Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Charlie Cards Coming

 
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 began the song, "Charlie on the MTA". There is an interesting history to the song posted on the MIT website. While the song was made famous by the Kingston Trio in 1959, it actually started as a campaign song for one of Boston's mayoral candidates in 1948. And who said politics isn't interesting?

Anyway, Charlie is now being immortalized as the new transit card being introduced by the MBTA this week.

Mac Daniel who writes the Starts&Stops section of the Boston Globe has good information here and here.

Read up on this. You don't want to end up like the original Charlie!

                        Did he ever return,
                        No he never returned
                        And his fate is still unlearn'd
                        He may ride forever
                        'neath the streets of Boston
                        He's the man who never returned

 

Lyrics from the MIT web site.
 
 
 
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