A bunch of GOD-DAMNED nosy adulters and cock-sucking ass-fuckers are keeping THE ETERNAL MESSIAH crucified. Thursday, December 29, 2011 (Common People Eternity), 1:38 PM (Eastern Standard Time)
Skully Square used to be the red light district. I think it still was when they recorded this song but the city later cleaned it up. I don't know if that has anything to do with anything, but I thought I'd mention it for whatever it might be worth.
@safetychoice Scollay Square and the West End were razed largely because the striving immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, who comprised the majority of their inhabitants, were viewed as subversives by the Brahmin 'patriot' class. I-93 and Government Center were built largely to erase all traces of this richly historic part of Boston and its people. Notables included Sarah Parker Remond, the Rosa Parks of the 19th Century, who refused to sit in the 'colored' section of the Old Howard.
@safetychoice Thanks for mentioning it, because it's important for people to know more about what existed in this spot before conscientious neglect by the city and its ruling class led it to degenerate into the mob-dominated red light district to which you refer. It was a period of massive Big OIl/Big Auto-engineered, mob-facilitated societal engineering, meant to destroy ethnic enclaves and disconnect the electric public transport infrastructure linking neighborhood to neighborhood.
@safetychoice The original Scollay Square mosaic signage and tiling was occasionally visible in Government Center Station, behind a wall, for many years. I'm not sure if it's still there.
I heard about a transit train that was new to the Boston area. As I read a comment from a rider, I said to myself, "I bet they named it the 'Charlie' Line or something referring to the MTA song. Yep, I was right!
@NavyBob1965 There is no route or line in the current MBTA system named after Charlie. The fare system introduced in about 2005-2006 however is named after Charlie (CharlieTickets and CharlieCards).
To all of you wondering why she never handed him a nickel....CHEAPEST DIVORCE EVER!!! She wanted to get rid of his dumb ass and this was safer than murder.
I heard this song for the first time when i was 5. I asked my mother why she didn't "Just hand him another god damn nickel" .... she proceeded to take the door of my room cause she decided i was going to be trouble....
i remember this song growing up...when i asked my dad the same question as many, "why doesn't his wife just hand him the money?" My dad said it was a political protest song about more taxes.....still love this song to this day.
Okay so if charlie's wife could hand him a sandwhich through the open window of the train, then why couldn't she hand him a nickel and get him off the train?
I remember being a kid, hearing this song and thinking... why didn't his wife hand him a nickle instead of a sandwich??? LOL Notice the mistake @ the 2:00... he said vote for CHARLIE O'Brian to get ol' GEORGIE off the train LOL
I live in Massachusetts and ride the MTA and we would never leave you on the train unless you piss someone off then we just may leave you on the train.
Has any 1 been on a ATE superweek we learned this song there but it was a lot slower version xx Superweeks are brilliant summer camps for people age 8 - 16 i love them i've been on 3 so far they're amazing xxx
They sang this song at their concert in Christchurch New Zealand in 1957. A night I still remember vividly, and a song I still enjoy. Great memories of a great group.
Thank you for posting this. My Dad was a fighter pilot, stationed NAS North Island, Coronado CA. These guys would come aboard n play for the kids. Loved them then, still love them now. Thanks again! -^..^-
Thank you for posting this. I grew up a NAVY brat with my Dad stationed in a Fighter Wing at North Island, Coronado CA. These guys would come aboard n play for the kids. Loved them then, still love them now. Thanks again! -^..^-
Learned this in camp (In Jersey, not Boston,) and as an adult, I've found this is only one of many unforgettable Kingston Trio songs--Tijuana Jail, Reverend Mr. Black, Desert Pete, etc. love a good banjo.
god, i grew up with this song because this was my grandfathers favorite song, and when i heard that the dropkick murphys did a version of my song i thought it would be great but instead it sucked... nothing beats original music... and let me just say... coming from experiece (being a half hour out of boston) bostons a hell of a town...
@phatmatt1215 A couple of years back, I went to go see The Police with this Israeli kid. He looked at his ticket asked me about Charlie. I told him that it was an American Folk Song.
@phatmatt1215 A couple of years back, I went to go see The Police with this Israeli kid. He looked at his subway ticket asked me about Charlie. I told him that it was an American Folk Song.
His wife probably TRIED to give him a nickel, but the conductor kept charging him for the trips he made while still on the MTA, so he never had enough to get off.
Great harmony. These guys were amazing. My kids learnt this song in school. That shows how enduring the music was back then - I'm not so sure about today's stuff. Will our grandchildren be learning today's songs in school?
1. Bob Shane wore white socks! That is so frat boy 1961!
2. I'm not overly familiar with the Kingston Trio break-up - wasn't it basically a power play between Dave Guard (who wanted a folk purist thing) and Bob Shane (who liked the commercial thing? Anyway they were never the same after Guard left. Guard strikes me as the really talented guy in the group.
Ah, the ones who made this song famous! I love old folk music! Even the politics still makes sense. This song was written in 1949 for the campaign of a progressive candidate. Progressives are still out there and still working to change America.
At the time, a man named George O'Brien was running for office in Boston. He had no campaign funds, so he drove around town with this song blaring from the back of his loudspeaker filled truck. The recording was already released and The Kingston Trio didn't want to be involved or be associated with O'Brien who was rumored to be a communist. The lyrics were changed in live performances to make a joke of the situation and avoid the misfortune the Weavers had experienced.
We used to sing this song at summer camp and i always wondered why Charlie's wife could not just hand him a nickel! I was little and couldn't understand the bigger picture
@SirAnnemarieTheThird My mom played this on the stero when I was little. I used to ask her the same thing! You're right; little'uns don't get the political picture. Actually, neither do most big'uns!
Charlie's wife found peace and quiet, got to give her credit at least she fed him!! Besides, a nickle fare increase at that time was a 50% increase, no self respecting New Englander, much less a Bostonian would ever easily agree to such an increase. Remember, Boston was the home of the only real TEA PARTY!!! LOL
My folks WERE from Boston. As children, we would listen to the'45 over and over do skits--even with the sandwich! Enjoyed the listen. Still know all the words by heart. Lots of good memories. Thanks for posting.
Do I like this better than the Tijuana Jail, perhaps I should. I would think the Tijana Jail is a hole in the ground, I was in Tijuana back in the late sixties and couldn't believe mu eyes, there was nothing that reminded me of San Diego, a short walk across the border. I dislike Tom Dooley and I prefer to listen to MTA, but now I pick and chose. I got my laptop and Sam is history and so are the Kingston Trio. Listening to this song again only reminds me of what i had to listen to.THX
In the long history of American folk music, these guys, & Peter, Paul & Mary, were the most outstanding.
Saw Bob Shane in Cleveland, OH, ca. 2000, with 2 younger band members who enthusiastically covered the singing & guitar parts of Shane's orig. group co-members. One of the best concerts i ever saw!
this song was originally about the ship and the saiors who never return. It was a tax protest when the mta added a nickel gate to get off the train. I forge t the date but was written with these words somewhere around 1923?
This is pretty good.... this is the first song i've ever heard by them and i straight away bought their album lol :P I bought nick reynolds' guitar and i am now learning this song lol :)
I Heard this song live in Cleveland back in 1991 at an irish festival. The group playing it, I think was Alec and Darby and was trying to find if anybody else had heard of them and knew if the ever made a cd?
So.... before Peter Paul and Mary, and before Bob Dylan came The Kingston Trio. This is the original group in maybe 1956 or 57 when I was about 13. I think I still have this album in my collection. My first concert ever was in Boston in 1963 after John Stewart replaced Dave Guard.
Ahh too bad these guys were from Hawaii and California: wonder who the Bostonian was who wrote this great tune: yes, the Ma. legislature is still corrupt, and the Big Dig has replaced the MTA for graft and corruption. But Chelsea and Roxbury is still as they were, with Scullys Square gone forever. But I love this song and this great arrangement.
Haven't heard a good protest song in ages! Thanks. The "Trio" as we called them back in the '60's not only told the truth, but they addded humor. I listened to this song as a teen....I'll be 60 on Friday. I do still have to wonder if Charlie got off of that train. Thanks again! You made my day....
Dennis Lehane (author of "Mystic River", "Gone, Baby, Gone", and others) sets most of his stories in his beloved Boston. In his latest novel, Lehane has his main character, Patrick Kenzie, get on the train (M T A) using his "Charlie Pass". Took me four seconds to figure out "Charlie Pass". Then I laughed for about ten minutes. Thanks for this video; great song that I hum every time I return to my beloved Hub.
The KT sang so many folk-rock songs about America life...with so much more energy than the previous folk music. The KT albums, 20 something give songs that were not on the hit list but just as wonderful! There hasn't been a group like them again!
DONT READ THIS CAUSE IT ACTUALLY WORKS. YOU WILL GET KISSED ON THE NEAREST POSSIBLE FRIDAY BY THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE. TOMORROW WILL BE THE BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE. HOWEVER IF YOU DO NOT POST THIS COMMENT TO AT LEAST 3 VIDEOS YOU WILL DIE WITHIN 2 DAYS. NOW UV STARTED READING THIS SO DUNT STOP. THIS IS SO SCARY. PUT THIS ON AT LEAST 5 VIDEOS IN 143 MINUTES WHEN UR DONE PRESS F6 AND UR LOVERS NAME WILL APPEAR ON THE SCREEN IN BIG LETTERS. THIS IS SO SCARY CAUSE IT ACTUALLY WORKS
despite being great musicians, another reason like The KT is because they're great entertainers, as well. they're so goofy and generally look like they're having a great time with every performance. i would love to go bar hopping with these guys.
sorry these guys are gone to the great beyond now. when I was a kid in 1958 they were a hot commodity and popularized folk music to the general population, even before peter,paul,and mary who are often credited for such. lots and lots of kingston trio albums were sold.as a kid I did'nt know all the words but I sang this song making up my own as I went.
@tsackrider My mother, 13 when this version came out, wondered the same thing for 30 years. I had to explain to her that it was a protest. "Don't you think it's a scandal that the people have to pay and pay?" Now a "CharlieCard" costs $1.70! The better question is, how did Charlie, uh, use the bathroom?
@UncleMikeNJ I figured that out as I got older and like you wondered all of those things about bodily functions too. My parents had this album and I listened to it so many times trying to figure out what kind of wife would leave him there. But there you go, I am a child of the "good old days" it was obviously the wife's fault :D
@tsackrider Good question. The sign of a logical mind. This was written for a candidate for mayor of Boston in, I believe, 1948. If Charlie gets off of that train, he loses an issue.
I have always wondered since I first heard this song, if his wife was able to hand him a sandwich through the open window every day, why didn't she just slip a damned nickel in it? Was she afraid he'd swallow it or something?
I know, I know, it's only a silly song. It doesn't have to make sense
Camp songs ftw!
mwolffm 1 week ago
PLAY THAT BANJO STEVO
ebaysingers 1 week ago
saw them at Mr. Kellys in Hyannis, Ma, on the cape. Good time back then. Because I wasn't 21 yrs old, I drank a lot of Cokes
Ronargus 3 weeks ago
This has been flagged as spam show
A bunch of GOD-DAMNED nosy adulters and cock-sucking ass-fuckers are keeping THE ETERNAL MESSIAH crucified. Thursday, December 29, 2011 (Common People Eternity), 1:38 PM (Eastern Standard Time)
AlgaMackinac 1 month ago
this song's rad
BusbyBerkeley8 1 month ago
I remember this song. Must have been about 10 yr old.
RodVantol 1 month ago
Skully Square used to be the red light district. I think it still was when they recorded this song but the city later cleaned it up. I don't know if that has anything to do with anything, but I thought I'd mention it for whatever it might be worth.
safetychoice 1 month ago
@safetychoice Scollay Square and the West End were razed largely because the striving immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, who comprised the majority of their inhabitants, were viewed as subversives by the Brahmin 'patriot' class. I-93 and Government Center were built largely to erase all traces of this richly historic part of Boston and its people. Notables included Sarah Parker Remond, the Rosa Parks of the 19th Century, who refused to sit in the 'colored' section of the Old Howard.
dpjaexp 1 month ago
@safetychoice Thanks for mentioning it, because it's important for people to know more about what existed in this spot before conscientious neglect by the city and its ruling class led it to degenerate into the mob-dominated red light district to which you refer. It was a period of massive Big OIl/Big Auto-engineered, mob-facilitated societal engineering, meant to destroy ethnic enclaves and disconnect the electric public transport infrastructure linking neighborhood to neighborhood.
dpjaexp 1 month ago
and obviously syllables
snorbitt 1 week ago
@safetychoice The original Scollay Square mosaic signage and tiling was occasionally visible in Government Center Station, behind a wall, for many years. I'm not sure if it's still there.
dpjaexp 1 month ago
she can give him a sandwich but not a nickel?
15demen 1 month ago
Then whole point is the Fare increase has changed poor Charlie's life forever!
Xmetro2187 1 month ago
I heard about a transit train that was new to the Boston area. As I read a comment from a rider, I said to myself, "I bet they named it the 'Charlie' Line or something referring to the MTA song. Yep, I was right!
NavyBob1965 1 month ago
@NavyBob1965 There is no route or line in the current MBTA system named after Charlie. The fare system introduced in about 2005-2006 however is named after Charlie (CharlieTickets and CharlieCards).
FunPika4 1 month ago
Dropkick murphys did a cover of this
joeymadstoned 2 months ago
the question i ask is: if his wife passes him a sandwich every day, why doesn't she give him the money to get off instead of a sandwich?
tazmon122 2 months ago
A local Irish punk band covers this life. Kingston Trio are awesome. :P
9393zach 2 months ago
To all of you wondering why she never handed him a nickel....CHEAPEST DIVORCE EVER!!! She wanted to get rid of his dumb ass and this was safer than murder.
electricmick357 2 months ago in playlist Kingston Trio
play the banjo stevie
spacejesusadventure 2 months ago
My summer camp altered the fourth verse:
Charlie's wife goes down
To the Scollay Square station
Every day at quarter past two
And through the open SANDWICH
She hands Charlie a WINDOW
As the train comes rumblin' through.
Hey, it makes just as much sense as the original version...
WisemanSam599 3 months ago
thumbs up if you first heard this song on Malcolm in the Middle.
jychilly 3 months ago
I heard this song for the first time when i was 5. I asked my mother why she didn't "Just hand him another god damn nickel" .... she proceeded to take the door of my room cause she decided i was going to be trouble....
CloudPainter86 3 months ago in playlist Old Time RockNRoll
I also wondered why she didn't hand him the nickel - I decided that she must not have wanted to come home that bad.... :)
ruthiyael 3 months ago
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think they like MTA fare hikes... I could be wrong.
megamuffin15 3 months ago
i remember this song growing up...when i asked my dad the same question as many, "why doesn't his wife just hand him the money?" My dad said it was a political protest song about more taxes.....still love this song to this day.
GilU812 3 months ago
Roxbury and Sully Square are way different neighborhoods now lol
gr8one36 3 months ago
Okay so if charlie's wife could hand him a sandwhich through the open window of the train, then why couldn't she hand him a nickel and get him off the train?
garyseven710 3 months ago
One of my favorite childhood memories is my dad playing this on his guitar for us. We'd all sit around yelling "Play Charlie Daddy!" :)
1234JSS 3 months ago
I love this song, however it is sad that music is no longer as original as it once was.
tinmanfromjbb 3 months ago
Play that banjo stevo!
MaliMachine 3 months ago
@caretaker244231
Great catch on the lyrics! U can c in his face he caught the mistake but just covered it like a pro. Great catch again! =^..^*=
terpsichoreankat 4 months ago
Im here because of MALCOLM!
scandar812 4 months ago
I remember being a kid, hearing this song and thinking... why didn't his wife hand him a nickle instead of a sandwich??? LOL Notice the mistake @ the 2:00... he said vote for CHARLIE O'Brian to get ol' GEORGIE off the train LOL
caretaker245231 4 months ago
@caretaker245231 lol no joke, whats w the sammich?
bananikka74 4 months ago
this is a good song by a good group from the late 50's early 60's
sheka216 4 months ago in playlist More videos from seansvoice
The Gentleman callers = Best cover
AAAAAAAARRGHH 4 months ago
@AAAAAAAARRGHH hahahahha i've just seen that "Malcolm in the middle" episode :)
MrGabrielered 4 months ago
I live in Massachusetts and ride the MTA and we would never leave you on the train unless you piss someone off then we just may leave you on the train.
Cgatto01 4 months ago
superweeks is sooooooo cool!!!!!!!!
lilianamangagirl 5 months ago
Seattle has a pretty good bus system, but we have the gooeyduck song
biukucanoe 5 months ago
Has any 1 been on a ATE superweek we learned this song there but it was a lot slower version xx Superweeks are brilliant summer camps for people age 8 - 16 i love them i've been on 3 so far they're amazing xxx
GO TO superweeks.co.uk xxxxx
jenjen4550 5 months ago
Why doesn't his stupid wife just give him the damn nickel!?
ShyteKreek46 5 months ago
@bjmccusker
about 1964
aqx770 5 months ago
Just wondering..............Did Charlie get off the MTA? This song is the best and thanks for posting!
debbiedamooseful 5 months ago
LOVE this performance!!! Watched a PBS special on the Kingston Trio today...SO wonderful!!!
mrsmtnman 5 months ago
Nick Reynolds almost swats Bob Shane in the face with his guitar neck at 0:37.
JCatan56 5 months ago
My Dad used to sing this to us when we were younger..Makes me miss him even more..
bjkline1965 5 months ago
@bjkline1965 my Mom used to sing it to me again it makes me miss her more also but glad that you have great memories of your Dad
Mongoecho 5 months ago
Great singin, great entertainment !!
JohnEdwinmusic 5 months ago
great song love it
sheka216 5 months ago
They sang this song at their concert in Christchurch New Zealand in 1957. A night I still remember vividly, and a song I still enjoy. Great memories of a great group.
pexrules 5 months ago
Thank you for posting this. My Dad was a fighter pilot, stationed NAS North Island, Coronado CA. These guys would come aboard n play for the kids. Loved them then, still love them now. Thanks again! -^..^-
terpsichoreankat 5 months ago
Thank you for posting this. I grew up a NAVY brat with my Dad stationed in a Fighter Wing at North Island, Coronado CA. These guys would come aboard n play for the kids. Loved them then, still love them now. Thanks again! -^..^-
terpsichoreankat 5 months ago
I can't believe this song got 23 dislikes. Oh well let's just hope they weren't from Boston!
bveracka 6 months ago
Learned this in camp (In Jersey, not Boston,) and as an adult, I've found this is only one of many unforgettable Kingston Trio songs--Tijuana Jail, Reverend Mr. Black, Desert Pete, etc. love a good banjo.
musicmandon1 6 months ago
Good song, still funny!
vparonto 6 months ago
Which one of these guys was subsequently replaced? I noticed that their lineup changed over the years.
huskyjerk 6 months ago
Comment removed
djl1098 6 months ago
@huskyjerk I saw them in concert in the mid 1980's. The only guy who was the same was the one that did the spoken intro on this video.
demonhoopa 6 months ago
I was five years old in 1960. This song, played often by my older brother, baffled the heck out of me.
thishereguitar 6 months ago
its the skinhead who never returned
anphet 6 months ago
@anphet this the original dkm changed it to make it sound better for them
BLOODELFSRULE 6 months ago
@anphet That was the good ol' days of the Dropkicks. Miss those days.
bveracka 6 months ago
god, i grew up with this song because this was my grandfathers favorite song, and when i heard that the dropkick murphys did a version of my song i thought it would be great but instead it sucked... nothing beats original music... and let me just say... coming from experiece (being a half hour out of boston) bostons a hell of a town...
SkillessAssassin 6 months ago
I've grown up near Boston my whole life, and I've always hated this song for one reason:
Why didn't Charlie's wife give him another nickel?
TheHonp 7 months ago
@TheHonp You don't get it?
She never gave him a nickel because she finally got rid of him.
horzawork 6 months ago
@horzawork hmm interesting. ive never thought about it this way. he was in essence imprisoned on it
ida bailed lol at first try
yamahonkawazuki 6 months ago
@TheHonp
Maybe Charlie bit her finger.
MsLalawilks 6 months ago
We just got back fro Boston and used the MTA. I had no clue why they called the credit card type things "Charlie Cards". Now I know.
phatmatt1215 7 months ago
@phatmatt1215 A couple of years back, I went to go see The Police with this Israeli kid. He looked at his ticket asked me about Charlie. I told him that it was an American Folk Song.
GabrielWilsonCollins 4 months ago
@phatmatt1215 A couple of years back, I went to go see The Police with this Israeli kid. He looked at his subway ticket asked me about Charlie. I told him that it was an American Folk Song.
GabrielWilsonCollins 4 months ago
i bet the people who dislike this video listen to that kenny chesney .and brad paisley crap.
equalikitty 7 months ago
Holy cats! I LOVE this song. This was one of the first albums I owned (the other one was The Seeker's 'Georgie Girl ' (yeah, I'm older than dirt).
But even at ~10 years old, I wondered why, if his his wife could hand Charlie a sandwich, she couldn't also pass him a nickle?
Folksingers: steer clear of ten year-olds. They are way too literal ;~D
MyLatestEscape 7 months ago
@MyLatestEscape
LOL that is exactly what I thought when i heard this song for the first time.
snalls6 6 months ago
Bruins!
psadpoiafsdf 7 months ago
After this was first released the Boston Postal Authority got over 25,000 sandwiches addressed to "Charlie on the MTA."
t0paggie 7 months ago
I grew up in Boston in the 60's. This song brings back great memories ! Thanks for posting !
jrushmen 7 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I like some new stuff, @ClassicR0ck4ever, but I agree with you! I was raised on "my dad's music," and I love it.
kagomeshuko 7 months ago
I like some new stuff, @ClassicR)ck4ever, but I agree with you! I was raised on "my dad's music," and I love it.
kagomeshuko 7 months ago
Now this is music none of this new crappy pop
ClassicR0ck4ever 7 months ago
I'm sure the would let him off he didn't know about the fair change.
WWII4444 7 months ago
His wife probably TRIED to give him a nickel, but the conductor kept charging him for the trips he made while still on the MTA, so he never had enough to get off.
2wingo 7 months ago
23 people are stuck on the MTA short one nickel.
coffeechica 8 months ago
Whoooweeee!!!!
Pithead 8 months ago
It's so cute to see them dance around while they play!
tejaswoman 8 months ago
You can hear the strong bluegrass influence in many of their songs, especially this one.
sgsilver 8 months ago
Charlie's wife hands him a sandwich --- but not a nickel!
benabaxter 8 months ago
Great harmony. These guys were amazing. My kids learnt this song in school. That shows how enduring the music was back then - I'm not so sure about today's stuff. Will our grandchildren be learning today's songs in school?
howzadog 8 months ago
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeee
GaCracker1947 8 months ago
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
GaCracker1947 8 months ago
really good song!
Best regars from germany!
McHamsterbag 8 months ago
These were the best three together as they had many changes through the years. I'll always love their music.
loveurcat 8 months ago
Long live the most popular folk band that anyone can tap a toe to.
Hats off to the Kingston Trio!!!
Azimel66 9 months ago
YEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!!!!!!!!
chrismat1000 9 months ago
malcolm in the middle bought me here
georgie1034 9 months ago
@georgie1034
Me too! I saw it on (I think) 5* in the UK a while ago. Hals dancing on his own was simply hilarious! Cringy, but hilarious!
PeterR132 9 months ago
@PeterR132 haha i know right, was good as, and i just loved the song, really catchy, so i searched it lol
georgie1034 9 months ago
@georgie1034 congrats!
sargentpil 8 months ago
Roots forever in Boston... Born there, your heart is forever there... oh Charlie my boy... But for a nickel my Irish friend...
yesindeedwhat 9 months ago
That banjo has a great 'voice'!
louswire 9 months ago
Hahaha best song ever
ItsMadMiller 9 months ago
Who got here from the Easter egg on the website howfuckedistheT?
JeremyDKuhn 9 months ago
why didn't his wife throw him a nickel instead of a sandwich? haha
Nazzman22 9 months ago
@Nazzman22 My thought, exactly!
louswire 9 months ago
1. Bob Shane wore white socks! That is so frat boy 1961!
2. I'm not overly familiar with the Kingston Trio break-up - wasn't it basically a power play between Dave Guard (who wanted a folk purist thing) and Bob Shane (who liked the commercial thing? Anyway they were never the same after Guard left. Guard strikes me as the really talented guy in the group.
thishereguitar 9 months ago
22 people are crazy
starwarshippie 9 months ago
@SuperGirl440
you're all a bunch of goofs --- its a great sung, meant to be fun, silly, and a touch political -- give the boys a great....lol
mcmulj00 9 months ago
back in the 70s nick made a few low dollar porn flicks .the little guy was really hung from what i read.
SIGNALSTAT 9 months ago
I saw them perform this on the steps in front of Northeastern University in the fall of 1961, Boston will never be the same!
Megawatt43 10 months ago
actually, she was having an affair at the time and it was just convenient to leave charlie on the train.
outphishing 10 months ago
because she just tossed up a bag and he grabbed it as he went by. hows he supposed to catch a nickle?
gotstabbedbyalex123 10 months ago
@SuperGirl440 The point of the song is that the fare increase was too burdensome.
2wingo 10 months ago
That was pure Nick Reynolds... you could see that gleam in his eye, singing that line backwards :)
dittoheadAZ 10 months ago
Ah, the ones who made this song famous! I love old folk music! Even the politics still makes sense. This song was written in 1949 for the campaign of a progressive candidate. Progressives are still out there and still working to change America.
areensee 10 months ago
@areensee And so far, it hasn't worked.
dittoheadAZ 10 months ago
this is sexy
0on0o 10 months ago
the union boys
mdc1072 10 months ago
i just saw this on tv. like 30 seconds ago....literally. anyways nice song!
Germexican8Timez 11 months ago
20 people should lay on the RR tracks in front of the next train Charlie O' Brien is riding in!
tugboat21372 11 months ago
Hand him a nickel? The point of the song is that the fare increase was too burdensome.
millergm1 11 months ago
They still play this at Fenway Park
fredo18ify 11 months ago
They're awsome
lovrek93 11 months ago
At the time, a man named George O'Brien was running for office in Boston. He had no campaign funds, so he drove around town with this song blaring from the back of his loudspeaker filled truck. The recording was already released and The Kingston Trio didn't want to be involved or be associated with O'Brien who was rumored to be a communist. The lyrics were changed in live performances to make a joke of the situation and avoid the misfortune the Weavers had experienced.
chief3hats 11 months ago
We used to sing this song at summer camp and i always wondered why Charlie's wife could not just hand him a nickel! I was little and couldn't understand the bigger picture
SirAnnemarieTheThird 11 months ago
@SirAnnemarieTheThird My mom played this on the stero when I was little. I used to ask her the same thing! You're right; little'uns don't get the political picture. Actually, neither do most big'uns!
flipt54 11 months ago
if charlie's wife wanted him back why didn't she give him a nickle instead of a sandwich?
Navajo549 11 months ago
<3
teehee1234100 11 months ago
the first members of tha tea party
MrBluefish9 11 months ago
This is Priceless
TL250Rider 11 months ago
there's a Malcolm in the middle episode with this song, anypone by chance knows the name!?!?!
Ivdro 11 months ago
@Ivdro "Long Drive"
gaaralee1234 11 months ago
@Ivdro It is called 'Long Drive'
HeroOfTime121 11 months ago
Hows this type of music called?
Hypedhopes19 1 year ago
Charlie's wife found peace and quiet, got to give her credit at least she fed him!! Besides, a nickle fare increase at that time was a 50% increase, no self respecting New Englander, much less a Bostonian would ever easily agree to such an increase. Remember, Boston was the home of the only real TEA PARTY!!! LOL
Megawatt43 1 year ago
if Charlie's wife wanted him back why didn't she just give a nickel?
Navajo549 1 year ago
My folks WERE from Boston. As children, we would listen to the'45 over and over do skits--even with the sandwich! Enjoyed the listen. Still know all the words by heart. Lots of good memories. Thanks for posting.
etopbeef 1 year ago
Do I like this better than the Tijuana Jail, perhaps I should. I would think the Tijana Jail is a hole in the ground, I was in Tijuana back in the late sixties and couldn't believe mu eyes, there was nothing that reminded me of San Diego, a short walk across the border. I dislike Tom Dooley and I prefer to listen to MTA, but now I pick and chose. I got my laptop and Sam is history and so are the Kingston Trio. Listening to this song again only reminds me of what i had to listen to.THX
Ezdduf4kuZ 1 year ago
@tsprague1 If she had given him the nickel there would never have been the song. LOL
Tigermoon1950 1 year ago
mkay so why didnt his wife give him the fare...
CheyCheySinger 1 year ago
In the long history of American folk music, these guys, & Peter, Paul & Mary, were the most outstanding.
Saw Bob Shane in Cleveland, OH, ca. 2000, with 2 younger band members who enthusiastically covered the singing & guitar parts of Shane's orig. group co-members. One of the best concerts i ever saw!
musicalrich1 1 year ago
this song was originally about the ship and the saiors who never return. It was a tax protest when the mta added a nickel gate to get off the train. I forge t the date but was written with these words somewhere around 1923?
The rogianl words are a aailable online .
Jack Melling
Sounds of the country
MrJackmelling 1 year ago
This is pretty good.... this is the first song i've ever heard by them and i straight away bought their album lol :P I bought nick reynolds' guitar and i am now learning this song lol :)
theXTominator 1 year ago
Why didn't his wife just give him the nickel?
ArtisticwithaK 1 year ago
@ArtisticwithaK i always wondered that.
sgsmith1616 1 year ago
I Heard this song live in Cleveland back in 1991 at an irish festival. The group playing it, I think was Alec and Darby and was trying to find if anybody else had heard of them and knew if the ever made a cd?
hillmanm12 1 year ago
I love this song, but a progressive tax in 1949? They had no idea.
Why could his wife not put a nickel in with the sandwich so he could get off the train?
gwncih1 1 year ago
@gwncih1 - Personally, I think she didn't want him to come back home.
sandinmyears1 1 year ago
My dad used to play this on his banjo when I was a little girl!! I love that is bringsback such great memories!!
stephdonnellan 1 year ago
@rinardman me too!!!!!?????
gerryfan2 1 year ago
So.... before Peter Paul and Mary, and before Bob Dylan came The Kingston Trio. This is the original group in maybe 1956 or 57 when I was about 13. I think I still have this album in my collection. My first concert ever was in Boston in 1963 after John Stewart replaced Dave Guard.
wendellsharp 1 year ago
I know how this is going to sound, but I was about seven years old when this song first came along.
At the time, I always wondered.....why didn't Charlie's wife just give him the money to get off the train, instead of a sandwich? :)
rinardman 1 year ago
@rinardman because that would make for a terrible song
crabzizzle 1 year ago
@rinardman I've always wondered that, too. But it's probably cause it's a campaign some and you need a good story for people to vote for you.
ThatBookishWriter 1 year ago
@rinardman If that was the case ,there would be no song !!!
boatracer39 1 year ago
Ahh too bad these guys were from Hawaii and California: wonder who the Bostonian was who wrote this great tune: yes, the Ma. legislature is still corrupt, and the Big Dig has replaced the MTA for graft and corruption. But Chelsea and Roxbury is still as they were, with Scullys Square gone forever. But I love this song and this great arrangement.
Alicecbrown 1 year ago
LOL, he did, but did you notice how he smiled? He knew he messed up! Does anyone know what year this was?
724jeanne 1 year ago
LOL, he did, but did you notice how he smiled? He knew he messed up! Does anyone know what year this was?
724jeanne 1 year ago
19 people rode forever through the streets of boston =p
08JPatBs 1 year ago
i think my act of charity this Christmas is to go to Boston and give charlie that damn nickle.
DMcGuinness 1 year ago
Haven't heard a good protest song in ages! Thanks. The "Trio" as we called them back in the '60's not only told the truth, but they addded humor. I listened to this song as a teen....I'll be 60 on Friday. I do still have to wonder if Charlie got off of that train. Thanks again! You made my day....
debbiedamoose 1 year ago
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laurenerin1 1 year ago
Dennis Lehane (author of "Mystic River", "Gone, Baby, Gone", and others) sets most of his stories in his beloved Boston. In his latest novel, Lehane has his main character, Patrick Kenzie, get on the train (M T A) using his "Charlie Pass". Took me four seconds to figure out "Charlie Pass". Then I laughed for about ten minutes. Thanks for this video; great song that I hum every time I return to my beloved Hub.
SonOfIronHorse 1 year ago
The KT sang so many folk-rock songs about America life...with so much more energy than the previous folk music. The KT albums, 20 something give songs that were not on the hit list but just as wonderful! There hasn't been a group like them again!
astrorudy1 1 year ago
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jesse17ful 1 year ago
despite being great musicians, another reason like The KT is because they're great entertainers, as well. they're so goofy and generally look like they're having a great time with every performance. i would love to go bar hopping with these guys.
Alphabex8 1 year ago
Yeah, he did get it wrong.
But you can tell he's a true performer, because I bet he KNEW he f*cked up, and he kept on going without missing a beat.
Waladil 1 year ago
sorry these guys are gone to the great beyond now. when I was a kid in 1958 they were a hot commodity and popularized folk music to the general population, even before peter,paul,and mary who are often credited for such. lots and lots of kingston trio albums were sold.as a kid I did'nt know all the words but I sang this song making up my own as I went.
TheBabyboomkidof53 1 year ago
How can you not love this?
yukelover 1 year ago
What great reply to local politics! Great song too. Thanks.
debbiedamoose 1 year ago
Much of the music by young people at that time, sounded like folk music, but they were really angrily protesting about something. Sometimes the war.
000266617 1 year ago
I wish them 3 were still 20 years old out there on the scene playin this
mistersleeepy 1 year ago
why, for crying out loud, couldn't she have taken him the nickle instead of the sandwich? I have been perplexed since I was a kid :)
tsackrider 1 year ago
@tsackrider My mother, 13 when this version came out, wondered the same thing for 30 years. I had to explain to her that it was a protest. "Don't you think it's a scandal that the people have to pay and pay?" Now a "CharlieCard" costs $1.70! The better question is, how did Charlie, uh, use the bathroom?
UncleMikeNJ 1 year ago
@UncleMikeNJ I figured that out as I got older and like you wondered all of those things about bodily functions too. My parents had this album and I listened to it so many times trying to figure out what kind of wife would leave him there. But there you go, I am a child of the "good old days" it was obviously the wife's fault :D
tsackrider 1 year ago
@tsackrider Good question. The sign of a logical mind. This was written for a candidate for mayor of Boston in, I believe, 1948. If Charlie gets off of that train, he loses an issue.
empathic11 1 year ago
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I have always wondered since I first heard this song, if his wife was able to hand him a sandwich through the open window every day, why didn't she just slip a damned nickel in it? Was she afraid he'd swallow it or something?
I know, I know, it's only a silly song. It doesn't have to make sense
GMBofWIS 1 year ago
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GMBofWIS 1 year ago
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GMBofWIS 1 year ago
great song great group..timeless
wcb1334 1 year ago