On this day in Labor History the year was 1955.
That was the day that the song “Sixteen Tons” first made an appearance on the Billboard country music chart.
It would reach the top spot and stay there for ten weeks.
Sixteen Tons told the story of the hard lives faced by coal miners.
The song talks about falling into debt at the “company store” a reality faced by many coal mining families.
The song had first been recorded by Merle Travis in the mid 1940s.
The song borrowed lyrics from things that Merle heard from his father, who was a coal miner.
Merle Travis sung the songs of working people.
He was labeled a Red and Communist, and during that era many stations would not play his music.
Sixteen Tons was recorded again by “Tennessee” Ernest Jennings Ford in 1955.
“Tennessee” Ernie’s grandfather and uncle had both worked in the mines.
Tennessee began to perform Sixteen Tons to enthusiastic crowds.
He then recorded it as a B side to his single “You Don’t Have to Be a Baby to Cry” for Capitol Records.
But the B side recording became the hit.
The song was so popular, it jumped off the country charts, and took the pop music number one spot for eight weeks and became a Gold Record.
Since then Sixteen Tons has been covered by a variety of artists from Johnny Cash to Tom Jones and Tom Morrello to ZZ Top and has become a true labor standard.
August 28 - Filipino Lettuce Workers Strike
August 27 - Truman Seizes the Railroads
August 26 - Fannie Sellins Martyred
August 25 - The Georges Fight Back
August 24 - Weaponizing the War Against Labor
August 23 - The Commission on Industrial Relations
August 22 - Making the Skies Friendlier
August 22 - Making the Skies Friendlier
August 21 - Nat Turner’s Insurrection
August 20 - The War on Poverty
August 19 - Songs to Fan the Flames of Discontent
August 18 - WEVD Radio New York
August 17 - Jailed for Having an Idea
August 16 - George Meany is Born
August 15 - The End of Bretton Woods
August 14 - A Little Security for Workers
August 13 - Miners Rebel Against Convict Labor System
August 12 - High Stakes in Cannery Organizing
August 11 - The ILWU is Founded
August 10 - Illinois Brotherhoods Join the ‘22 Shopmen Strike
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