Sixteen Tons

Sixteen Tons
Tenessee Ernie Ford
Arranged by Aaron Fellows

Working Pace, q = 130

Soloist

Soprano

Alto

Tenor

Bass

Percussion

? # # 44

#
V # 44

? ## 4
4

4 .
4 x

1 .

## 4
& 4
# 4
& # 4

? ##

(stomp)

(stomp)

(stomp)

(clap)

(stomp)

#
& #

##

? ##

Solo

Perc.

#
& #

1 .
(clap)

(stomp)

x
(snap)

1
(clap)

x
(snap)

(stomp)

x
(snap)

1
(clap)

x
(snap)

Sixteen Tons

? ##

#
& #

&

##

#
V #

? ##

13

Solo

Perc.

(stomp) (boomboom)(snap)

? ##

(boom)

(stomp) (boomboom)(snap)

(boom)

#
& #

#
& #

##

F
? ##
w
Oo

Perc.

17

Solo

F
w
Oo

.
x

ah

oo

.
x

ah

oo

.
x

ah

Sixteen Tons

? ##

&

##

##

23

Solo

Perc.

&
V

##

? ##

oo

oo

oo

oo

#
& #
#
& #
##

? ##

Perc.

oo

ah

oo

Some

w
w

(snap)

x
(snap)

x
(snap)

dm dm dm

dm dm dm dm

dm dm dm

# #

dm dm dm dm

dm #dm #dm doo

# #
.

is

made out - a

mud.

(snap)

x
(snap)

x
(snap)

doo

doo

(snap)

peo - ple say a man

dm dm dm dm

oo

F
w

? ##

29

Solo

oo

F dm dm dm dm dm dm dm doo


# #

(snap)
(boom boom)

Sixteen Tons

? ##

33

Solo

Perc.

#
& #
&

##

#
V #

poor

man's

made

? ##

Perc.

#
& #
#
& #
V

##

skin and bones,

dm

? ##

dm

!
x

x
J

dm

dm

!
!
!

and

dm

!
x
x x J

x
x x J

(boom)

# #

mind that's weak and a back that's strong. You load

!
x
xxJ

(boom boom) (stomp stomp)

36

Mus - cle and blood

!
x

mus - cle and blood.

dm

(stomp)

Solo

dm

? ##

Dm

out - a

!
!
!
!
!

six

teen

Dm

Six

tons,

brv

dm

Six

teen

tons,

teen

tons,

(stomp) (snap) (stomp stomp) (snap)

Sixteen Tons

? ##

40

Solo

# w
& #

wha - dda - ya

&

##

#
V #
? ##

Solo

(stomp)

? ##

Perc.

? ##

(stomp stomp)

Pe - ter don't ya call me 'cause

#
& #
V

(snap)

dm

dm

in

A - no - ther day

ol - der and

dee - per

in

debt.

Saint

A - no - ther day

dee - per

in

debt.

Saint

(snap)

ol - der and

x x

j #
x

owe my soul to the com - pa - ny store.

!
!

!
!

Pe - ter don't ya call me 'cause

I can't go.

x x

x x

Dm dm dm dm

Dm dm dm dm

Pe - ter don't ya call me 'cause

# #

Saint

dm dm dm

dm

debt.

I can't go.

dee - per

brv

brv

ol - der and

j #

dm

dm

get?

dm

#
& #

##

get?

j

x

dm

43

dm

# #

dm

wha - dda - ya

Perc.

A - no - ther day

dm

wha - dda - ya

get?

I can't go.

owe my soul to the com - pa - ny store.

xx

owe my soul to the com - pa - ny store.

Dm dm dm dm


Dm dm dm dm

Sixteen Tons

? ##

48

Solo

#
& #
&

##
##

? ##

Perc.

# #

# #

# #

dm dm dm doo

dm dm dm doo

dm dm dm doo

# #
.

#
& #

##

? ##

(snap)

Dm

dm

(snap)

picked up my sho-vel and - a

#
& #

Perc.

(snap)

? ##

dm dm dm doo

53

Solo

dm

x
x x J

x
(snap)

I load - ed

# #

!
x

(snap)

dm dm dm

six - teen

dm

(snap)

tons

dm

!
x

# # .

walked to the mine,

was born one morn - in' when the sun did - n't shine,

(snap)

j
j

x
xxJ

(snap)

of num - ber nine coal,

dm

and the

# #

dm dm dm

!
x
x x J

!
x

x
x x J

Sixteen Tons

? ##

57

Solo

Perc.

#
& #
&

store boss

said "Well - a

##

#
V #

? ##

#
& #

Perc.

#
& #
V

##

dm

dm

dm

# #

dm dm dm

no - ther day

ol - der and

dee - per in debt.

no - ther day

ol - der and

dee - per in debt.

x x

Saint

x x

get?

A -

# #

dm

dm dm dm

wha - dda - ya

get?

A -

Six - teen tons,

wha - dda - ya

get?

A -

x x

j

x

Pe - ter don't ya call me 'cause

dm

x x

dm

I can't

brv

go.

dm

Saint

Pe - ter don't ya call me 'cause

I can't

go.

Saint

Pe - ter don't ya call me 'cause

I can't

go.

j #
x

wha - dda - ya

brv

dm

deep - er in debt.

j #

brv

Six - teen tons,

six - teen tons,

dm

ol - der and

? ##

soul." You load

? ##

no - ther day

my

61

Solo

bless

# #

x x

xx

Sixteen Tons

? ##

65

Solo

#
& #
&

owe my soul to the com - pa - ny store.

##
##

? ##

Dm dm dm dm

owe my soul to the com - pa - ny store.

? ##
j .

71

Solo

Perc.

&

##

born one morn - in' it was

#
& #

dri - zzi - ling rain.

#
V #

? ##

x
(snap)

x
(snap)

dm dm dm doo

dm dm dm doo

# #
Dm dm dm dm dm dm dm doo


# #
Dm dm dm dm

x
(snap)

Fi - ghtin' and trou - ble are

Dm

dm

!
!
!
x

(snap)

x
(snap)

(snap)

(snap)

# #

my mi - ddle name.

dm

I was

# #

dm dm dm

!
x

was

(snap)

dm dm dm doo

# #

owe my soul to the com - pa - ny store.

Perc.

# #

Dm dm dm dm

!
x
x x J

x
x x J

Sixteen Tons

? ##

75

Solo

Perc.

#
& #
&

##

#
V #

Perc.

raised in the cane - brake by an old ma - ma lion, cain't no - a high toned wo - man make me walk the line. You load

dm

? ##

## .
&

six - teen tons,

#
& #

? ##

dm

dm

dm

x
x x J

brv

dm

# #

dm dm dm

#
V #

? ##

79

Solo

# #

x
x x J

wha - dda - ya get?

A - no - ther day

dm

# #

dm dm dm

dm

ol - der and

j #

deep - er in debt.

brv

dm

dm

Saint

# #

dm dm dm

wha - dda - ya get?

A - no - ther day

ol - der and

dee - per in debt.

Saint

Six - teen tons,

wha - dda - ya get?

A - no - ther day

ol - der and

dee - per in debt.

Saint

Six - teen tons,

xx

j

x

x x

j

x

x x

j #
x

x x

Sixteen Tons

? ##

83

Solo

Perc.

#
& #

&

##

I can't go.

brv

dm

&
&

##
##

? ##

owe my soul to the com - pa - ny store.

Dm dm dm dm

Dm dm dm dm

Pe - ter don't ya call me 'cause

Dm dm dm dm

Pe - ter don't ya call me 'cause

I can't go.

Dm dm dm dm

? ##
##

dm

I can't go.

? ##

#
V #
dm

Perc.

Pe - ter don't ya call me 'cause

x x

xx

.
If

# #

# #

# #

dm dm dm

dm dm dm

doo

doo

dm dm dm

doo

dm dm dm

doo

# #

(snap)

w
x

(snap)

owe my soul to the com - pa - ny store.

88

Solo

10

x
(snap)

x
(snap)

x
(snap)

owe my soul to the com - pa - ny store.

j
j
you see me com - in' bet - ter

step a - side.

x
(snap)

x
(snap)

x
x xJ

Sixteen Tons

? ##
j .

93

Solo

Perc.

#
& #
&

##

#
V #

lot - ta men

Dm

? ##

di - dn't,

dm

Perc.

#
& #

x
xx J

# #

dm dm dm

dm

!
!

#
V #

? ##

dm

o - ther of steel,

dm

x
x x J

left one will. You load

!
!
!
!
!

if the

# #

!
!

x
xxJ

six - teen tons,

brv

dm

dm dm dm

# #

right one don't - n get you then the

the

? ##
&

One fist of iron,

!
x

##

lot - ta men died.

dm

97

Solo

11

dm

x
x x J

wha - dda - ya get?

A-

dm

# #

dm dm dm

wha - dda - ya get?

A-

Six - teen tons,

wha - dda - ya get?

A-

Six - teen tons,

xx

j

x

x x

Sixteen Tons

? ##

101

Solo

#
& #

no - ther day ol - der and

Perc.

&

##

#
V #
dm

dm

&

##

dm

# #

dm dm dm

dm

dm

Saint

Pe - ter don't ya call me 'cause

owe

!
!

x x

x x

a tempo

"
.

my

soul

!
!

!
!

? ##

(stomp)

(snap)

j

!

Dm dm dm dm

oo

##

Perc.

x x

to the com - pan - y store.

go.

oo

dee - per in debt.

no - ther day ol - der and

I can't

brv

Pe - ter don't ya call me 'cause

j #

Saint

? ##
&

rit.

Pe - ter don't ya call me 'cause

dee - per in debt.

##

Saint

"

no - ther day ol - der and

? ##

deep - er in debt.

brv

105

Solo

j #

12

molto rit.

# #

dm dm dm doo

Dm dm dm dm

dm dm dm doo

Dm dm dm dm

dm dm dm doo

# #

# #
Dm dm dm dm dm dm dm doo


# #
!

Sixteen Tons

? ##

111

Solo

Perc.

# U
& #
w
## U
&
w
## U
V
w
? ## U
w

13