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  • I'm addicted to this song... They used to tell me I was building a dream.

  • Once in khaki suits ... ahh gee we looked swell ... full of that yankee doodly dum ...

    Man, its music like this that really hits one's own soul.

  • Bush = Hoover, Obama = Roosevelt

  • prohibition was the cause of the great depression because the government didnt have enough money from alcohol to support the country....i just finished my mational history day projectt (:

  • Poor people may have mercy on the souls for those who live today from the Great Depression blesst them all

  • Obama 's favorite song

  • Day 26- Have had no luck finding playerbunny's comment yet. I feel like I am getting closer. My food supply is dangerously low...God I hope I make it.

  • my ss class went over this song at school

  • @thegunzman12 same were u at

  • @SuperiorConcept All Obama can offer the downtrodden of America & the cancer that is his nation's debt are words that are worth no more than a ten cent coin !

  • just a stark reminder of what the republiCON policies of the 1920's brought us. people literally starving in the streets and the clown Hoover telling everyone that prosperity was just around the corner. and now gingrich and romney advocatong child labour. WAKE UP

  • @orbit14915 Wake up as both parties are bought and paid for providing lip service every time up for reelection Repulocrats or Democans one in the same

  • @orbit14915 First off I'm not a republican nor republicon. But Hoover really wasn't at fault for the Great Depression. Second the polices of both parties are much different now then they were before.

  • 1931... meet 2011.

  • sobering

  • Comment removed

  • I'm *inserts cool age* and love this song

  • Communism ftw.

  • What is he referring to when he says he is "Al"?

  • @Veeolsa I think he's saying like "oh we were such buddys, remember? can you spare me a dime?"

  • You guys are discussing the Great Depression ... I prefer to comment on the "signature vocals" of Bing Crosby on this song. He was something else, wasn't ? In the 1930's he introduced more Top Ten Hits than any other vocalist of that decade. Many of the singing stars that followed emulated Bing and were inspired by him as well. Great video, thank you.

  • You think that by calling someone "buddy", they're going to have more sympathy for you?

  • The 99% protesting in New York,Oakland etc, the unjust forecloses, lack of jobs, too much money in too few pockets, this song of Bing's would and should be their athem.

  • ahh neeeeeeed a dollla ... a dolaaa ... a dolla dats wat i NEEEEEED.

    hey hey

  • @dataphreak: from a grocery store ad in 1931: 24 oz loaf of bread 9¢, 14 oz can of red beans 5¢. Together about 3000 Calories. Mostly men working then, so out of work=family of four on a dime a day=750 Cal a day per each. Who can live on that? Rationing? Wasn't that WWII? And it was a lot more than a loaf of bread and a can of beans. Don't minimize the poverty of that time. There was little govt relief under Hoover compared to today.

  • @subpolarity: I know, right? Hyuk hyuk, I'm so kewl because I'm not like other people. >.>

  • Great song, and even greater singer......Bing Crosby

  • I'm a two day old fetus and I listen to this music. Aren't I cool?

  • @b00djones Does that even apply to anything here?

  • @b00djones that's impossible.

    Idiot.

  • @Hamarin123456789 It's a sarcastic joke, idiot.

  • @BenjaminKuruga Oh really?

  • Anyone reading this might want to listen to my song that came out August 1, 2011 on the website above or through a digital download service under the listing The C.R. Ecker Band. The Bushwacked song was inspired by "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" and was written in 1991.

  • My dads song (Harold) - FEPOW on Burma Railway Changi Gaol Singapore

  • Its stuff like this that is making me hate the era I'm growing up in....

  • The lyrics are good but it's about the way he sings them.

  • Agree with you. I worked very hard for a college degree the past 6 years ( I am 57.) I thought I could get a good job. I have been looking for a job since March. Not even Sonic will hire me. Prepare to do the grunt work (if you can get it) Those advertizements about getting a college degree are misleading at best and will leave you deeply in debt. I know. Kind of wish I was young and a high school drop out. I might be the head french fry lady at McDonald's.

  • @54animalgirl I'm two years older than you and ended up working part-time in a food bank for twenty years. I always loved show business but tastes have changed and I don't have any interest in anything contemporary. Vince Giordana and Johnny Crawford are the greatest!

  • Obamanamics Theme song?

  • Fallout New Vegas does this to you/

  • These song mean so much more than the songs of today.They can tell you so much more than any politician or commentator. If only people listened to then.

  • Crosby was such a fantastic singer. Mr Burns, too.

  • Republicans who to eliminate Medicare and Social Security will force America's elderly to become homeless and make the need for bread lines once again.

  • @darlinkula1 Where did you hear such lunacy?

  • @Joan18706 You need to keep up with current events if you have not heard this. Republicans also want to keep G.W.Bush's tax cuts for the rich while cutting programs for the poor.

  • He was very liberal on social issues,I knew him,and on issues no one was fairer, and there was no greater singer.

  • Ironic that Bing sang this , such a horrid Repug.

  • why are we all at best call socialist ?

  • question, do you think this song could represent communism?

  • @pinkrose838 no in fact rudy vallee who sung it from americana was a socialist.

  • @pinkrose838 - Guess you didn't pay any attention to history? This song was written during the Great Depression, when unemployment was something like 20% and brokers were jumping out of windows because the stock market crashed. Not that dissimilar from today's economics. We were as far from communism as we could get in 1931. There were no social safety nets. That era is the very reason social security and medicare were put in place. Communism... *rolling my eyes*

  • @DebbieKat

    I agree. Communism is what you'd call America *now*

  • @juliaroxall - I wouldn't say we are communist now either, just that the move towards socialist type programs were what helped pull us OUT of the depression.

  • When I was laid off back in 2009 from a building site in Melbourne I was on my way home on the train and this song popped into my head.They used to tell me I was building a dream..... This is one of the saddest songs you can listen to but only if you know the betrayal of being fired for not being economically viable any more.I have only heard this several times but its powerful message came out when I needed it.Thats the power of a timeless song.I didnt have to line up for bread ...not yet !

  • Bing Crosby's voice is magnificent ,his interpretation is flawless, and the pictures are powerful.

  • Very stirring. Very thought provoking and a wonderful teaching moment for those who stop long enough to look and listen. Thank you for posting this version.

  • i like this ill use it for my project

  • i like this i can use this for my project

  • OBAMA ELECTION SONG

  • @retrocinema You are right. Obama has more people on food stamps than any other president. He will run for reelection on that accomplishment. lol

  • it's silly how valuable this song is to some of us. it will be a pitiful failure to those who watch how strongly we care for Bing Crosby and this song of his. It'll come late but it will come.

  • it's silly how valuable this song is to some of us.

  • This was recorded in 1934 and probably the finest version I've ever heard.

  • First heard this song on the Bioshock soundtrack and was compelled to search for it

  • nevertheless, very good song, in times western culture was still a culture to admire

  • this makes you really appreciate your life. at least i hope it does.

  • Jeez. This song came from the depression era. There was only 10 to 15 % out of work but there was NO welfare, no social services, no government help. Comparing the depression to modern day is ignorant. Our worst day was their best day. Thank God I was able to listen to my parents and grandparents stories about what it was really like. All we really have to worry about today is if your IPod is working or not. Total fail.....

  • This Gentleman had no need to ask for a dime. But in my opinion he sing this sad and beautiful song best and with such a feeling! Great voice!

  • @petereuropa He might have not needed to ask for a dime but for all the others,"that built a railroad" the song let them feel they weren't alone. It was important . If Sweden went through the depression, what music boosted their morale? I bet those singers didn't need to ask for a dime either.

  • @slugg63 1st of all I like Bing, Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, Bob Hope (golfer too!)and other stars- They are just so nice acters and singers. And they had class. Is class gone, or do we have to look at the TV shows like Mad Men to get a glimse of the past? Anyway, in Sweden we didn't have that kind of song. In Italy 1922 it was Mussolini, -33 Germany Hitler. Then you know it's history. our songs came from the end of the 19th cen when people went to USA and Canada. Listen to "O tysta ensamhet".

  • @petereuropa Listened to a few versions of "O tysta ensamhet". Cool. Just don't understand the Swedish language. I looked for an english translation but no luck. Also, from your comment, I spent a couple hrs today reading about Sweden thru ww1, the depression, ww2, forward and Sweden's economy and government. That Sweden has been a role model for other countries to study.By no means did I learn it all. But I feel a bit less ignorant than I did a day ago. So, thanks for making me think and read.

  • My Dad sung this and also was aware of it's meaning.

    I am now aware of it.

    Is it too late?

  • hey man really good video that goes with the lyrics

  • im only 26 years old but this is the best music eva!

  • Obuma must think we all need to know this song first hand..I 've don it all ...and I need a penny or two , I can't even ask for a dime///

  • The definitive anthem of the great depression years. No other version comes anywhere near Bings.

  • My dear dad used to sing this when I was a little boy. He experienced it.

  • Wonder what kind of songs will come out of the Greatest Depresion of 2010?

  • @eric5906 lady gaga

  • Honestly, no disrespect to this song. Its great. But i'd like to hear someone turn it into a screamo. But like a good screamo. Where you can understand it.

  • @chicocandygirl Um, no.

  • I learned about the great depression in my U.S. history class this year, and through this song, I can understand feel what those generations had to go through.

  • My Dad sung this and I now feel his pain!!

  • Perhaps It's Time To Buck Up Again.

  • @TheLogicJunkie

    I know that FDR signed the Gold Confiscation Act, which required Americans to turn-in their gold bullion. But that the gold was used to fund the "Nazis"? Never heard it; Is there any proof?

    In any case, if you want to see how FDR lied and deceived America into WW2, read the following article on the Web:

    "Roosevelt's 'Secret Map' Speech"

    FYI -- true American patriots Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh and Joseph Kennedy advocated non-interventionism and good relations with Germany.

  • LibertaerUeberAlles: There is a video called the "Charles Lindbergh Speech" right here. People should listen to this man, so many decades after he made it. It is still relevant today.

  • President Obama should adopt this as his theme song.

  • Hey is it normal for a 15 year old to frequently listen to songs like these on my own free time? I feel like I'm punching society in the face haha

  • @playerbnny Why not? Folk songs are good for any age.

  • @playerbnny I'm so sick of people commenting about how young they are on these vids, are we suppose to be impressed? get over yourself

  • @playerbnny it's normal to experiment at those ages; yes.

  • @playerbnny Dude, your not the first.

  • @playerbnny, we all must listen songs like this... Because this is a REAL music... About REAL life...

  • @playerbnny Yes it is ..the intelligent ones that is.. My daughter did.. She studied Buzby Berkley movies too

  • @playerbnny lol same here! weird x'3

  • @playerbnny

    you can blame videogames for that :D

  • @playerbnny All I can say is keep digging for the songs you don't hear on the radio and you'll have a rich musical education - know no limits, including what you might think you don't like.

  • @playerbnny Kid.. its not society.. its those who control the gold.. who cause all the misery. Most people are apathetic to politics.. economics.. and current events.. and passively want to live life in peace... but that's what the controllers do not want. be well.

  • @playerbnny I'm so goddamn tired of comments like this.

  • @playerbnny So.

    Am I suppose to give you a gold metal or something. Am I suppose to be impressed that you listen to this and you're young.

    Dude, just shut up and let people listen to what they want to listen to.

    Thinking you're better than someone just because you listen to a certain type of music makes you a pompous ass.

    Whatever the other kids lack in 'musical taste' you clearly make up for in arrogance.

    And I want to punch society the face for making kids so damn egotistical.

  • @DanceDancing23 did you actually feel the need to scold a kid because he commented on something? im sure you get laid quite routinely

  • @kevin3350 I'm YOUNGER than him

    

  • @DanceDancing23 in that case, i hope you arent getting laid routinely, and start acting more like a kid haha

  • @kevin3350 You're kind of funny, but what do you mean act more like a kid?

  • @DanceDancing23 less being angry and more playing tag or boys chase girls, or whatever the hell i did when i was younger ahaha

  • Best version of a sad song , not much has changed we just have  more now, things that we don't need, and don't really own. More cars in our driveway than people in our homes, using the telephone for most of our meals. Those pictures in that video may someday be just outside our windows, Anyway, great song and thank you Bing.

  • We don't know the meaning of poverty!

  • Jim341046: Yet. 

  • @Jim341046 that is true..Keep up Obamacare and socialism , and you will know the meaning

  • @Jim341046 Speak for yourself. Times are worse now than they were in the great depression Obama plans to cut benifits in August . Here in the UK half the population can't afford a loaf of bread 

  • @Jim341046 Yes, we do!

  • @Jim341046 Actually we do. A dime could feed a man for a day, bread cheese, gallon of milk, that'd cost you a quarter and last almost a week. The only reason people had to "stand in line for bread" was because of rationing. Our employment rate today is on par with what it was then, and the standard wage is far below the living wage level, by a factor of half. This is much worse than it was during the great depression or industrial fallout. Meaning of poverty? Yeah, we know it.

  • Why do we accept that most of garments, clothes, shoes, are made in far east? We must have more equal wages and currency in the world. Otherwise (= the West, USA, Europe and some other countries): Brother can you spare a dime, a cent or a piece of bread!

  • This will look like the good old days when HUSSEIN is done with us.

  • Wow - some great pictures of the future - sick!

  • I love this song...Would love to remake it too.. I have a real old Al Bowly 78 RPM. It is only 38 seconds long from 1931. Interesting!

  • its a catchey song

  • whats the meaning, help please?

  • I may be going off track but I am surprised this song was included in the Bioshock soundtrack because its about hard times and altruism, something Andrew Ryan didn't like and made illegal in Rapture.

  • Thanks for uploading this song ...... it is VERY relevant to the economic situation today. History has a way of repeating itself.....

  • hehe america didnt win the world war they didnt even fight any major battles man , no offense but it is anoyying having americans think that they won the war, they really didnt , germany was otu of man power and so used reason and stoped the war, america only showed up at the end and took credit from the other allies, including canada!

  • @underfire987 There are so many problems with that statement. First, Lend Lease kept Britain in the war until America arrived. Second, saying America fought no major battles ignores the Pacific theater which America fought most of the major battles. I guess D-Day,the entire Italian campaign, Battle of the Bulge, Patton's accomplishments in Africa, and countless other incidents is showing up at the end (america entered start of 42 and war lasted to 45...). If anyone is overlooked it is Russia

  • @jimraw1 i was talking about the first world war really not the secound world war.

    in ww1 america did not enter till the last year, and really only fought a few scrimishes , mean whyll canada had pretty much broken the german line, with the astrialians and british and on the last day took the capitial of belgium back. all i was saying is it seems kinda unfair, that amercia took all the credit and canada was really left out. but thats how the world works.

  • @underfire987 I apologize - I should have realized you meant the first world war when dealing with this song. America's involvement came in at the end (not by Wilson's wish but the isolationists). I'm not sure today most Americans feel that America won the first war like the second. However, I would say if America had not entered the war would not have ended in 1918 - the Germans would have sat in the trenches and let it end in stalemate in the west, settling for victory in the east.

  • @jimraw1 its all right. but i dont think it would have ended so . germany was at the end of its man power. the allies already launched a final attack, and we were pretty much pushing them out of northren europe , germans fought like hell though very tough and if any country faced em on , one on one , germans would win hand down in the last two world wars anyhow, their leaders even amited that they could not win the war in 1918.

  • who is singing this song?

  • @Ukiedude It's Bing Crosby singing Brother Can you Spare a Dime, one of the biggest records of his career.

  • It's so beautiful and so sad.

    What a wonderful voice of dark velvet he had.

  • i take a special class 2 my scool where we take english n history 2gether n we listen 2 that song when we stared to talk bout the great depression in history, like it a lot XD

  • @skyler0793 YA ME TOO!!! except its advanced LA, and my teacher did a weird unit on american history. And we all did depression projects, and someone's had this in the background. I love it(:

  • @iLuvComedy32 thats sooo cool!!!! :D

  • Baby if I'm the bottom, yer tha top!

  • the second one is coming, be prepared

  • @Cinemaguy2007 Doubt it. I'm from the UK and things are pretty tough here at the moment but its improving (very slowly though). Can't be that worse in USA. I think we've got through the worst now.

  • @Shantiseeker Unless, you experienced the Depression, don't go writing something that your own heart and experience isn't in.

  • @MJimiD To be fair if thats what he has to do for a school paper theres nothing he can do to change it!

    But if they are making you write a song about 1930's depression thats kind of stupid because as Jimi says if your hearts not in it and you haven't experienced it.... Perhaps they are asking you to write about the current credit crunch? If so all you have to do is google it and theres plenty about it.

  • This song is indicative of how many hard working proud men were forced to beg because of they lost their jobs and could not find jobs due to the almost complete and thorough collapse of the American economy

  • every time i hear this song it makes me sad. but i love it though for some reason.

  • an amazing classic, back in the good old days when the world was simpler, nost

  • @adamremasters and everyone was poor and starving. Times were so much better back then!

  • heard this on the classical station while i was in prison. made such an impact - especially given our modern recession/depression... cant get a job

  • what did you go to jail for? sorry i'm just intrested.

  • conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 28 months total. had my little walkman and a pad of paper. i was writing a novel and when i heard this song i was flooded with ideas.. how i could make my story way more personal. i just really like this song!

  • Buggery xP

  • bioshock music!!!!!!

  • EPIC WIN LOL!!! xD

  • The economy peaked in 2006. It slowed in 2007 and in 2008 in started a decline, nothing too bad. The first year of Obama has been a nightmare. This prez has NO IDEA of how to encourage business and reduce fear. He is scaring the shit out of every small biz in America. His golden goose (the taxpayer) will be gone and all his programs will gone, too unless he turns the ship around. He calls it "economic justice" to take from those who work and give it to those who don't. GOD HELP US.

  • Heard this song whilst studying the Great Depression at GCSE History (Now at A-Level). Never forgotten about this song, teacher made us write all the lyrics out!!!

    I think it is quite funny a 17 year old listens to this in his own time, its like a huge middle finger to todays society.. Lovely.

    Great song!!

  • @ScottDack It's A Pity The English Kids Of Today Will

    Never Really know Hard Times "Big Brother D.H.S.S." Will See To That!

    Hard Times & The Way We Overcome them formour basic Charachter

    Playing "Mario" Doesn't Compare !!

  • hey can you guys shut up your distracting me from doing my paper over this song

  • Early Crosby... How can an Irish Guy sound so Jewish?

    Crosby: The Second White Guy With Soul.

  • i sing along! BUT there was a bad word.

    the song still good tho!

  • Thats funny, during the first 6 years of George W. Bush I owned a decent home and my business was 200% bigger. Since 1 year ago both are gone. My business is barely hanging on. there's nothing but fear and the future doesn't look like it will get better. THANK YOU OBAMA! YOU NEVER RAN A BUSINESS!!!!

  • Please, spare us your whining

  • What happened in the last two years of Bush?

  • @mikekomalley Only because BUSH started the mess!!! How short is your memory??

  • amen brother!!!

  • "I say let the socialists social," etc - This is called anarcho-syndicalism, where government exists but it isn't forced on you. It's my opinion that in this century government will probably see a sort of renaissance like religion did a few centuries ago, and as that gave us freedom of religion I'm hoping political enlightenment will give us freedom of government. It's a matter of being free from people pushing their ideals on you, if you ask me. USA's gov is a corporatist/fascist "democracy"

  • And yet, one of the most wonderful inventions of the last millenia. And at least its a democracy, could be worse.

  • Anarchy.

    Only the Fit Survive.

  • But social security helps people who are down on their luck. Without it you would have a lot more stories like this song. Anarchy does not work, Ayn Rand was a terrible philosopher (and person really.) Jeremy Bentham, now there was a philosopher.

  • @TheArtistOfKuroo Agreed!!!!!! I used to be a crazy anarchist and believe in Ayn Rand, but now I appreciate Milton Friedman. :) we should do something pragmatic but not just show them our infeasible "noble" belief. Sorry for my poor English, I grew up in red China.

  • @TheArtistOfKuroo Peter Ustinov, now there's a philosopher!

  • @TheArtistOfKuroo yea, the poor law 1834 was a dream, great bit of utilitarian work. I prefer Karl Marx for a political and economic philospher

  • @TheArtistOfKuroo im not really a proponent of anarchy but alot of people i know that would consider them selves anarchists hate ayn rand... pretty much all of them. social security helps the government more than the people...

  • @TheArtistOfKuroo Yes, Benthamism -- "The greatest happiness for the greatest number" of people. (Or at least, the least misery.) Too the message of Jesus. People are more important than things. But Social Security is only for the over-65 and disabled.

  • @JudgeJulieLit True on Social Security, however the term when used by FDR referred to unemployment compensation as well and the act still covers a great deal more than just the elderly (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.) I completely agree with you on the Jesus comment by the way. Sad that that message is often overlooked. Many liberal philosophers, even atheist ones, have praised Christ for his messages on the poor (Steinbeck even made him a 30's labor organizer, Jim Casey.)

  • @JudgeJulieLit The average life expectancy in America is about 78, so it's not like you'll never benefit from it. You just have to, you know, stay alive for a while.

  • @TheArtistOfKuroo The problem is that modern day society does not have an answer to the meaning of life. The lack in spiritual meaning in the western world will bring us down and im looking forward to it. Within a hundred years one way or another we will trip over our own feet, while learning a valuable lesson. You can't possibly stand out in this society or do anything that will change, you're just a replacable product

  • The quintessential song of the 20th century.