Sixteen Tons
"Sixteen Tons" is a song about a coal miner, based on life in coal mines in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. It was written and first recorded by Merle Travis at the Radio Recorders Studio B in Hollywood, California on August 8, 1946. Cliffie Stone played bass on the recording. It was first released by Capitol on the album Folk Songs of the Hills (July 1947). The song became a gold record.
The line, "You load sixteen tons and what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt," came from a letter written by Travis' brother John. Another line came from their father, a coal miner, who would say, "I can't afford to die. I owe my soul to the company store."
A 1955 version recorded by Tennessee Ernie Ford reached number one in the Billboard charts, while another version by Frankie Laine was released only in Western Europe, where it gave Ford's version competition.
On March 25, 2015 it was announced that Ford's version of the song will be inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry.
Weedeater (band)
Weedeater are a stoner metal band formed in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1998. The group's most recent album, Goliathan, was released on May 19th, 2015.
History
1997-2003: Formation, ... And Justice for Y'all and Sixteen Tons
The band formed in 1998 and was initially planned to be the side-project of Dave "Dixie" Collins, the band's vocalist and bassist who was occupied with his primary project Buzzov*en, however the band disbanded the same year so decided to concentrate his efforts on Weedeater and made it his new primary project, recruiting members Dave "Shep" Shepherd on guitar and Keith "Keko" Kirkum on drums.
The band released their debut album titled ... And Justice for Y'all in 2001 and released their second album Sixteen Tons in 2003, both albums where released via their first record label Berserker Records.
2004-2011: God Luck and Good Speed and Jason... The Dragon
After the release of Sixteen Tons in 2003, the band decided to leave Berserker Records and joined American metal record label Southern Lord Records and released their third album and label debut God Luck and Good Speed.In 2009 a deluxe double LP version on the album was also released. The band was also announced as a support act for the American heavy metal supergroup Down. The band was later announced as one of the acts to play at 2010's Hellfest among the likes of Arch Enemy, Architects and Gwar.
Eels discography
This is a discography of Eels and other musical projects of Mark Oliver Everett.
Albums
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilations
EPs
Singles
Promotional singles
Video albums
Music videos
Songs in film
Songs from compilations
E Works
E Works is the vanity label set up exclusively to release Eels live albums. These self-released albums include Oh, What a Beautiful Morning (2000), Electro-Shock Blues Show (2002), Sixteen Tons (Ten Songs) (2005), and Live and in Person! London 2006 (2008). The band has only sold these albums at live shows and later online. The logo for E Works is a parody of that for DreamWorks' record label, who originally signed Eels.
Podcasts:
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by Brave Combo
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by Tom Jones
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by Weedeater
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by Big Bill Broonzy
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by Platters
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by Eric Burdon
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by Hank Thompson
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by Dave Dudley
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by Stan Ridgway
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by Merle Travis
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by Tennessee Ernie Ford
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by B.B. King
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by Eddie Cochran
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by Jimmy Dean
Sixteen Tons
by: Brave ComboI...........was born one morning
when the sun didn't shine
I picked up my shovel
and I walked to the mine
I loaded sixteen tons
of number 9 coal
And the straw boss said,
"well, a bless my soul"
*********chorus***********
He loaded sixteen tons
What do you get
Another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter don't you call me
Cause I can't go,
I owe my soul to the company store
I was born one morning when it was drizzling rain
Fighting and trouble is my middle name
I was raised in a King Break
By an old mother lion
Ain't no high talking woman gonna make me walk the line
**********repeat chorus**************
Some people say a man
Is made out of mud
A poor man's made outta
Muscle and blood
Muscle and blood, skin and bone
A mind that's weak
And a back's that strong
*************repeat chorus***********
Well, if you see me comin'
Better step aside
Cause a lot of men didn't
And a lot of men died
One fist of iron, the other of steel
If the right one don't get you
Then the right one will
Latest News for: sixteen tons
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