Tennessee Ernie Ford Tells The Hardships of A Coal Miner in His Song “Sixteen Tons”
by
- Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
- Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
- Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.
In 1955, Tennessee Ernie Ford recorded “Sixteen Tons” as the B-side of his cover of Moon Mullican’s “You Don’t Have to Be a Baby to Cry.”
With the Tennessee native’s snapping fingers and a unique clarinet-driven pop arrangement, the song quickly became a million-seller. It held Billboard’s country music chart’s No. 1 position for ten weeks, then crossed over and held the No. 1 position on the pop music chart for eight weeks.
Moreover, Ford’s version was also the most successful, spending four weeks at No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart.
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