"50 odd years"? "Odd" ain't the half of it! Seriously, though, 1956 - 64 years ago now (2020); 52 years ago at the time it was posted here on YT (2008) Fred
Written by Merle Davis, sung by the incredibly talented Tennessee Ernie Ford in 1956, the song tells the story of coal miners back in the day who, instead of getting a paycheck, were given a voucher for use at the company store. The rent for their company-provided houses also came out of their pay. They were never handed a check to choose how they wanted to spend their hard-earned pay, therefore they couldn’t even afford to die...”they owed their souls to the company store”. Just hearing the song produces sad images of hardship and struggle like few of us have ever known in this country, thanks to the men who went down into the mines under extremely harsh and dangerous conditions in order for this country us to have luxuries we all enjoyed then and now.
@@TestECull this is one of the least educated comments i have ever read on youtube, which all things considering is in itself astounding. in america today the poorest people LIVE BETTER than the vast overwhelming majority of the population ever lived throughout the vast overwhelming majority of history. its not even mildly comparable. but if you want ... go on testecull... make your case...
@@endrsgm Ye let's just start with how wages have stagnated while Cost of Living has gone through the roof, touch on how my own personal healthcare plan is the 'Don't Get Sick' plan because going to a doctor for even a minor checkup would bankrupt me, how my threshhold for calling an ambulance is 'Can I still drive' for similar reasons, how the only way to get a decent job is to incur a six figure debt I'll still be paying on when I'm in my 80s *even with that better paying job*, how employers give so few fucks about the well-being of their employees that they think anything under 60hrs/week is laziness, how the political situation in this country has gone so far south I can't even be true about myself in public without risk of getting lynched in the streets...should I go on further or has that ripped the golden spoon out of your hand? And that's just the stuff that personally effects ME. Let's not even get started with how there's still a sizeable contingent of racist fucks in this country that create and perpetuate additional hardship on people of color **in addition to the same hardships I face**. Come out of your gilded tower once in a while, look at the realities of the everyman's life. It's no better now than it was when this song was written...matter of fact it's worse, because back then you could actually get a decent living-wage job with decent hours fresh out of high school. There was a lot of stuff wrong with society back then but at least you could support a family on a single job without a college degree back then, live comfortably, be able to afford things like doctor's visits.
@@TestECull "To be fair life ain't changed all that much in the intervening 70-odd years." now you are changing the goalposts to talk about whats wrong with life today. that isnt the same as your original post stated. the poor today have access to better medicine and healthcare than the in 1950s. in the 1950s they were coming out of the great depression and then ww2 and then the korean war. the 1950s had avian and asian flu pandemics which killed MILLIONS more than covid ever will not to mention the influenza pandemics that killed millions more in 51 and then again in 57. medical care was primitive at best and many people NEVER saw a dr in their entire lives and often were born at home and died at home. the poor today routinely own access to luxuries only the richest could have afforded in the 50s. the poor were skinny and starving in the 50s, today they are fat. in the 1950s only the richest could afford pre packaged meals and the poor had to make due with fresh foods and home cooking, its reversed today. in the 50s only the richest could even go to university, and sure you might have to borrow to get there now but you couldnt have even gone then. the fact you went and incurred huge debts that you cant pay back tells me maybe you should have made better life choices. neh? in the 1950s there was jim crow laws. today its micro-aggressions. there is racism today but in no way shape or form can racism today even remotely be compared to the era of jim crow and the kkk. except by woke incels who lack any concept of historical changes. people of color today live better lives in america TODAY than at any time previously in history AND not only that but also live better in america TODAY than people of color that live just about anywhere else the world TODAY. those are historical facts. women were encouraged not to work so men could have a job and women were encouraged to marry and marry young with valium to keep a wife happy. in the 1950s there was no or little workmans comp, no or little unemployment or benefits, and you were practically owned by your bosses whereas today that is all changed. is today perfect? no. can life in today world be compared to the 1950s as if nothing has improved? no. its ridiculous.
I can still remember my great grandmother playing this song on a record player in her house in the early 1970s. She was from West Virginia. Half of her family died in coal mines.
And now there's this: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fzlT80jQ3lo.html Have fun and appreciate the low notes. Ernie sounds like a pre-teen boy after that one.
This was the year I was born. 66 years old now, listened to it as a child, still listen to it as an old lady. Sing it to the grandkids. Never get tired of this one.
Northwestern Missouri had a butt load of coal mines too! My grandpa left school and went under ground in about 1926 (12 years old) and pretty much stayed there for til the late 30's
I was 10 years old when this was filmed. I am almost 75 now. I have always loved this man. God bless “the pea picker” as he used to be called. He was awesome.
This is just a timeless piece of work! Whoever decided on the studio arrangement was brilliant for keeping the song stripped down to only the bare essentials with Ernie Ford's great voice selling the melody. It might have ended up just another soft-pop 50s song soon forgotten, but instead of loading it down with too much instrumental work, the song's hook is only 8 simple notes comprised of a flute, clarinet, and oboe, and then a snare with brushes and upright bass lightly carrying Ford's amazing baritone/mezzo-bass voice with snapping fingers for the upbeat. I read that the finger snapping was just something Ford did while warming up for the song and was added in when the president for capital records heard it and told the studio producer, "Keep his snapping fingers!" And so they did. No one ever predicted its success and made it B side. The song sold a million copies in 21 days - incredible for those years.
;) Nothing more to add, but still 1 of the best song´s ever......Every time when i go to work ;) this song is in my head :D like it or not Child´s :D :D :D
Yep. Couldn't said it better. A classic. Tnx for the information. And that lady in beginning said something it had sold 20 million copies by that time and it seems being early 80's. Never mind how many copies it sold, it is a TRUE piece of art. And it have somerthing to think about, social bearings (I'm from Sweden so I might get the line wrong?), meaning about poor people working in mines but still that/the company owns them. Like slaves. One of the maybe greatest song ever made. Thanks/Roland.
roland johansson Some coal companies paid their employees in the coal company's own form of "money". The coal company's "money" could not be used elsewhere. The company store could charge too much for things and the employees could not go elsewhere to buy them.
"if the right don;t get ya then the left one will". This song is not complicated in structure but it just got such a solid groove to it. 1-2, 1-2 all the way through but damned if there ain't somethin' about it. It's one of those songs that just hits you. Powerful, and Ernie's Baritone just sits in the pocket. No need to clutter up with too much instrumentation. It has that late night, Old detective show foggy city, gangster feel to it. A masterpiece.
Human livestock. This is the whole reason for restrictions on birth control and abortion. The more there is of us, the cheaper we come. We are just a supply like anything else.
@@evertonpenguin2408 This song was written about American coal mine workers...not USSR. In the 1930s men were paid in the Company in vouchers, not US currency...the vouchers could only be spent in company owned stores....as the lyrics tell us.
Good song and what a great voice Tennessee Ernie Ford possessed! I have always loved this song. This song was WAY before my time but they used to play it a lot on "oldies" stations when I was growing up. Hard-to-believe that this song is almost 60 years old.
@@user-bx5yq1xh3y yeah I am going to be 72 next week and the family tends to live into the 90s. Daddy drove a tank in WW II and Mom packed bomb sights.
Nancy Janzen I was born in 1949 and grew up listening TEF sing this and many other great songs. My dad fought in the Pacific in WWII and my mom was a Rosie the Riveter in St. Louis.
I was a little girl when Tennesse Ernie first sang this song in 1956, but I remember hearing it on the radio and watching him on television with my family. This was a great song, the lyrics he sang were all too true about the coal miners who got deeper in indebted to the company store. Thanks for this video
This had an astonishing effect upon release: there had never been anything remotely like it. All us kids in Wales wanted to be Tennessee Ernie! Thank you for posting this treasure, Curley.
Even when I got into Radio in 81' we played this song. Tennessee Ernie was a trend setter. He was one of the first to reach out to the Soviet Union with his music. Despite their objections to him doing Gosphel the people he reached was the main goal. We need more Tennessee Ernies.
I agree... but have we come that far? There are tens of millions of people in this country that live just like that... ever more workload, ever less financial security. Corporate rent seekers who optimize every dime out of the working class.
Lord what can i say nothing but good old-fashioned county. Music see im black i watch and listen to county Music. I am 27 hell i still watch country music
Oh Man hearing That Great Song by that Talented Man. Really makes Me Feel Old now, & I'm Younger than many of the Commenters are. I can Remember hearing that on The RCA Stereo Record Player, Early on Sunday Mornings, before going too Church, and in between Tennessee Ernie Ford's, many Gospel Hymns. Dad would Play it on those Regular Occasions, Holidays, and I guess when He Felt He Needed Faithful Healing, & Define Strength? As My Father never Attended Church, except for Wedding's or Absolutely for Funerals, which were Very Somber Occasions for Him. Listening too Mr Ernie Ford, would put My, Dad's, mind at a Very Mellow, & Calm State of Gentleness Which was similar too a Bear Resting Peacefully at His Den or Home 🏠🏡. Those Time's were until I was about Ten Years Old. Then it was the Year's My Two Older Sister's, & I the Youngest had too Buck up & Grow up. As Our Parents Said it was Time too. Now Tennessee Ernie Ford's, Music, & so many Others of that Generation, are of course Gone, May they RIP, & the Song's & Music 🎵🎶 they Left as Legacies Remain as Reminders too Them. Also May God or the Lord 🙏🙏 Provide that? We are Continuingly Reminded, of how Wonderful & important Other People,are in Our lives. Then Shall No One? Be Left Alone if Possible. AMEN, AMEN, 🙏🙏🙏🙏🗣️🙏🙏
Interesting how this song is coming back around. For gamers it's in Fallout 76 and South Park just used in it's S22 ep9 intro. I've always liked this song. I remember Ernie Ford singing this song and ZZ Top covering it years later.
This was my grandfathers favorite song, can’t hear it without thinking of him. He was miner when he was you and an oil man when he got older. Blue collar from cradle to grave.
Get this song in my head every time i gotta do hard labor. I didnt even know this song till a 60 yr old and 24 yr old from my last job would sing this while working!!! Perfect
You really think this era was so saintly, don't you? I highly doubt the Li'l Ol' Peapicker was much of a classy guy. I remember watching him with my mom back in the early 60s, not knowing he was a raging alcoholic who would eventually drink himself to death. What class.
My father was from a sulphur mining town in Sicily named Serradifalco. The miners worked 12 hours a day in 110 degree heat. Many came to America to work the coal mines. My father loved this song.
Such a great voice, and a song reflective of the history it came from. After a long day at work, sometimes 12, 14 and even more hours with the commute, my man comes home and if he's up for it, we walk a bit. We sing this occasionally. He's has a nice baritone/bass and we both know the history of the song. I just follow, not being much of a singer. Thank you for posting this recording. :-)
The lyrics tells the story of early coal miners. Ernie was one great singer. Super.... I am from West Virginia I know these stories. This is TRUE.... Thank you.
I was born in 1953, but I remember this song, my parents loved it! I may be old but glad I grew up when I did, have gotten to listen to so many different kinds of music!
I agree Rhonda. I was born in 1953 too...I remember songs such as this and the big band era songs that my parents listened to. Never gets old to me!!!! Happy new year....
Such a talented man! I could listen to him singing all day. I have "re-discovered" his music. My parents loved watching his TV show on the only black and white we had. I suppose it was because my Mom was born in 1919 in Coffee County Tennessee! I wish I could have met this man. Rest in Heaven Mr Ford. 🙏🙏
Mr. Ford was an incredible person. He would come to a small town I lived in close to 70 years ago now, to hunt. There was a local fellow who was a friend of his and guide. For some reason they had to stop at a school. Mr. Ford noticed a tape recorder set up there. It was used for various and sundry reasons. He asked if he could record some gospel songs for them. They said yes. So this little school, in a little town, had Tennessee Ernie Ford recordings, made in person. We always held him in high regard.
Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor man's made outta muscle and blood Muscle and blood and skin and bones A mind that's a-weak and a back that's strong You load 16 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 mornin' when the sun didn't shine I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine I loaded 16 tons of number nine coal And the straw boss said, "Well, a-bless my soul" You load 16 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 mornin', it was drizzlin' rain Fightin' and trouble are my middle name I was raised in the canebrake by an ol' mama lion Can't no high toned woman make me walk the line You load 16 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 If you see me comin', better step aside A lotta men didn't, a lotta men died One fist of iron, the other of steel If the right one don't get you Then the left one will You load 16 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 Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor man's made outta muscle and blood Muscle and blood and skin and bones A mind that's a-weak and a back that's strong You load 16 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 mornin' when the sun didn't shine I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine I loaded 16 tons of number nine coal And the straw boss said, "Well, a-bless my soul" You load 16 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 mornin', it was drizzlin' rain Fightin' and trouble are my middle name I was raised in the canebrake by an ol' mama lion Can't no high toned woman make me walk the line You load 16 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 If you see me comin', better step aside A lotta men didn't, a lotta men died One fist of iron, the other of steel If the right one don't get you Then the left one will You load 16 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
Most have to have experienced living during the great depression to under stand the lyrics of this song but as a youth who didn't live through those tough times, still remember loving hearing this song and his other songs too. Another person greatly missed.
Ol’ Ernie sold more Ford vehicles in the early 1960s than Henry could have ever imagined. Especially Ranch Wagons. I only wish I had his singing talent. The only thing Ernie had accompanying him was drum set, a clarinet, and the man’s own snapping fingers. We will never see anything like that again.
Whoa, I just looked up this man after watching him play twangy-toned Cousin Ernie on "I Love Lucy," and hearing his real singing voice just blew me away.
I also discovered him on my Lucy dvds, I absolutely love his 3 episodes on the show! So funny, charming, and musically talented. I'm looking forward to knowing even more about him than just his wiki page, and hearing all his music.
When I was a teenager I worked out some additional lines concerning the plight of the miners at that time: "Way down deep in the throat of that mine, the rain don't pour and the sun don't shine. My lungs full of coal dust, I'm dyin' real slow, I don't know if I'll last one year mo'."
I remember watching ol' Ernie singing this classic on his show when I was nine years old. Blew me away then and still does today. RIP you ol' pea picker, you. Thanks for posting. ~ Mark
I was a year old when this was filmed. I absolutely love this song. I keep playing it on my echo dot over and over. This is the best version of this song.
Wow! I think that was Dinah Shore introducing him! My grandfather was a coal miner in W VA, and my dad did a little of it too, so I have memories of the company store and company housing; a means to reap profits at every turn in the coal industry.
Marc Del Yes, Dinah Shore was the first thought that came to my mind too! Ironic, browsing here pretty much by chance after getting back from a program at The Mountain Institute in West Virginia last week. As many say, probably there is no such thing as change. Really enjoyed Ernie Ford again and the reminder that THIS problem is not over in WV, not at all.
HealthyTomorrow You are correct, it isn't over yet. The coal company's are still getting their coal, but at a cost to the environment as they remove mountain tops and strip mine. The good news for W. VA is that they are moving their economy toward a recreation state and tourist destination. The Boy Scouts of America just created a huge Campground/Teaching center near Oak Hill/Beckley. Plus they have the white water rafting, bungee jumping, and zip lines for the more daring.
I'm 36 now. When I was 10, my grandma's 90 year old neighbor gave me a 3 cassette collection on the top songs from the 50's. I listened to them so much and memorized all the songs. This was one of my favorites, and it still pops into my head out of nowhere. 50's and 60's music is some of my favorite; a time when they still let good music be on the radio. There's still amazing music made today, it's just unfortunately not put on the radio.
He was my dads good friend. My dad built his house in P Valley, and he used to always come to our house for dinner. I was always happy to see him. He was a great guy ! God Rest His Soul
Chinedu Opara “I owe my soul to the company store” Miners used to get paid in scrip which was only accepted in the mining companies store. Useless for anywhere else so basically they couldn’t leave and the mine bosses had the military kill the miners and their families that tried to fight back. Look up the history of Blair mountain.
no high-toned woman make me tow the line --- perfection --- Southern Raised does a great low-toned version almost this caliber --- many thanks for the upload & cheers from the Delta ---
When I was little, my parents and everyone else was listening to this! Have love this song almost all my life! So good! Amazing I still remember all the words!
Rhonda Boncutter .I can relate to your thoughts .I can remember my baby girl crying when she looked at the said dog hole of a mine.Where I crawled on m6 knees working just to try and feed my 2 kids .As a single parent I had no choice but to shovel in those mines .Live and learn !
I was eight years old when the Ernie Ford version was released so naturally I thought it was his song. I still love that record but of course in the 60s I found out about the original by Merle Travis and later on the terrific rendering by Big Bill Broonzy - they're both on RU-vid, check them out along with a very good version by the Platters.
When he was in Bristol, Tennessee, he had a radio show. My dad owned a full service gas station in Erwin, Tennessee, and sponsored Tennessee Ernie Ford. He came to the station, and I got to meet him when I was very young. I love his voice and songs, especially his gospel ones.
Always a treat to see a Tennessee Ernie. Also nice to see Dinah Shore who my mother went to high school with at Hume-Fogg High in Nashville back in the early 1930’s.
Workers and unions had some power before the Reagan admin started tearing down everything that "Made America Great" and destroyed the middle class, in addition to starting the transition from real industry to the monopoly-money clownshow we're seeing right now. Folk and Country often had a radical left-wing working class message up until the 1970s or so. We still have a few old-timers like Dolly Parton who got their start in that era and sing for the working class, instead of just nationalism and identity politics.
That's country music, chief, it was always subversive. It was music made by poor (see also: country) people and it was about how wrong and sad and unfair everything was. Now it's about John Deere, Wrangler and Bud Light, but that's a different story. Nevermind, it's still corporations crushing everything into the shape that nets them infinite profit and damn the little guy, it's exactly the same story, they're just showing it and not telling it anymore.
The company store was a fact of life because the companies paid in script and not in greenbacks. The only place you could spent was at the company store.
Yeah, before the New Deal the exploitation was like The Jungle. Too bad the same Daddy Warbucks were left at the top to turn it all back on itself. They're gona' make a commie out of me they keep this up.
My grandfathers & dad were central northeastern PA coal miners. They made good 💴 money, my siblings & I lacked for nothing. Mom was always happy; dad had a fantastic sense of humor. Life was great. We were religious, & went to church on Sunday & holidays. Not at all like that song.
Just heard his unmistakably rich baritone voice (one of the best ever, btw) playing at Starbux, singing this song, which "went" Gold after Ernie recorded it. I looked at store staff for an "older" person (like myself), and discovered, to my delight, a youngster had chosen to play 50s Greats on their music srvc ON PURPOSE! Blew me away!! Thanked her, and everyone quieted to hear the rich dulcet tones of that signature voice (which further astounded me). I saw him, in concert, at...wait for it...Marriott's (then) Great America Park in Santa Clara c. 1980. But, I grew up around a lot of elders (so I despised Lawrence Welk & Hee Haw type shows). But, I ALWAYS slowed down and enjoyed it when Tennessee Ernie sang on whichever show. He was a Big Deal. Whether you like Gospel or not, chk his early stuff out there too (Many know its the forerunner to 20th Century Rock). In any case, he's a (now forgotten) Legendary Voice for good reason. "Sixteen Tons" is kinda lighthearted as sung, but the reality for people who lived it, tethered to such Companies & monopolistic Company Stores was a hard life. For many, there was no escaping it b4 WW2.
This amazing song fell upon my path quite by accident and I love it so much!!! It's been on repeat in my car for a while now and I'm not tired of it - my 8 year old daughter and I sing it in the way to school by her request!
