Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

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For the documentary film of the same name, see Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? (film).

"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. The Brunswick Crosby recording became the best-selling record of its period, and came to be viewed as an anthem of the shattered dreams of the era.[1]
"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"
Rudy Vallee's recording is considered one of the most famous versions.
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[edit] Other Recordings

  • Arthur Tracy recorded a version in 1937.
  • Ike Quebec recorded a version in 1961, for his album Heavy Soul.
  • Jesse Colin Young recorded a version in 1965, for his album Young Blood.
  • Barbra Streisand recorded a version in 1966, for her album My Name is Barbra, Two....
  • Tom Jones recorded a version in 1970, for his album I Who Have Nothing.
  • Zager & Evans recorded a version in 1971, for the album Food For The Mind.
  • Judy Collins recorded a version in 1975, for her album Judith.
  • Tom Waits recorded a version in 1976, for his album Spare Parts.
  • The Dave Brubeck Quartet recorded a version in 1980, for the album Tritonis
  • Pete Seeger sings this song on a re-release (from 1990) of The Weavers Greatest Hits
  • Abbey Lincoln recorded a version in 1991, in collaboration with Stan Getz, for her album You Gotta Pay the Band.
  • Ethan James recorded a version in 1995, for his album What a Rough Beast.
  • Eugene Chadbourne recorded a seven minutes long version in 1996, for his album Jesse Helms Busted With Pornography.
  • George Michael recorded a version in 1999, for his album Songs From The Last Century.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Giddins, G. (2001). Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams, The Early Years, 1903 - 1940. Little, Brown, p.305.

[edit] External links


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