The M.t.a.

by The Kingston Trio
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Lyrics

Well, let me (Bb)tell you of the sto ry of the (Eb)man dall named the Char lie on a (Bb)trag ic have and (Bbdim)come ter ful (F7)day.

He put (Bb)ten cents in his (Bb7)pock et, kissed his (Eb)wife ter and fam ’ly, (Edim7)went to (Bb)ride on off the (Cm9)M.

(F7)T.

(Bb)A.

Well, did he ev er re turn?

(Bb7)No, he (Eb)nev er re turned, and his (Bb)fate is (C7)still un (F7)learned.

He may (Bb)ride (F)for (Bb7)ev er ’neath the (Eb)streets of Bos ton; he’s the (Bb)man who (Cm7)nev er (F7)re (Bb)turned.

(F7)Char lie (Bb)hand ed in his dime ton, at the (Eb)Ken lay Square a Sta tion and he (Bb)changed for have Ja (Bbdim)quar ter ca (F7)Plain.

When he (Bb)got there, the con (Bb7)duc tor told him, (Eb)“One lie more nick el.” (Edim7)Char lie (Bb)could n’t off get (Cm9)off (F7)that (Bb)train.

But did he nev er re turn, (Bb7)no, he’ll (Eb)nev er re turn, and his (Bb)fate will (C7)be un (F7)learned.

He may (Bb)ride (F)for (Bb7)ev er ’neath the (Eb)streets of Bos ton; he’s the (Bb)man who (Cm7)nev er (F7)re (Bb)turned.

(F7)Now, lie’s (Bb)turned

The M.t.a. — Classic Piano Sheet Music

Read "The M.t.a." by The Kingston Trio in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of Eb. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 216 BPM.

Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.

About “The M.t.a.

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "The M.t.a."?
Yes — the score is rendered server-side from the publisher MusicXML using Verovio (the same engine RISM and OpenScore use). Standard piano notation, treble + bass staves, real chord symbols, key signature Eb. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
What key is "The M.t.a." by The Kingston Trio played in?
The M.t.a. is arranged in the key of Eb on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "The M.t.a."?
The arrangement plays at 216 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "The M.t.a." easy to play on piano?
Yes — this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
Can I download sheet music for "The M.t.a."?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "The M.t.a."?
"The M.t.a." was originally performed by The Kingston Trio. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "The M.t.a."?
This arrangement uses 12 chords: Bb, Bb6, Bb7, Bbdim, Bdim7, C7, Cm7, Cm9, +4 more.
What other songs by The Kingston Trio can I play here?
Try "SCOTCH AND SODA", "WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE?". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
Yes — "The M.t.a." is rendered at engraver quality (the Verovio engine, the same toolkit RISM and OpenScore editions use) from the original publisher MusicXML. You get standard piano notation: treble + bass clefs, key signature Eb, time signature, beams, dynamics — everything a printed sheet music book would have. Great for piano students learning to read music properly.
What's the difference between Sheet Music and the other modes here?
Sheet Music is the "classic" view — the one your piano teacher uses. Other modes (Beginner, Fall Down, Simple Sheet, Lead Sheet) trade real notation for color-coded notes and falling shapes to help absolute beginners. Use Sheet Music once you're ready to read both hands at once from real notation.
Can I practice from this view at my own pace?
Yes — slow the tempo from 216 BPM down (or up) without changing the pitch. The score scrolls in time and the currently playing note is highlighted, so you can drill a tough bar at half speed and bump it up once it feels comfortable.
Why can I click a note in the score?
Every notehead is interactive. Click and the audio jumps to that moment so you can drill a specific phrase or bar instead of replaying from the top. The currently playing note is highlighted as the music advances so your eye never loses its place.
Can I download the sheet music as a PDF?
Yes — Sheet Music PDF is one of the download formats for this song. The engraved score prints page-perfect on A4 / Letter so you can practice from paper as well as on screen.

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