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28 Mar 21 - 07:43 PM (#4099715) Subject: Origins: More info on 'Lord of the IRT' please? From: YorkshireYankee I found this parody on Mudcat and am considering singing it, but would like to know more about it (I tried to link to it, but I get an error message, so here it is:) LORD OF THE IRT Oh, I rode on a Friday when the trains all stalled Well, the muggers came out and all of us were malled The doors wouldn't open or the lights go on But what the hell, the trains rolled on Ride, then whoever you may be For I am the lord of the IRT And I'll lead you all wherever you may be I'll lead you all to the BMT I rode in the summer with the heat turned high The cars were packed and all of us were fry I have ridden all the lines, even IND But nothing does compare with the IRT I rode with a woman with a brown paper sack It's hard to ride with an elbow in your back The crazies and the drunks came running through And for seventy five cents you can join them, too And then one day there began a strike I said, ``Thank God,' and I trotted out my bike The drivers of the cars all came out, too They ran me down, then they said they'd sue If anyone knows who wrote it, that would be good. I'm also interested in knowing what IRT, BMT and IND stand for. I'm assuming they're railway lines, and I could sing it without the specifics, but it would be nice to know. (I've done some googling, but there are so many possibilities!) Many thanks for any info anyone can offer... |
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28 Mar 21 - 07:55 PM (#4099718) Subject: RE: Origins: More info on 'Lord of the IRT' please? From: GUEST,# They are subway lines in NYC. IRT if I recall correctly means Interborough Rapid Transit, IND is the Independent and BMT I can't remember. The three lines still exist. Can't locate an author. Malled in the second verse s/b mauled. |
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29 Mar 21 - 01:50 AM (#4099743) Subject: RE: Origins: More info on 'Lord of the IRT' please? From: YorkshireYankee Thank you, Guest! |
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29 Mar 21 - 05:46 AM (#4099764) Subject: RE: Origins: More info on 'Lord of the IRT' please? From: Susan of DT Brooklyn Manhattan Transit = BMT |
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29 Mar 21 - 07:13 AM (#4099767) Subject: RE: Origins: More info on 'Lord of the IRT' please? From: GerryM They were three private companies that built subway networks in New York City. One by one, they sold out to the city. The distinctions are now mainly of historical interest. The three letter abbreviations are obsolete, I don't think they are used in any official settings, many people who have come to New York in, say, the last 20 years probably don't even recognize them. The song could be dated by the 75 cent fare, probably to some time in the 1980s. I think it's $2.75 now. |
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29 Mar 21 - 08:40 AM (#4099778) Subject: RE: Origins: More info on 'Lord of the IRT' please? From: GUEST,# The fare was 15 cents when I first went to NYC. The tokens were a bit smaller than a dime and there was a Y-shape that went through the center of the token. There are many examples on Google Images. That said, I have never heard the song before so am not able to help in that regard. |
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30 Mar 21 - 05:27 AM (#4099926) Subject: RE: Origins: More info on 'Lord of the IRT' please? From: GerryM Complete and utter history of the price of a New York City subway token. The 75 cents in the song places it between 4 July 1981 and 1 January 1984. |