Brother can you spare a dime

编者按:在美国经济大萧条日趋严重的时刻,面对如潮而至的谴责,胡佛总统仍考虑着用什么新方法来进行心理战。他对克里斯托弗·莫利说过：“我国现在需要的是一首好诗。”1932年春季，他又对鲁迪·瓦利说：“如果你能唱出一支使人们忘记经济萧条的歌，我便送给你一枚奖章。”可是这个奖章瓦利得不到，因为他所唱的歌是：

Once I built a railroad, 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 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 Doodle De Dum

Half a million boots went slogging through hell.

I was the kid with the drum.

Say, don't you remember, they called me Al.

It was Al all the time.

Say, don't you remember, I'm your pal!

Brother, can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits,

Gee, we looked swell.

Full of that yankee Doodle De Dum

Half a million boots went slogging through hell.

I was the kid with the drum.

Say, don't you remember, they called me Al.

It was Al all the time.

Say, don't you remember, I'm your pal!

Brother, can you spare a dime?

Buddy, can you spare a dime?