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. lessens the outrage felt by the many poor, marginalized individuals.