Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby (May 2, 1903 - October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 until his death in 1977. Bing Crosby's influence on popular culture and popular music is considerable as from 1934 to 1954 he held a nearly unrivaled command of record sales, radio ratings and motion picture grosses. He is usually considered to be a member of popular music's "holy trinity" of ultra-icons, alongside Elvis Presley and The Beatles. Bing Crosby popularized singing with conversational ease, or crooning. His musical interpretations amalgamated rhythm and romance with scat singing, whistling, rhythmic improvisation and melodic paraphrasing as elements of a hotter, sexier sound than had been conceived before.
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Brother, Can You Spare A Dime Lyrics
Bing Crosby
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?