need lyrics to the Charlie song
Dave Wonko Balkwill
>If the song is called "MTA" it can't be in Boston; MTA is the Metropolitan
>Transit Authority, also known as "those idiots who run the New York City
>subways and buses." Besides, "New York City" will scan better than "the
>Boston" in the chorus you posted:
Wrong. It's definitely Boston, and the lyrics are in my MIT orientation
book. I'll post them later when I have the book handy (it's at home).
The line in the chorus says "He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston"
if memory serves.
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Daniel P. Faigin
Wouldn't you know. I post it, read it a second time, and discover a mistake:
>Let me tell you the story 'bout a man named Charlie
>On a tragic and fateful day
>Put a dime in his pocket, Kissed his wife and family
>Went to ride on the M.T.A.
should be:
Let me tell you the story 'bout a man named Charlie
On a tragic and fateful day
He put ten cents in his pocket, Kissed his wife and family
Went to ride on the M.T.A.
Daniel
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Christopher K Davis
On 16 Aug 89 19:01:47 GMT,
ja...@hpcndm.HP.COM (Jason Zions) said:
Jason> If the song is called "MTA" it can't be in Boston; MTA is the
Jason> Metropolitan Transit Authority, also known as "those idiots who run
Jason> the New York City subways and buses." Besides, "New York City" will
Jason> scan better than "the Boston" in the chorus you posted:
Hate to tell you, but at the time (before my time :-) the Boston system
(older than NYC's, BTW) was called the MTA. It didn't become the MBTA
until...um... some year.
Older tokens (still in circulation) have METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY on 'em.
Jason> Jazz
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Daniel P. Faigin
>Transit Authority, also known as "those idiots who run the New York City
>subways and buses." Besides, "New York City" will scan better than "the
>Boston" in the chorus you posted:
People! Please get the words correct. I sent the words to the original poster,
but I'll do it again for everyone else:
The Ballad of the M.T.A.
Let me tell you the story 'bout a man named Charlie
On a tragic and fateful day
Put a dime in his pocket, Kissed his wife and family
Went to ride on the M.T.A.
But did he ever return?
No! He never returned!
And his fate is still unlearned.
He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned.
Charlie handed in his dime at the Skully Square Station
And he changed for Jamaica Plain
When he got there the conductor told him "One More Nickel"
Charlie couldn't get off of that train.
But did he ever return?
No! He never returned!
And his fate is still unlearned.
He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned.
Now all night long Charlie rides through the tunnels
Crying "What will become of me?
How can I afford to see my sister in Chelsea
or my cousin in Roxbury?"
But did he ever return?
No! He never returned!
And his fate is still unlearned.
He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned.
Charlie's wife goes down to the Skully Square Station
every day, at quarter past two.
And through the open window she hand Charlie a sandwich
As the train goes rumbling through.
But did he ever return?
No! He never returned!
And his fate is still unlearned.
He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned.
Now, you citizens of Boston, don't you think that its a scandel
How the people have to pay and pay
Fight the fare increase! Vote for George O'Brian!
Get poor Charlie off the M.T.A.
Or else he'll never return.
No! He'll never return!
And his fate is still unlearned.
He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned.
He's the man who never returned.
I am familiar with two versions of the song. One is done by the Kingston Trio
and dates from the 55-62 era, and uses the George O'Brian verse. Another is
done by the Gateway Singers. I don't remember the last verse offhand, but it
is changed to refer to something like Proposition A. I'll listen to it tonight
and see if I can find the words to post.
Bill Haffey
> If the song is called "MTA" it can't be in Boston; MTA is the Metropolitan
> Transit Authority, also known as "those idiots who run the New York City
> subways and buses."
A friend from MIT told me that Boston changed the name from MTA to MBTA
after the song was written, possibly to avoid this problem.
> Besides, "New York City" will scan better than "the
> Boston" in the chorus you posted:
> But did he ever return,
> No, he never returned.
> And his fate is still unlearned. (Poor old Charlie)
> He may ride forever 'neath the Boston.
> New York City
As I recall, that line was:
"He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston"
Bill Haffey (w...@hprnd.rose.hp.com)
Ken Shenkman
>If the song is called "MTA" it can't be in Boston; MTA is the Metropolitan
>Transit Authority, also known as "those idiots who run the New York City
>Boston" in the chorus you posted:
>
> But did he ever return,
> No, he never returned.
> And his fate is still unlearned. (Poor old Charlie)
> He may ride forever 'neath the Boston.
> New York City
>
I have heard the song before, by the Kingston Trio, and it definately is
BOSTON not New York. So the song must be MBTA (i guess)
my parents actually have the album and i can ask them check if neccesary.
ken
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