Brother, Can You Spare a Dime Bottleneck Blues Slide Guitar

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 Warner Bros. 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.

Performed by Keni Lee Burgess in Open C minor tuning (CGCd#gc)

"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 Doodly Dum,
Half a million boots went slogging 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? Buddy, can you spare a dime?

Learn to Play
Bottleneck Slide Blues Guitar
Series 1 and 2 Video CDs
Good & Evil Music CD

"Buy It Now" Auction
Go to Ebay: Search: Keni Lee
If there is no active auction please contact me.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• blues
• country
• folk
• religious
• unsigned

[shoutingthomas]

Bentonia tuning?

[KeniLeeBurgess]

@shoutingthomas Yes, except I am tuned lower to the key of C than the common key of D. Thank you for your question. Enjoy.

[anavarre]

I love this, I must have listened to it 10 times at least. You've got to put this one on your next album.

[KeniLeeBurgess]

@anavarre Thank you for your comment. This song was an experiment in arranging a song of the Depression area and trying to use the slide to simulate the clarinet. I would love to get into the studio and record another CD, but currently it is just a matter of having enough funds. Enjoy

[CrispyDruid]

Well done, sir. An old song that, unfortunately, is finding quite a bit of resonance these days in the US. >.<

[KeniLeeBurgess]

@CrispyDruid Thank you for your comment. Yes, unfortunately you are correct. If we don't learn from history, we are destined to repeat it. Hopefully, better days are on the way. Maybe I should cover, Happy Days Are Here Again. LOL Enjoy.

[KeniLeeBurgess]

@Tuneswiththomas Thank you for your interest and comment. I'm sorry, but I don't. I hope someday to have the time to tab out my arrangements, but there is only some much time in a day. Enjoy.

[Tuneswiththomas]

I love this song! Do you have the tabs for this?

[KeniLeeBurgess]

@SPRUTH1154 Thank you for your comment. It is quite amazing that one little note moved a half step down can have such a dramatic effect. Enjoy.

[SPRUTH1154]

Love the minor sound.Another great job.