of economy" in building towards a "climactic assertion of commonality and interdependency" in "I'm your pal". "The music and lyrics together make us feel the quiet desperation of the singer." Pianist Rob Kapilow remarked that the title is "the entire history of the Depression in a single phrase" and the listener ends up "feeling the time-immemorial complaint that the working man doesn't get the rewards". He says that Harburg and Gorney were brave to express this message in 1932 "when no one was saying this out loud". Furia and Lasser write that the song is unusual in relying on a strong narrative instead of emotion or imagery. Thomas S. Hischak wrote that the song was "one of the first theatre songs to have a potent sociological message, and it remains one of the most powerful of the genre". The song was the most prominent cultural representation of the Bonus Army. References External links Autograph score (1932) published by Paramount-Publix 1931 songs 1932 singles Great Depression songs Music controversies Songs about the United States Songs from musicals Songs with lyrics by Yip Harburg Songs with music by Jay Gorney Bing Crosby songs Traditional pop songs United States National Recording Registry recordings Socialist works