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Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons

16 Sep 02 - 07:36 PM (#785560)
Subject: Sixteen Tons
From: GUEST,Jack Wilcox

Know these lyrics?


16 Sep 02 - 07:42 PM (#785564)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: Genie

It's in the DT, here .


16 Sep 02 - 07:42 PM (#785565)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: Helen

Hi Jack. Welcome to Mudcat.

If you type [sixteen tons] - using the square brackets - in the blue DigiTrad Lyrics Search box at the top right you will find the lyrics by Merle Travis. We have also had at least one discussion about this song on the Forum so try a forum search as well. (I don't know if you need to use the [] brackets in the forum search, but just try the word sixteen if you have problems.

We used to have this on a 78rpm record when I was a kid. I have always loved this song.

Helen


16 Sep 02 - 10:19 PM (#785676)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: masato sakurai

"Sixteen Tons" (written by Merle Travis) has been sung by:

Merle Travis

Tennessee Ernie Ford

The Platters

All are Realaudio recordings.

~Masato


16 Sep 02 - 10:28 PM (#785683)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: Genie

Thanks for those links, Masato.

It was also performed and recorded by The Weavers. I believe it is on their Carnegie Hall recording.

Genie


17 Sep 02 - 02:46 AM (#785794)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: Liz the Squeak

There are a couple of parodies as well, notably '16 stones'.

LTS


07 Feb 05 - 06:07 PM (#1401942)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: semi-submersible

Masato's links don't seem to work anymore. Anyone know where I can download a version for my six-year-old, who loves to hear Tennessee Ernie Ford sing it on the radio?

As well as the Mudcat MIDI I found a nice accompaniment at Smick and Smodoo and an awesome Brazilian samba version, but I am looking for a version of the song in English with vocals.

Maureen


07 Feb 05 - 06:31 PM (#1401963)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: GUEST,Sidewinder

I know this song very well and was prepared to reel off the lyrics and even offer a few suggestions about chords and augmentations but I see everything is well in hand (as usual) and so I can only congratulate you on your choice of song and offer you my encouragement.I now digress.

Best Regards.

Sidewinder.


07 Feb 05 - 06:38 PM (#1401976)
Subject: Lyr Add: SIXTEEN TONS
From: Amos

^^^ Some people say a man is made out of mud
A poor man is made out of muscle and blood
Muscle and blood,
And skin and bones,
A mind that's weak,
And a back that's strong.

CH:
You load sixteen tons
And what do you get?
Another day older
And deeper in debt
Saint Peter, don't you call me,
'Cuz I can't go!
I owe my soul to
The company store.


I was born one morning when the sun didn't shine
Picked up a shovel and I walked to the mine
I loaded Sixteen Tons of Number Nine coal
And the straw boss hollered, Well bless my soul*

CH.

I was born one morning it was drizzling rain;
Fighting and trouble are my middle name.
I was raised in a cane brake
By an ole mammy lion.
Ain't no hog-toed woman make me walk that line.

Ch.

Now if you see me coming better step aside!
A lot men didn't, and a lot of men died.
One fist of iron, and the other of steel,
If the right one don't get you then the left one will.

Ch.




From memory. But good!!

*In the original, the straw boss hollered "God damn your soul", I believe.

A


07 Feb 05 - 06:40 PM (#1401981)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: Amos

My apologies -- I missed the earlier half of the thread for some reason!! I thought I was doing so well, too!

A


07 Feb 05 - 07:06 PM (#1402009)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: Sorcha

Seems to be a MIDI here. Keep trying


07 Feb 05 - 07:53 PM (#1402056)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: Arkie

To hear Tennessee Ernie sing "16 Tons" visit the Record Lady.

Record Lady

Click on page 10 of the Archives and scroll down.


07 Feb 05 - 07:57 PM (#1402058)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

Listen to Tennessee Ernie sing it and download it at the Record Lady, Real Country Archives page 10. Indexes at Record Lady


07 Feb 05 - 07:59 PM (#1402059)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

Yep, Arkie, The Record Lady is the first place to look for the country hits.


08 Feb 05 - 04:14 AM (#1402299)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: semi-submersible

Thanks. I actually did look there first, but somehow missed it.


08 Feb 05 - 10:29 AM (#1402530)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: Mark Ross

When I got to play with Merle at Philly in '76, he sang,

"I owe my soul to Tennessee Ernie Ford."

He was also driving a red Cadillac with a license plate that read

16 TONS

Mark Ross


08 Feb 05 - 10:57 AM (#1402555)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: M.Ted

Go ahead and post your chord suggestions, Sidewinder--this is one of those tunes that can be played in a variety of ways, and I am always curious as to what the options are--


08 Feb 05 - 02:11 PM (#1402735)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: Mark Ross

Em Em7 C B7
"   " " "
Em Am
B7
Chorus resolves back to Em instead of hanging on the IV chord.
The Em Em7 C B7 is also the vamp.

Mark Ross


08 Feb 05 - 04:44 PM (#1402935)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: M.Ted

OK--that's interesting, but what do you do for the "St Peter don't you call me cause I can't go" line?--Seems like you would need to go Em G/ Am C7--Where do you play it on the neck, how to you do the bass line, and how do you do the little lick?
G


09 Feb 05 - 02:12 AM (#1403404)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: GUEST,Sidewinder

I usually play the song in Am and do the Bass rundown (G/F#/F/E) whilst strumming the chord for the first part of the verse. Then I introduce full chords of C/D/F/E on the "St. Peter" part ending back on the Am for the last line. My own interpretation based on several versions of the song I have heard over the years.

Regards.

Sidewinder.


09 Feb 05 - 05:09 PM (#1403763)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: M.Ted

Meaning, bass run over an am chord for the first part, then chord changes (that, presumably, have the bass run notes in the bottom)?


09 Feb 05 - 05:32 PM (#1403795)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sixteen Tons
From: bigchuck

I usually do Em D C B7 (Em Am for the "St Peter" line) and play it as a slow blues.

Sandy