CPC Report

CPC Report; An unabashedly liberal perspective

15 March 2010-

Songs of the Great Depression

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?

Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell,

Full of that Yankee Doodly 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?

Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell,

Full of that Yankee Doodly 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.

Say, don't you remember, I'm your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime?

We're in the Money; lyrics by Al Dubin, music by Harry Warren (from the film The Gold Diggers of 1933)

We're in the money, we're in the money;

We've got a lot of what it takes to get along!

We're in the money, that sky is sunny,

Old Man Depression you are through, you done us wrong.

We never see a headline about breadlines today.

And when we see the landlord we can look that guy right in the eye

We're in the money, come on, my honey,

Let's lend it, spend it, send it rolling along!

Oh, yes we're in the money, you bet we're in the money,

We've got a lot of what it takes to get along!

Let's go we're in the money, Look up the skies are sunny,

Old Man Depression you are through, you done us wrong.

We never see a headline about breadlines today.

And when we see the landlord we can look that guy right in the eye

We're in the money, come on, my honey,

Let's lend it, spend it, send it rolling along!

Sixteen tons; music & lyrics by Merle Travis*

               Well I got up one morning, the sun didn't shine,
                   I picked up my shovel and I went to the mine,
                   I loaded sixteen ton of that number four coal
                  The face boss said, ''Well bless my soul!"

                   I loaded sixteen tons, I tried to get ahead,
                  Got deeper and deeper in debt instead.
                  Well they got what I made, and they wanted some
                  more,
                  And now I owe my soul at the company store.
*George S.Davis also claimed credit for composing this song

It's a mighty hard row that my poor hands have hoed
My poor feet have traveled a hot dusty road                                   Out of your Dust Bowl and Westward we rolled                             And your deserts were hot and your mountains were cold

I worked in your orchards of peaches and prunes
I slept on the ground in the light of the moon
On the edge of the city you'll see us and then
We come with the dust and we go with the wind

California, Arizona, I harvest your crops
Well its North up to Oregon to gather your hops
Dig the beets from your ground, cut the grapes from your vine
To set on your table your light sparkling wine

Green pastures of plenty from dry desert ground
From the Grand Coulee Dam where the waters run down
Every state in the Union us migrants have been
We'll work in this fight and we'll fight till we win

It's always we rambled, that river and I
All along your green valley, I will work till I die
My land I'll defend with my life if it be
Cause my pastures of plenty must always be free

                 Glynn Braman