"Sixteen Tons" is a song about the misery of coal mining, first recorded in 1946 by U.S. country singer Merle Travis and released on his box set album Folk Songs of the Hills the following year. A 1955 version recorded by 'Tennessee' Ernie Ford was on the b-side of his cover of the Moon Mullican standard, "You Don't Have to Be a Baby to Cry". However, it was Ford's "Sixteen Tons" that reached number one in the Billboard charts, besting the performance of the competing version by Johnny Desmond. Another competing version by Frankie Laine was released only in the U.K. where it gave Ford's version some stiff competition on the charts. On October 17, it was released and, by October 28, it sold 400,000 copies. On November 10, a million copies had been sold. The record had sold two million copies by December 15.

Ernie Ford Sings 16 Tons
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Joo90ZWrUkU

Tennessee Ernie Ford - 16 Tons (Go-Go Version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92arUrGVt6k&feature=related

16 Tons - Rockapella
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxCzfybdI_c&feature=related