Lonesome EJ

Call me a pedant. Surely "buddy" started out life as "brother".

The first try-outs of the play used "brother".

Broadway impressarios were happy with that lyric but were fearful of a backlash from those who could actually afford tickets then. Hence the change to "buddy".

It was a hard hitting political song and for a political play. They chose to make it well known, so allowed some dilution. The message is still there.