Annual Truth Perceived Folk Music Review!

This year I will review “Charlie on the M.T.A.” also known as “The M.T.A. Protest Song” or just “The M.T.A. Song.” Jacqueline Steiner, and Bess Lomax-Hawes, I am told, originally penned the tune. As I understand it The Kingston Trio released it in 1959 with the lyrics I am familiar with. The song is wonderfully upbeat and peppy. It drew me in immediately. The first phrase of the lyrics indicate that one is about to be told a story about a man whose name is Charlie. This is in fact the case. At the end of the song one has heard a dizzying account of the man named Charlie.

My first experience with the song was at the house of a man named Dave. He was singing and playing his guitar and one of the songs he sang was “The M.T.A. Protest Song.” At first I thought it was an impromptu song about his son, whose name is Charlie. If you ever meet Dave, and hear him play the guitar, you might arrive at the same conclusion. That is, Dave is fully capable of making up a song on the fly and having it sound much like it must be a well-known folk song. I don’t know if he has ever done this, but just look at him, he looks like that kind of guy. He looks to have that mix of musical prodigy, wit, English language fluency and historical knowledge that creating brilliant impromptu folk songs would require. I remark about this at length only to demonstrate that my original thought was not stupid.

The song begins with the first verse (as you might guess):

“Let me tell you the story
of 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 MTA”

So what do we know so far? Good tune, and it’s a song about Charlie. Some people want more from their folk music. It turns out that this song was originally written for the mayoral campaign of Walter A O’Brian. He was a member of the Progressive Party. Some people connect the Progressive Party with communism, (especially during the McCarthy Era) but there is no evidence that O’Brian was a communist. I disagree and believe the evidence is in the song. Charlie had only ten cents, so obviously he didn’t approve of money, otherwise he would have more. If you need more proof of these socialist tendencies you need only turn to the fact that he was going to ride “public transportation.” Lest we vote commie too soon lets move on to the next stanza, or what ever this is in song lingo.

“Charlie handed in his dime
At the Kendall Square Station
And he changed for Jamaica Plain
When he got there the conductor told him,
‘One more nickel’
Charlie could not get off that train.”

Then we have the chorus:

“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.”

So now we know that Charlie is “the man who never returned” which you might think would ruin the end of the song. It’s hard to have a twist ending if you already know he is not going home. For me, though, I don’t think the lack of mystique hurts the song one bit. So I continued to listen even though this Charlie guy is incapable of doing anything for himself, like jump out a window, beg for spare change from other passengers, or sell things like his shoes. Sounds like a communist to me.

The song continues:

“Now all night long
Charlie rides through the tunnels
Saying, ‘What will become of me?
How can I afford to see
My sister in Chelsea
or my cousin in Roxbury?’”

Later the word “tunnels” was changed to “station” and “Saying” was changed to “Crying.” So the guy is not afraid to cry, very progressive even for the “Progressive Party” at that time. Also, why do they leave these trains running all night long? It’s 1949 how late do people stay up in Boston, and why don’t they call it the B.T.A. I also hope, for Charlie’s sake, there is a restroom on this train.

Wait till you read the next verse though, this one really shows the song’s true colors.

“Charlie’s wife goes down
to the Scollay Square Station
every day at quarter past two
and through the open window
she hands Charlie a sandwich
as the train comes rumblin’ through.”

Now we know that while Charlie is chatting it up with the other passengers all day, his wife is making and delivering sandwiches. I am not sure I have ever seen a song so clearly advocating the welfare system. Charlie’s wife, who doesn’t even rate having her name mentioned, is caring for children and providing sandwiches at 2:15 every day. She is obviously on welfare, and these are taxpayer-funded sandwiches. This points to futility of welfare and all socialist policies in general. If the state would give her a nickel to throw through that window the whole family could get off the public doll. Instead they give her a book of food stamps every month and perpetuate the problem. Yet another example of O’Brian’s communist leanings.

“As his train rolled on
underneath Greater Boston
Charlie looked around and sighed:
‘Well, I’m sore and disgusted
and I’m absolutely busted;
I guess this is my last long ride.’”

A banjo solo replaced this verse. So I have never heard it. It also makes me wonder if Dave was perhaps playing a banjo when I first heard this song. I don’t remember.

“Now you citizens of Boston
don’t you think it’s a scandal
that the people have to pay and pay.
Vote for Walter A O’Brian
and fight the fare increase.
Get poor Charlie off the MTA.”

Later when the song was released the phrase “Vote for Walter A O’Brian and fight the fare increase.” Was changed to “Fight the fare increase. Vote for George O’Brian!” The change was made during the McCarthy Era when the name Walter A. O’Brian conjured up images of the communists and one could get killed or worse for such things. Now we live in much more accepting times when people can make any sort of political statement and not fear reprisal.

While the song obviously plays to a liberal base intending to perpetuate the common individual’s reliance on government services, I give it high marks. I recommend it as a good listen any time you get the chance. If you play guitar or banjo and don’t know the song I suggest learning it. Good times.