Brother Can You Spare A Tune?
Example of the old 1931 EY Harburg classic arranged in a basic fingerstyle.
Traditional acoustic guitar styles
I'm trying to use audio in conjunction with tabs I've done to better explain playing traditional fingerstyle guitar.
Story behind the song
Example of the old 1931 EY Harburg classic arranged in a basic fingerstyle.
Lyrics
Brother Can You Spare A Dime
(E.Y. Harburg, 1931)
(Prelude) [generally omitted in a performance]
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?
(Bridge)
Once in khaki suits, gee, we looked swell
Full of that Yankee Doodle-de-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.
Say, buddy, can you spare a dime?
(Bridge)
Once in khaki suits, ah, gee, we looked swell
Full of that Yankee Doodle-de-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?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Basic Chords Used:
Am= X02210 and X0X555; E7= 022434 and 020100;
A7= X02020; A7*= X05655; (7+7)X02023; Aaug5-7= X02021;
A= X02225 and X02220; A7dim9= X05656
D7= X00212; D7/F= 200212; D6/9+200200; Dm= XX0231;
F= 103211; B7b5= X2320X;
[Am}Once I built a railroad, I [E7] made it run [A7]
[D7]Made it [G7]race against [C]time...[E7}
[Dm]Once I built a [E7]railroad, [Am]now it's [F]done.
[B7b5]Brother, can you [E7]spare a [Am]dime?
(Bridge)
[A7]Once in khaki [A7+7]suits, ah, gee, [Aaug5-7]we [A7]looked [A7+7]swell
[A7]Full of that [A7+7]]Yankee Doodle-de-[A7dim9]dum...[A7*]
[D7]Half a million [D6/9}boots went [D7]slogging through [D6/9]hell,
And [F7]I was the kid with the [E7]drum...
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