The MTA Song (Charlie On The MTA)
Kingston Trio (Jacqueline Steiner & Bess Hawes, 1949)
Swiss Army Strum
4/4 | d - D u - u d u |
1 2 & & 4 &
Now let me [A] tell you of the story of a [D] man named Charlie
On a [A] tragic and fateful [E7] day.
He put [A] ten cents in his pocket, kissed his [D] wife and family,
And went to [A] ride on the [E7] MT- [A] A
Chorus
Well did he [A] ever return? No he [D] never returned,
And his [A] fate is still un- [E7] learned.
He may [A] ride forever 'neath the [D] streets of Boston,
He's the [A] man who [E7] never re- [A] turned.
Charlie [A] handed in his dime at the [D] Kendell Square station,
And he [A] changed for Jamaica [E7] Plain.
When he [A] got there the conductor told him, [D] "One more nickel."
Charlie [A] couldn't get [E7] off that [A] train.
Chorus
Well did he [A] ever return? No he [D] never returned,
And his [A] fate is still un- [E7] learned.
He may [A] ride forever 'neath the [D] streets of Boston,
He's the [A] man who [E7] never re- [A] turned.
Now [A] all night long Charlie [D] rides through the station
Crying, [A] "What will become of [E7] me?
How can [A] I afford to see my [D] sister in Chelsea,
Or my [A] cousin in [E7] Roxbu- [A] ry?"
Chorus
Well did he [A] ever return? No he [D] never returned,
And his [A] fate is still un- [E7] learned.
He may [A] ride forever 'neath the [D] streets of Boston,
He's the [A] man who [E7] never re- [A] turned.
Charlie's [A] wife goes down to the [D] Scolla Square station
Every [A] day at a quarter past [E7] two.
And [A] through the open window she [D] hands Charlie a sandwich
As the [A] train comes [E7] rumbling [A] through.
Chorus
Well did he [A] ever return? No he [D] never returned,
And his [A] fate is still un- [E7] learned.
He may [A] ride forever 'neath the [D] streets of Boston,
He's the [A] man who [E7] never re- [A] turned.
Now you [A] citizens of Boston, don't you [D] think it's a scandal
How the [A] people have to pay and [E7] pay?
Fight the [A] fare increase, vote for [D] Walter O'Brien,
And get [A] Charlie off the [E7] MT- [A] A.
Chorus
Well did he [A] ever return? No he [D] never returned,
And his [A] fate is still un- [E7] learned.
He may [A] ride forever 'neath the [D] streets of Boston,
He's the [A] man who [E7] never re- [A] turned.
#Play along with original in this key.
#Last Updated 6/28/19 JJ
Visit UkeboxLessons
Kingston Trio (Jacqueline Steiner & Bess Hawes, 1949)
Swiss Army Strum
4/4 | d - D u - u d u |
1 2 & & 4 &
Now let me [A] tell you of the story of a [D] man named Charlie
On a [A] tragic and fateful [E7] day.
He put [A] ten cents in his pocket, kissed his [D] wife and family,
And went to [A] ride on the [E7] MT- [A] A
Chorus
Well did he [A] ever return? No he [D] never returned,
And his [A] fate is still un- [E7] learned.
He may [A] ride forever 'neath the [D] streets of Boston,
He's the [A] man who [E7] never re- [A] turned.
Charlie [A] handed in his dime at the [D] Kendell Square station,
And he [A] changed for Jamaica [E7] Plain.
When he [A] got there the conductor told him, [D] "One more nickel."
Charlie [A] couldn't get [E7] off that [A] train.
Chorus
Well did he [A] ever return? No he [D] never returned,
And his [A] fate is still un- [E7] learned.
He may [A] ride forever 'neath the [D] streets of Boston,
He's the [A] man who [E7] never re- [A] turned.
Now [A] all night long Charlie [D] rides through the station
Crying, [A] "What will become of [E7] me?
How can [A] I afford to see my [D] sister in Chelsea,
Or my [A] cousin in [E7] Roxbu- [A] ry?"
Chorus
Well did he [A] ever return? No he [D] never returned,
And his [A] fate is still un- [E7] learned.
He may [A] ride forever 'neath the [D] streets of Boston,
He's the [A] man who [E7] never re- [A] turned.
Charlie's [A] wife goes down to the [D] Scolla Square station
Every [A] day at a quarter past [E7] two.
And [A] through the open window she [D] hands Charlie a sandwich
As the [A] train comes [E7] rumbling [A] through.
Chorus
Well did he [A] ever return? No he [D] never returned,
And his [A] fate is still un- [E7] learned.
He may [A] ride forever 'neath the [D] streets of Boston,
He's the [A] man who [E7] never re- [A] turned.
Now you [A] citizens of Boston, don't you [D] think it's a scandal
How the [A] people have to pay and [E7] pay?
Fight the [A] fare increase, vote for [D] Walter O'Brien,
And get [A] Charlie off the [E7] MT- [A] A.
Chorus
Well did he [A] ever return? No he [D] never returned,
And his [A] fate is still un- [E7] learned.
He may [A] ride forever 'neath the [D] streets of Boston,
He's the [A] man who [E7] never re- [A] turned.
#Play along with original in this key.
#Last Updated 6/28/19 JJ
Visit UkeboxLessons