Spanky sings Buddy Can You Spare A Dime

[rmelin13231]

She still has it. Nobody could, or can, belt out a song like her. She's unparalleled. Thank you for posting this, I can't tell you how many times I've listened to her rendition of this depression-era classic (the original depression, that is) over the years. Nobody has ever performed this song like Spanky McFarlane.

[ThomShelford]

The amazing finale w. the whole band applauding brought tears to my eyes... Have loved Spanky after finding a second hand Mercury album in the early 70s - thanks for this marvellous posting...

[sampson1959]

odettas version is very good,but elaines voice was much better.the 60s cut from the album ranks as the greatest version.she still has it and her voice has grown more sensitive with age.still the best of the best.may elaine "spanky" mcfarlane live forevr and one more day!

[JamesPortland]

Darn good! Elaine Ya, still got it!

[paulrbrin]

What a treat it was to listen to this and remember how I'd see them perform it every night during the run of Summer In The City back in '66.

[dijaview]

I Miss Mother Blue... her home is chicago was the best place to be.. Great to see the Sign has a place of honor

[TheGranule]

There is a 4 CD collection of all their stuff at Hip-o-select.

Check the 'net'

[lobo81865]

I like her, but prefer Rudy Vallee's version.

[lancetop]

Wow you've known Elaine 30 years! She was totally one of the 60s brightest stars.

[kentcrawf]

I LOVE YOU SPANKY!!!!!!!!!!

[goneatlast]

Spanky delivers today as she has done since the first lp in '67. Power and grace.

Thanks for this fine clip, Tomatah :)

[Whofan1000]

Just beautiful - mournful yet powerful. I feel sorry that a few (presumably younger) posters make irrelevant comments about her age or looks. All of us age and all of us look older as time goes on, but it's powerful songs like this depression-era classic, about the fate of the common man in a market economy, that help us transcend time, that remind us of what we all have in common, that help us sympathize with generations past and keep working to improve conditions for generations to come.

[sistersdaddy]

she owens this

[maineboy1979]

LOVE her!

The first CD I ever purchased was Spanky & Our Gang's Greatest Hits. I was born 20 years too late to have experienced the group when they were in their prime, but I did grow up listening to their albums and they've always been among my top 3 favorite groups of all time.

[TeachESL]

Thank you.  This was my time. Where did it go?

[bjlamp]

The most funny thing of the era ,when Spanky and Our Gang reign supreme,in the mid to late sixties,were some pens,that were tearing their clothes,writing that the group,was another bubble gum little group,cashing on the style of Mamas and Papas.

Spanky is still here.Where are they?

[Flap999]

A truly GREAT performance. When you speak to Elaine, tell her thanks for the music!

[yosomig]

i love you spanky!!!!!!

[SLOVoyeur]

Spanky, I had the supreme pleasure of seeing and photographing you perform with a latter 80's version of the Mama's & The Papa's at the Palamino Club in North Hollywood. Original Papa's, John Phillips and Denny Doherty were complimented by Mackenzie Phillips. Your vocals sent chills down my spine. You remain one of my favorite female vocalists of all time. Many blessing to you.l

[atp1962]

Spanky your great ! Love to hear you sing this and some of your oldies. Folks in the Carolinas never get to hear this in person. West coast and the North east hog all the old rock, Spanky come South we love you !

[Stormaz100]

Great version! No one beats Odetta, but a very close second! Thank you!

[maxxz7]

This video is a let down because of our great memories of Spanky during the 60's and Madonna hate her or love her is the model for all wannbe divas still today and also how bad cann she be when she has made the cover of Rolling Stone magazine 11 fucking times.......LOL

[swampzoid]

a great performance.

[9675775]

PLEASE bring back I'd Like To Get To Know You"!

[JPTill]

I always sing the Spanky version of this song. I get choked up every time.

I used to imagine what it would be like to hear her sing WPOD with Fee Waybill. Crazy, I know.

[juuukka2]

en sano mitään

[cujo9]

holy shit ! this is not the spanky i remember either ..

tryin to recapture the years long since past her.

[maxxz7]

Probably the worst song ever recorded and here is Spanky way past her prime singing this piece of shit. Please remove this video from YouTube and lets remember Spanky Mc Farlane as the singerof "Lazy Day" and show some respect.......................­...........

[Quixote010]

Worse song ever recorded?? You've got to be kidding!! Listen to some of that crap being recorded as heavy metal or rap... this song was written for the times and from the heart.

[fran0162]

Are you kidding me? Worse song ever? I thought she sounds pretty good after 30 years.

[is1531]

This is not the Spanky I remember form the 60's. Her voice was shot in the 80's and that look was too much to bare. Oh my God!

[StanBennet]

This reminds me of a transvestite.

[ilovesheenaeaston]

Hmmmm. Her voice was shot? I guess you did not listen to the powerful ending of the song. MORON! The reason her voice was not the one you remember from the 60s is because you burned yourself out on drugs from the 60s to now. Seek treatment ASAP, you phony hippie!

[moebanshee]

"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,

This is one of the greatest songs of all time. Every one better get use to the idea behind it. We are going into a depression.

Spanky you shine with this song!

[stuckin1979]

I love this woman. But don't understand why this is one of the best performances of all time?? Compared to Sunday Will Never Be the Same, Like to Get to Know You, Lazy Days, and the way she sings Sunday Morning...how could one even compare??? Those songs were so incredible, I don't think anything today compares to those songs from 40 years ago.

[2007BeachBoy]

I wasn't stating that THIS vocal performance was her best, it was her ORIGINAL recording of this when she was in her 20's. It's on Spanky & our Gangs greatest hits CD. It is absolutely incredible. It's better than all her original recordings. Check it out!!!!

[2007BeachBoy]

Her original version of this song was probably one of the best vocal performances by anyone EVER! It's on their greatest hits CD. Unbelievable vocals! She was a hot little thing at one time! What a voice!

[beink]

Spanky's vocal glissando toward the end of the original recoding is as chilling and beautiful as it gets.

[DustyDurst]

Oh they're on CD I own all their library in both mediums LP and CD. the Cd's at the time i bought were Japanese releases and exspensive. Spanky And Our Gang forever.

[IBEBrute]

Spanky is an all time favourite of mine. However, the 'best' performance of "Buddy, Can You Spare A Dime" was done by Spanky on the album "Spanky and our gang - Live" way back when. I watched this vid and then played the 'live' version. Both good, but the young Spanky is better. And that's after being copied off a vinyl record that survived a fire and countless moves before being turned into a computer file.

I 'wish' someone would re-issue the Spanky albums on CD. Would be awesome...

[tomatah1]

Thank you for your comment. All of Spanky's albums were reissued as a box set by Universal, Spanky And Our Gang The Complete Mercury Recordings. It includes the Live album and some previously unreleased cuts. Enjoy!

[IBEBrute]

Well, you're right. They are out at Amazon. However, when I tried to buy the complete mercury recording as an MP3 download, I got told 'sorry, you can't have that!'

Seems they won't sell MP3 downloads to anybody outside of the states. So, I'll just have to go look for somebody willing to sell to a Canadian...

Thanks for the info.

[Hatchitopee]

Sunday at Tradewinds was amazing! Tomorrow in Cedar Key, Fl-Island Hotel. Saturday at Stephen Foster State Park in White Springs. Truly one of the best performances I have seen in my 54 years!!!!

[tomatah1]

Wish I could have been there. How is Nigel doing? Old coot will always have a special place in my heart. Any new recordings?

[Hatchitopee]

Nigel sang great on his songs. Jimmy has to remind him of the lyrics occasionally, but to see Nigel perform is priceless. Jim Stafford from Eclipse did sound and recorded the show to produce a CD.

[tomatah1]

Please, please let me know when the CD is available. Nigel is a treasure.

[KimiLocs]

Girlfriend always did have some 'pipes' on her. Spanky's sound is impeccable. She's awesome!

[imsharkster]

She is STILL awesome. I remember Elaine from the old Gate of Horn in Chicago and New Wine Singers. When Roger Mcguinn "The Byrds" was still "learning" guitar. Stay well Elaine! Your as vocal now as you ever were. God Bless

[Hatchitopee]

She sure can sing after all these years! My good friend Jim Carrick is her guitar player now. Hopefully we will have Spanky McFarlane and Friends play in Tampa the end of October. They will definitely be in St Augustine at Tradewinds.

[OlymPigs2010]

Buddy can you spare a...dream ?

[BillVol]

She looks great to me. Wonderful version of this song.

[andrewperez1963]

I think she's amazing and by the way That was

an amazing & powerful live version. you guys dont no much about great performance. You want to watch & hear BAD, watch a madonna performance live.

[usm7j]

Madonna sucks.

[ilovesheenaeaston]

Madonna sucks? I guess you never saw her live performances on Saturday Night Live that could be considered acoustic. Sure, she is not Spanky or Cass Elliott, but a performer does not last 25 years just by putting out controversial pop songs and wearing bustiers. Or do you think that she became the top selling female artist of the 20th century some other skanky way?

[stillleenie18]

YES - madonna sucks!!!!

[BUNGLEJYME]

Time takes its toll on all of us. Just wait, your time is coming. Anyhow, Elaine is an excellent singer and has lots of soul.

[duncanstpt2]

Man, she is one unattractive woman. Who cloned Rosie O'Donnell?

[SuuzieQ]

u can't control mother nature, no one looks at his best after 40 yearss of singing!

give her a break man

[Broots2008]

What you are not probably old enough to know is that you will be there too before you know it. But seriously, she was a very pretty young lady, when she first recorded her work. The band with her did a great job too. Most important to me was the terrific feeling I got from their music.

[ariesspill]

It's odd how we gage "unattractiveness". Almost as if by a shallow viewpoint. To me, this woman will always be a beautiful soul.

[BUNGLEJYME]

Amen!

[usm7j]

Amen

[dakanne]

Send us a video of yourself when you are 60.

[wdstick]

Wow. I've never heard a convincing version of this being sung by a woman before, but this is amazing!

[taddyd1]

judy collins and streisand also nail this. Spanky did a stellar version of this on their 1st lp when she had a lot more voice.

[witewater1951]

The first person to come to mind when I listened to this performance was Odetta. Seems to me that Spanky has PLENTY of voice and is certainly in very good company when one considers singers who came to prominence in the 60's.

[metrofurs]

Yes she's good, get ahold of the cd copy when she was younger, even better.