Charlie's a Commie: MBTA Troubles Foretold in the '40s?

You definitely know what a Charlie Card is, and you might even know a little about the folk song, "M.T.A.," that inspired the cards' name. But do you know all about the charged political environment surrounding the tune? Dissent magazine has a detailed article relating the history of everyman Charlie of the "M.T.A." song to Cold War politics in Boston. It's full of hard facts and fascinating trivia--did you know Charlie's original name was Angus? The beefy moniker was judged too "chauvinistic" and insufficiently representative of the generic American worker, so the name was changed to good ol' Chuck.

The "M.T.A." song, based on old folk songs including "The Ship that Never Returned," was written in support of progressive politician Walter O'Brien's mayoral campaign. One of his campaign issues involved opposing M.T.A. (Metropolitan Transit Authority, the MBTA's predecessor) fare hikes in 1949, which raised fares up to 50% and rendered some workers unable to pay the extra fare required to get off at their stops. Lyrics included:

Now, citizens of Boston, don’t you think it is a scandal
That the people have to pay and pay?
Vote for Walter A. O’Brien and fight
the fare increase
Get poor Charlie off that M.T.A.!

On a more disturbing note, the article reveals that Massachusetts was one of the first states to ban the Communist Party, in 1951, and also recounts how the Kennedys (along with other local politicos) snuggled up to McCarthy in the '50s. O'Brien, who lost his mayoral bid, was later labeled red by the Massachusetts Coalition on Communism due to his progressive, worker-oriented politics. He was unable to find work in the area due to the Communist associations, so his family moved to Maine and he gave up his political career to become a librarian.

In addition to providing excellent political background of the era in which the song was created, the Dissent article details how "M.T.A." became a hit song. The initial politically motivated performances didn't make it big, but Roxbury native "Specs" Simmons later played it in front of Will Holt in NYC. Holt in turn adopted the song, and his version was briefly popular--until its supposed Communist associations resurfaced. California's Kingston Trio later picked up the tune, changing Walter O'Brien's name and thus eliding the Communist connection enough to have a legitimate hit (the song reached #15 on the Billboard charts). In providing so many details about the "M.T.A." song, Dissent worries about Boston's short memory with regard to our persecution of Communists, and wishes we'd learn the lessons of Red Scare Boston.

While it's important to know your history, it's also important to plan for your future. Last week's MBTA events and the recent red (har har) line repair announcements make the lyrics to "M.T.A." hit a little too close to home:

Did they ever return? No, they never returned.
And their fate is still unlearned.

Though the men in the song can't return for financial reasons, the sentiment is still relevant. When the MBTA is delayed, it certainly seems like you might never return from your journey. And when, in the aftermath of a fatal crash, the MBTA makes in announcement that some tracks are so strained need to be replaced, there's inevitably a little voice in your head always asking, "Will I make it?"

The MBTA's response to recent events certainly doesn't instill much confidence in an already-stressed system. We can definitely see a modern "M.T.A." remix that addresses fires, crashes, treacherous tracks, and maybe even Boston's anti-communist past. C'mon, Massachusetts musicians--do you have it in you? Maybe you can play your new tune at Charlie's Kitchen--we hear it's a commie haven.