, can you spare a dime? Once in khaki suits, ah 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 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?