Read the excerpt from the interview with E. Y. (Yip) Harburg.
In the song the man is really saying: I made an investment in this country. Where the hell are my dividends? Is it a
dividend to say: "Can you spare a dime?" What the hell is wrong? Let's examine this thing. It's more than just a bit of
pathos. It doesn't reduce him to a beggar. It makes him a dignified human, asking questions- and a bit outraged, too,
as he should be.
According to Harburg, the song "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"
humanizes and lends a sense of worth to the common beggar on the street.
was written to assist the poor in getting more money from passersby.
answers the question "What is wrong?" for impoverished individuals.
O lessens the outrage felt by the many poor, marginalized individuals.