Who had a number one hit in 1955 with 'Give me your word' and in 1956 with 'Sixteen Tons'?
"Another line came from their father, a coal miner, who would say: ""I can't afford to die. I owe my soul to the company store."" A 1955 version recorded by Tennessee Ernie Ford reached number one in the ""Billboard"" charts, while another version by Frankie Laine 1956 was released only in Western Europe, where it gave Ford's version competition. On March 25, 2015, Ford's version of the song was inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry. The sole authorship of ""Sixteen Tons"" is attributed to Merle Travis on all recordings beginning with Travis's own 1946 record and is"
"Sixteen Tons ""Sixteen Tons"" is a song written by Merle Travis about a coal miner, based on life in coal mines in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. Travis first recorded the song at the Radio Recorders Studio B in Hollywood, California on August 8, 1946. Cliffie Stone played bass on the recording. It was first released in July 1947 by Capitol on Travis's album ""Folk Songs of the Hills"". The song became a gold record. The line ""You load sixteen tons and what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt"" came from a letter written by Travis's brother John."
"York. On November 20, 1955, African-American rock 'n' roll singer and guitarist Bo Diddley appeared on ""The Ed Sullivan Show"", only to infuriate Sullivan (""I did two songs and he got mad""). Diddley had been asked to sing Tennessee Ernie Ford's hit ""Sixteen Tons"", which he agreed. But when he appeared on stage, he forgot his cue and instead sang his #1 R&B hit song that bears his name. Diddley later recalls, ""Ed Sullivan says to me in plain words: 'You are the first black boy—quote—that ever double crossed me!' I was ready to ""fight"", because I was a little"
"""Sixteen Tons"" in 1955. His reputation as a folk-inspired singer-composer and guitarist grew after the appearance of the album ""The Merle Travis Guitar"" in 1956, the reissue of ""Folk Songs of the Hills"" with four additional tracks under the title ""Back Home"" in 1957, and ""Walkin' the Strings"" in 1960, the latter two of which won 5-star ratings from ""Rolling Stone Magazine"". His career acquired a second wind during the American folk music revival in the late 1950s and early 1960s, leading to appearances at clubs, folk festivals and at Carnegie Hall as a guest of Lester Flatt and Earl"
"Sixteen Tons, first recorded in 1946, but made probably the most commercially successful industrial song when it was a major hit for 'Tennessee' Ernie Ford in 1955. In Britain the leading proponent of, and commentator on, industrial folk music was A. L. Lloyd. His ""Come All Ye Bold Miners: Ballads and Songs from the Coalfields"", a collection of mining songs was published in 1952. Of his own recordings the most influential were his arrangement of various industrial songs on the LP ""The Iron Muse: a Panorama of Industrial Folk Song"" (1963). A. L. Lloyd wrote in the 1965 ""Encyclopædia Britannica"""
"copies had been sold; two million were sold by 15 December. The song has been recorded or performed in concert by a wide variety of musicians: Also: Works cited Sixteen Tons ""Sixteen Tons"" is a song written by Merle Travis about a coal miner, based on life in coal mines in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. Travis first recorded the song at the Radio Recorders Studio B in Hollywood, California on August 8, 1946. Cliffie Stone played bass on the recording. It was first released in July 1947 by Capitol on Travis's album ""Folk Songs of the Hills"". The song became a"
"record is an echo of the 1946 ""Sixteen Tons"" by Merle Travis. For Presley's version of ""Mystery Train"", Scotty Moore also borrowed the guitar riff from Junior Parker's ""Love My Baby"" (1953), played by Pat Hare. Paired with ""I Forgot to Remember to Forget"", the single reached the Top 10 in ""Billboard""s C&W listings. RCA Victor rereleased this recording in November 1955 (#47-6357) after acquiring it as part of a contract with Presley. This issue of the song peaked at number 11 on the national ""Billboard"" Country Chart. That same month, RCA Victor also released a pop version of the"
"the time, the album was widely admired by musicians, and Travis was invited to preserve some of his performances in a series of Snader Transcriptions, an early form of music video, which can be viewed today on several internet sites and DVDs. In 1955, one song from the album, ""Sixteen Tons"", was recorded by Tennessee Ernie Ford and became a million-selling crossover hit. A number of other songs from the album, such as ""Dark as a Dungeon"", ""John Henry"" and ""Nine-pound Hammer,"" entered Travis's regular repertoire and went on to become folk, country and bluegrass standards. As the American folk"
"also reached #15 on the pop charts, with a cover version by the Fontane Sisters reaching #1. The group had further R&B chart success with ""Ling, Ting, Tong"" and ""Two Hearts"", and they toured with The Clovers, Big Joe Turner and others. However, in late 1955, Stone persuaded the other members of the group that they could succeed without Williams, and they left to join Stone’s new Chart label. After a court battle, Williams continued recording for DeLuxe, credited as Otis Williams and His Charms, and had another big hit in 1956 with ""Ivory Tower"" (#5 R&B, #11 pop). Williams"
"his rendering of ""Sixteen Tons"", a sparsely arranged coal-miner's lament, that Merle Travis first recorded in 1946 reflecting his own family's experience in the mines of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. The song's authorship has been claimed by both Travis and George S. Davis, although Travis is recognized as the sole author on the recording itself, by BMI and in virtually all reference works. The song's fatalistic tone contrasted vividly with the sugary pop ballads and rock & roll just starting to dominate the charts at the time: With Ford's snapping fingers and a unique clarinet-driven pop arrangement by Ford's music director,"
"Jack Fascinato, ""Sixteen Tons"" spent ten weeks at number one on the country charts and seven weeks at number one on the pop charts. The record sold over twenty million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The song made Ford a crossover star, and became his signature song. Ford subsequently hosted his own prime-time variety program, ""The Ford Show"", which ran on NBC television from October 4, 1956, to June 29, 1961. Ford's last name allowed the show title to carry a unique double entendre by selling the naming rights to the Ford Motor Company (Ford had no known"
"in 1955, reaching number one for 10 weeks on the ""Billboard"" chart. It became a gold record. Perez had first recorded this title for the movie ""Underwater!"" (1955), where Jane Russell can be seen dancing to the song. ""Billboard"" ranked this version as the No. 1 song of 1955. The most popular vocal version in the U.S. was by Alan Dale, reaching No. 14 on the chart in 1955. In the United Kingdom, two versions of the song went to number one in 1955. The first was the version by Perez Prado, which reached number one for two weeks. Less"
"Sixteen Reasons ""Sixteen Reasons (Why I Love You)"" is a list song written by Bill and Doree Post which in 1960 reached #3 via a recording by Connie Stevens. The composers: Bill and Doree Post, were a husband-and-wife team from Kansas who had several single releases on Crest Records but their own version of ""Sixteen Reasons"" was not released until 1963: Doree Post was then deceased having been claimed by stomach cancer on 24 July 1961. Stevens' single - arrangement and accompaniment by Don Ralke - was issued in December 1959 with the Robert Allen composition ""Little Sister"" being the"
"track. Sixteen Reasons ""Sixteen Reasons (Why I Love You)"" is a list song written by Bill and Doree Post which in 1960 reached #3 via a recording by Connie Stevens. The composers: Bill and Doree Post, were a husband-and-wife team from Kansas who had several single releases on Crest Records but their own version of ""Sixteen Reasons"" was not released until 1963: Doree Post was then deceased having been claimed by stomach cancer on 24 July 1961. Stevens' single - arrangement and accompaniment by Don Ralke - was issued in December 1959 with the Robert Allen composition ""Little Sister"" being"
"""Billboard"" Hot 100 would be in 1965. Professionally Stevens has downplayed her identity as the singer of a ""golden oldie"", stating in 2005: ""I never did 'Sixteen Reasons' in my stage act. It was really a kids' song aimed at 12-year-old girls. It would be a little silly for me to do it now."" In 1960 Italian singer rendered ""Sixteen Reasons"" in German as ""Sechzehn Gründe"" and that same year Auckland-singer Esme Stephens and The Silhouettes With The Peter Posa Combo released ""Sixteen Reasons"" in New Zealand on Zodiac Records; coupled with a cover of Anita Bryant's ""Paper Roses"" the"
"November 20, 1955, Diddley appeared on the popular television program ""The Ed Sullivan Show"". When someone on the show's staff overheard him casually singing ""Sixteen Tons"" in the dressing room, he was asked to perform the song on the show. Seeing ""Bo Diddley"" on the cue card, he thought he was to perform both his self-titled hit single and ""Sixteen Tons"". Sullivan was furious and banned Diddley from his show, reputedly saying that he wouldn't last six months. Chess Records included Diddley's cover of ""Sixteen Tons"" on the 1960 album ""Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger"". Diddley's hit singles continued in"
"and performed both ""Only You"" and ""The Great Pretender"". The Platters' unique vocal style had touched a nerve in the music-buying public, and a string of hit singles followed, including three more national #1 hits and more modest chart successes such as ""I'm Sorry"" (#11) and ""He's Mine"" (#23) in 1957, ""Enchanted"" (#12) in 1959, and ""(You've Got) The Magic Touch"" (#4) in 1956. The Platters soon hit upon the successful formula of updating older standards, such as ""My Prayer"", ""Twilight Time"", ""Harbor Lights"", ""To Each His Own"", ""If I Didn't Care"", and Jerome Kern's ""Smoke Gets in Your Eyes""."
"a Valley"" that made it into the top 20 positions on the ""Billboard"" charts in 1955 were by Gogi Grant, Julius LaRosa, and Jo Stafford, and Petula Clark took the song to number seven in the UK that same year. Al Hibbler and The McGuire Sisters both made the magazine's Top 10 with recordings of the song ""He"" in 1955 as well. Laurie London made it to number 12 on the UK singles chart with ""He's Got the Whole World in His Hands"" in 1957 and also made the top 10 on several of the ""Billboard"" charts in 1958. ""Climb"
"You're Sixteen ""You're Sixteen"" is a song written by the Sherman Brothers (Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman). It was first performed by American rockabilly singer Johnny Burnette, whose version peaked at number eight on the U.S. ""Billboard"" Hot 100 in December 1960 and number 3 in the U.K. in 1961. The original 1960 version of ""You're Sixteen"" by Johnny Burnette is featured prominently on the 1973 motion picture soundtrack of the film ""American Graffiti"". The personnel on the Johnny Burnette version included: Ringo Starr's version was released as a single in the US, on 3 December 1973, and"
"1957, but it was not released at that time. It reached #33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a gold record. Tell Me Why (1956 song) ""Tell Me Why"" is a popular song, written by Titus Turner in 1956. It is a slow, strong rhythm and blues ballad, and has a melody reminiscent of ""Just a Closer Walk With Thee"". The first hit version was by Marie Knight, a black R&B singer, on the Mercury's subsidiary label, Wing. It was a local hit in the New Orleans and Texas. When it attracted attention, it went on to become a"
"""Tell Me You're Mine"" charted at #22, and a few others made the top 30 in 1952, 1953 and 1954. Her song ""Memories Are Made of This"" with the Ray Conniff Orchestra was issued in 1955. In August 1955 she scored a hit when her recording of ""Wake the Town and Tell the People"" reached #13, despite the fact that the trends in popular music were moving to Rock'n'Roll and she was not generally a rock singer. Carson had a minor hit with ""The Fish"", the single prior to ""Wake The Town..."", which was a mild rocker based on a"
"Tell Me Why (1956 song) ""Tell Me Why"" is a popular song, written by Titus Turner in 1956. It is a slow, strong rhythm and blues ballad, and has a melody reminiscent of ""Just a Closer Walk With Thee"". The first hit version was by Marie Knight, a black R&B singer, on the Mercury's subsidiary label, Wing. It was a local hit in the New Orleans and Texas. When it attracted attention, it went on to become a moderate hit for Gale Storm and The Crew-Cuts in 1956 and later for Elvis Presley in 1966. Presley recorded the track in"
"This had previously been the B-side to Douglas' 1969 release, ""Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head"", a cover of the B.J. Thomas song. Douglas' 2011 album, ""The Craig Douglas Project"", included his versions of ""Auberge"" and ""Creep"". Craig Douglas Craig Douglas (born Terence Perkins, 12 August 1941) is an English pop singer, who was popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His sole UK chart-topper, ""Only Sixteen"" (1959), sold more copies in the UK than Sam Cooke's original version. Born a twin, in Newport, Isle of Wight the former Terence Perkins was employed as a milkman before becoming a"
"in Australia, going on to sell over 11 million records around the world. He also wrote lyrics for the title song of the films ""The Winter's Tale"", ""Shalako"", ""Twinky"" (""Lola"" in the United States), and ""Joseph Andrews"". At the age of 22 he became the first pop singer to work with George Martin, who produced all his hit records. Several of his songs entered the UK Singles Chart, including ""Be My Girl"" (1957, UK No. 2), ""Just Born (To Be Your Baby)"" (1958, UK No. 27), ""Crazy Dream"" (1958, UK No. 24) and ""Sugartime"" (1958, UK No. 25). In 1957,"
"single reached #5 on the Lever Hit Parade. The Lettermen, who Stevens had played with as The Foremost, recorded a version of the track for their 1962 album, ""Once Upon a Time"". Lawrence Welk featured the song on his 1964 album, ""The Golden Millions"". A comedy version was released as a double A-side on the Laverne & Shirley single ""Chapel of Love"" in 1976, and Lisa Mychols remade ""Sixteen Reasons"" for her 1991 ""Lost Winter's Dream"" album. ""Sixteen Reasons"" is prominently showcased in David Lynch's 2001 film ""Mulholland Drive"" with actress Elizabeth Lackey whose character lip-syncs to the Connie Stevens"
"rpm box set ""Folk Songs of the Hills"". This album, featuring Travis accompanied only on his guitar, contains his two most enduring songs, both centered on the lives of coal miners: ""Sixteen Tons"" and ""Dark as a Dungeon"". ""Sixteen Tons"" became a No. 1 ""Billboard"" country hit for Tennessee Ernie Ford in 1955 and has been recorded many times over the years. Travis and Molly Bee appeared together as guests on November 24, 1960, on NBC's ""The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford"". The darkly philosophical ""Dark As A Dungeon"", although never a hit single, became a folk standard during"
"You"" by The Platters. The same year saw a number one pop chart hit, ""The Great Pretender"" by The Platters. In 1956, Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers appeared on the Frankie Laine show in New York, which was televised nationally, performing their hit ""Why Do Fools Fall in Love?"". Frankie Laine referred to it as ""rock and roll""; Lymon's extreme youth appealed to a young and enthusiastic audience. His string of hits included: ""I Promise to Remember"", ""The ABC's of Love"" and ""I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent"". In 1958, ""Book of Love"" by The Monotones became an icon of the"
"I've Got News / Mr. Santa Claus (Bring Me My Baby) 1962 551 Melvin Davis with the Nite Sounds Playboy (Don't You Play In School) / I Won't Be Your Fool 1963 552 Butch Vaden Harem Girl / Roll 1963 553 Nolan Strong I Really Love You / Everything They Said Came True 1963 553 Nolan Strong You're My Love / Everything They Said Came True 1963 554 Nathaniel Mayer and his Fabulous Twilights I Had A Dream / I'm Not Gonna Cry 1963 555 The Magnatones Adios, My Desert Love / I Love You With Tender Passion 1963 556"
"Know You"" by Woody Guthrie), ""Kisses Sweeter Than Wine"" (by Hays, Seeger, and Lead Belly), and the South African Zulu song by Solomon Linda, ""Wimoweh"" (about Shaka), among others. The Weavers' performing career was abruptly derailed in 1953 at the peak of their popularity when blacklisting prompted radio stations to refuse to play their records and all their bookings were canceled. They briefly returned to the stage, however, at a sold-out reunion at Carnegie Hall in 1955 and in a subsequent reunion tour, which produced a hit version of Merle Travis's ""Sixteen Tons"" as well as LPs of their concert"
"also released the song in 1954, reaching No. 26. On the ""Cash Box"" Best-Selling Records chart, all the versions were combined, and the song was also a No. 1 hit on that chart. Hank Snow's version (""Let Me Go, Woman"") went to No. 1 on the country music charts in 1955. Dean Martin had the song released as a single in 1955, reaching No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart. In March 1955, Ruby Murray reached No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart with her version. Kathy Kirby's version of the song went to No. 10 on the UK Singles"
"19-year-old Ike Turner, who also wrote the song. The recording was released in 1951 by Chess Records, of Chicago. From 1950 to 1954 Phillips recorded music by James Cotton, Rufus Thomas, Rosco Gordon, Little Milton, Bobby Blue Bland, the Prisonaires and others. Sun Records produced more rock-and-roll records than any other record label of its time during its 16-year run, producing 226 singles. Phillips and Elvis Presley opened a new form of music. Phillips said of Presley: ""Elvis cut a ballad, which was just excellent. I could tell you, both Elvis and Roy Orbison could tear a ballad to pieces."
"the ""Billboard"" pop charts with 13 different songs. In 1957 they appeared with Lindsay Crosby in the television special ""The Edsel Show"". Their biggest hit was ""26 Miles (Santa Catalina),"" which was written by Belland and Larson in 1957 and reached #2 early the following year. The record sold over one million copies, earning a gold disc. Around this time, Ricky Nelson appeared with them at a Hamilton High School lunch hour assembly singing ""Blue Moon of Kentucky"". Belland and Larson also wrote ""Big Man"", which reached #3 in 1958, and composed new lyrics for the older tune ""Down by"
"Top 10. His biggest hits include ""Loose Talk"", ""Hey Joe!"" and ""You Are the One"". He had five No. 1 hits in his career; ""Loose Talk"" was his last, in 1955. ""Hey Joe!"" got to Number 1 in the UK Singles Chart for Frankie Laine in October 1953 for two weeks. In 1956, Smith quit the Grand Ole Opry. Soon after, he joined ""The Phillip Morris Country Music Show"" and spent more than a year touring the United States, often in direct competition with touring Opry shows. He also made regular appearances on ABC-TV's ""Jubilee USA"" and was a fill-in"