Of course one lump of coal was not near enough, we had to shovel in a lot of coal to keep the "home fires" burning:
So what does this have to do with a song, you may ask? Well, I was thinking about Tennessee Ernie Ford's big hit song, Sixteen Tons and why was I thinking about that song today? Well, on this day back in 1955, it hit the top of the charts and stayed there at number one for eight weeks. Too bad it couldn't have stayed there twice that long then it would have been 16 tons for 16 weeks (grin).
I remember Ernie Ford very well although he passed away back on October 15, 1991. (By the way, his real name was Ernest Jennings Ford.) Can you remember any of his other songs? Just in case you can't, I will list them here and the year he released them.
Mule Train - 1949
Shotgun Boogie - 1950
The Cry of the Wild Goose - 1950
I'll Never Be Free (duet with Kay Starr) - 1950
Mr. and Mississippi - 1951
The Ballad of Davy Crockett - 1955
He also made religious albums and had a TV show from 1956 to 1961. In 1960, he was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Here is a picture of Ernie early in his career:
And later in his career:
Now, don't "load sixteen tons and what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt. . ." Then you will owe your soul to the company store. . .but have a great day, you hear?
Didn't he also make cameo appearances on "I Love Lucy" as Cousin Ernie? I remember the coal and having to clean wallpaper (with Omar Cleaner) because it became coated with coal dust.
ReplyDeleteHe made a lot of guest appearances and I am sure he was on Lucy. I have a hazy memory of that happening.
DeleteI remember when Lucy's cousin came to visit on I Love Lucy. He might have been tv's first hillbilly. He really had a great voice, I think a lot of guys sang 16 tons as they were driving to work,especially when it's cold and dark outside as it is this time of year. Mood music, I believe they call it. Put you in the mood to skip work and go to a bar.
ReplyDeleteYep, we all knew the words and the tune and where ever we worked, it was always "off to the mines".
DeleteOne of my mother's favorite singers:)
ReplyDeleteHe was very good and it seemed that he sang without any pressure. It just seemed to flow out of him.
DeleteHey, Good Lookin
ReplyDeleteNine Pound Hammer
I remember singing these along with with Sixteen Tons. My mother and father loved his songs.
His music seemed to be loved by all ages. He sure was easy to listen to.
DeleteYeah, i remember those songs.
ReplyDeleteSun's out,,,yeaaaaa.
Still cloudy over this way.
DeleteAhhh I knew them all except Mr and Mississippi..... and I wasn't born till 1960! LOL.... We used to heat a rented farmhouse with a wood/coal combination furnace. Start with wood and once you get a good bed of coals, then you could shovel in a couple big chunks of coal to the last the night. In the morning, stir them up a bit and toss in more wood to get flames going. Then more coal. Heated a whole winter that way, each and every day and night. It was before I had my first child and was pregnant that entire winter. By the next winter, we had bought our own house and thankfully had central heat with natural gas! whew.....
ReplyDeleteI don't remember Mr. and Mississippi, either, but it was in the list of his song hits. Dang, you are making me feel old, you were born the year before I graduated from High School. (grin)
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