The Ship that Never Returned
Encyclopedia
The Ship That Never Returned is an 1865 folk song
, written by Henry Clay Work
, about a ship that left a harbor and never came back. No reason for why the ship never returned is given in the words of the song. A plausible explanation for a ship that never returned is that for as long as men put to sea to the present day, ships were lost at sea without a trace due to weather, unseaworthiness, or other causes—even piracy. In the 1800, with no weather forecasting, radar and radio, this was not an uncommon event.
The melody was adapted in "Charlie on the MTA," created in 1948
, as a campaign song for Walter A. O'Brian about a man who couldn't get off a Boston subway train because, rather than change all the turnstiles, the M.T.A added an exit fare—Charlie did not have the extra nickel to get off the train. The Kingston Trio
recorded the song in 1959 (as "M.T.A.") and had a hit with the recording in the same year. The tune also formed the basis of "Wreck of the Old 97
" about a 1903 train wreck.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, written by Henry Clay Work
Henry Clay Work
Henry Clay Work was an American composer and songwriter.-Biography:He was born in Middletown, Connecticut, to Alanson and Amelia Work. His father opposed slavery, and Work was himself an active abolitionist and Union supporter...
, about a ship that left a harbor and never came back. No reason for why the ship never returned is given in the words of the song. A plausible explanation for a ship that never returned is that for as long as men put to sea to the present day, ships were lost at sea without a trace due to weather, unseaworthiness, or other causes—even piracy. In the 1800, with no weather forecasting, radar and radio, this was not an uncommon event.
The melody was adapted in "Charlie on the MTA," created in 1948
1948 in music
-Events:*May 20 - The Second International Congress of Composers and Music Critics 1948 opens in Prague.*June 5 - Opening of the first Aldeburgh Festival, founded by Benjamin Britten, Eric Crozier and Peter Pears....
, as a campaign song for Walter A. O'Brian about a man who couldn't get off a Boston subway train because, rather than change all the turnstiles, the M.T.A added an exit fare—Charlie did not have the extra nickel to get off the train. The Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds...
recorded the song in 1959 (as "M.T.A.") and had a hit with the recording in the same year. The tune also formed the basis of "Wreck of the Old 97
Wreck of the Old 97
Old 97 was a Southern Railway train officially known as the Fast Mail. It ran from Washington DC to Atlanta, Georgia. On September 27, 1903 while en route from Monroe, Virginia, to Spencer, North Carolina, the train derailed at Stillhouse Trestle near Danville, Virginia...
" about a 1903 train wreck.