The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #151960   Message #3552003
Posted By: MGM·Lion
23-Aug-13 - 02:31 AM
Thread Name: Origins: Brother Can You Spare A Dime, what movie
Subject: RE: Origins: Brother Can You Spare A Dime, what movie
Wikipedia states
"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 1930 by lyricist E. Y. "Yip" Harburg and composer Jay Gorney, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" was part of the 1932 musical New Americana; the melody is based on a Russian lullaby Gorney heard as a child. 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.

New Americana mentioned would appear to be a stage musical, not a film ~~ certainly not mentioned on any of my film guides. No mention of the song in any contemporary film, by Berkeley or otherwise.

~M~