I was about three years old, and one day the train that passed through a field behind our house stopped an a man got off the caboose. My mother exclaimed, “Look! They let Charlie off the MTA!”
I had a similar problem with the New York City Transit Authority from the mid 1950’s to the mid 1970’s. I had lived in the Rockaways in Queens. The subway came to the Rockaways and charged us two tokens to get in and one token to get out.
It was a protest song. They were protesting the new way of doing the fare where you paid part at the beginning and the rest when you got off, or something like that. I’m not from Boston so I don’t remember the details.
Randy B Premium Member about 10 years ago
Did he ever return, No he never returned And his fate is still unlearned…
tarzina3 about 10 years ago
I asked that question the first time I heard the song
x_Tech about 10 years ago
ozed about 10 years ago
Thanks for the comments, here! We Australians in Germany don’t have a clue sometimes…
alviebird about 10 years ago
To Barney and Cynthia, who didn’t get it either, he sounds like he just had a senile episode.
JudyAz about 10 years ago
It should be pretty obvious – she’s having an affair and doesn’t want him to get off the train!
Donna Haag about 10 years ago
one of my favorite songs
pastorbosh about 10 years ago
since I was 6, I’ve always thought that too. Kind of a big plot whole.
uniquename about 10 years ago
Don’t forget the Merry Minuet. Amazing how relevant it is. Just change that nationalities…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQdHiOpGJF0
jimcos about 10 years ago
Yeah, if I had the option I think my wife might get the sandwich too.
prince valiant Premium Member about 10 years ago
yeah, but then Charlie wouldn’t ride forever through the streets of Boston
sottwell about 10 years ago
I was about three years old, and one day the train that passed through a field behind our house stopped an a man got off the caboose. My mother exclaimed, “Look! They let Charlie off the MTA!”
neverenoughgold about 10 years ago
You don’t have to live in Australia! I live in the USA, and I am at a loss..Over today’s strip, that is…
not my real name Premium Member about 10 years ago
It a song called, " MTA" by the Kingston Trio about a guy who couldn’t leave the subway. It was a novelry song from decades ago.
Mary McNeil Premium Member about 10 years ago
My late Mother asked the same question back about 1958!
Jim Kerner about 10 years ago
I had a similar problem with the New York City Transit Authority from the mid 1950’s to the mid 1970’s. I had lived in the Rockaways in Queens. The subway came to the Rockaways and charged us two tokens to get in and one token to get out.
Phil721 about 10 years ago
The song MTA was a mayoral election song written in1949 in protest of a fare increase. Made into a hit by the Kingston Trio in 1959
pam Miner about 10 years ago
only people of a certain age would know what this is about. it took me a minute to connect it to the song.
connie about 10 years ago
It was a protest song. They were protesting the new way of doing the fare where you paid part at the beginning and the rest when you got off, or something like that. I’m not from Boston so I don’t remember the details.
chaosandcake about 10 years ago
I’ve always figured it could only be that she didn’t have the spare nickel.
brownds about 10 years ago
And I’ve also wondered who George O’Brian was (see Wikipedia entry for “M.T.A.”).
EchoGirl21 almost 9 years ago
That song used to really creep me to out…