I was born one morning when the sun didn't shine
Picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine
I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
And the store boss said, God bless my soul
You load sixteen tons and what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
St Peter don't you call me, 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
Now some people say a man is made out of mud
But a poor man's made out of muscle and blood
Muscle and blood, and skin and bone
A mind that's weak and a back that's strong
You load sixteen tons...
I was born one morning in the drizzling rain
Fighting and trouble are my middle name
I was raised in the cane brake by an old mother line
Can't get a high tone woman make me walk the line
You load sixteen tons...
Now if you see me coming better step aside
A lot of men didn't and a lot of men died
One fist of iron and the other of steel
If the right one don't get you then the left one will
You load sixteen tons and what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
St Peter don't you call me, 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
Guitar chords for Sixteen Tons
Dm A7
I was born one morning when the sun didn't shine
Dm A7
I picked up me shovel and I walked to the mine
Dm Dm/C, Dm/B(Bø) Bb7
I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
Dm A7 Dm
And the store boss said, God bless my soul
Dm A7
You load sixteen tons and what do you get?
Dm A7
An-other day older and deeper in debt
Dm Dm/C Dm/B(Bø), Bb7
St Peter don't you call me, 'cos I can't go
Dm A7 Dm
I owe my soul to the company store
Don't you want to go to heaven Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe?
Don't you want to go to heaven Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe?
Don't you want to go to heaven Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe?
Don't mind the weather, so the wind don't blow
Hop high, my ladies, three in a row
Hop high, my ladies, three in a row
Hop high, my ladies, three in a row
Don't mind the weather, so the wind don't blow
Yes I want to go to heaven, just the same as any man
Yes I want to go to heaven, just the same as any man
Yes I want to go to heaven just the same as any man
But I can't go to heaven with a possum in my hand
Hop high, my ladies, three in a row
Hop high, my ladies, three in a row
Hop high, my ladies, three in a row
Don't mind the weather, so the wind don't blow
As sung by Jean Richie.
This song is about 200 years old and originates from Kentucky
About a maid I'll sing a song
Sing rickety tickety tin
About a maid I'll sing a song
Who did not have her family long
Not only did she do them wrong
She did every one of them in, them in
She did every one of them in
Her mother she could never stand
Sing rickety tickety tin
Her mother she could never stand
And so a cyanide soup she planned
The mother died with a spoon in her hand
And her face in a hideous grin, a grin
Her face in a hideous grin
She weighted her brother down with stones
Rickety tickety tin
She weighted her brother down with stones
And sent him down to Davy Jones
All they ever found were some bones
And occasional pieces of skin, of skin
And occasional pieces of skin
One morning in a fit of pique
Rickety tickety tin
One morning in a fit of pique
She drowned her father in the creek
The water tasted bad for a week
And we had to make do with gin, with gin
We had to make do with gin
She set her sister's hair on fire
Rickety tickety tin
She set her sister's hair on fire
And as the smoke and flames rose higher
She danced around the funeral pyre
Playing a violin, 'olin
Playing a violin
One day when she had nothing to do
Rickety tickety tin
One day when she had nothing to do
She cut her baby brother in two
And served him up as an Irish stew
And invited the neighbours in, 'bours in
And invited the neighbours in
And when at last the police came by
Sing rickety tickety tin
And when at last the police came by
Her little pranks she did not deny
To do so she would have had to lie
And lying she knew was a sin, a sin
And lying she knew was a sin
My tragic tale I won't prolong
Rickety tickety tin
My tragic tale I won't prolong
And if you do not enjoy my song
You've yourselves to blame if it's too long
You should never have let me begin, begin
You should never have let me begin
Tom Lehrer
O you are a mucky kid
Dirty as a dustbin lid
When he finds out the things you did
You'll get a belt from your Dad
O you have your Father's nose
So crimson in the dark it glows
If you're not asleep when the boozer's closed
You'll get a belt from your Dad
You look so scruffy lying there
Strawberry jam tats in your hair
Though in the world you haven't a care
And I have got so many
It's a struggle every day
Living on your father's pay
The bugger drinks it all away
And leaves me without any
Although we have no silver spoon
Better days are coming soon
Now Nelly's working at the Lune
And she gets paid on Friday
Perhaps one day we'll make a splash
When Littlewoods supply the cash
We'll get a home In Knotty Ash
And buy your Dad a brewery
O you are a mucky kid
Dirty as a dustbin lid
When he finds out the things you did
You'll get a belt from your Dad
O you have your Father's face
You're growing up a real hard case
But there's no-one else to take your place
So go to sleep for your Mammy
Come to the colours Johnny, come (x4)
No I don't want to leave you, but I know I must go (x2)
Stay with me, stay with me don't go
Hush little baby don't you cry
You know your Mamma was born to die
All my trials, Lord, soon be over
The River Jordan is muddy and cold
Well it chills the body but not the soul
All my trials, Lord, soon be over
I've got a little book with pages three
And every page spells liberty
All my trials, Lord, soon be over
If living were a thing that money could buy
You know the rich would live, and the poor would die
All my trials, Lord, soon be over
There grows a tree in Paradise
And the pilgrims call it the tree of life
Too late, my brothers, too late, but never mind
Just a little rain falling all around,
The grass lifts its head to the heavenly sound.
Just a little rain, just a little rain,
What have they done to the rain?
Just a little boy standing in the rain
The gentle rain that falls for years
And the grass is gone, the boy disappears
And rain keeps falling like helpless tears
What have they done to the rain?
Just a little breeze out of the sky
The leaves nod their heads as the breeze blows by
Just a little breeze, with some smoke in its eye
What have they done to the rain?
Just a little boy standing in the rain
The gentle rain that falls for years
And the grass is gone, the boy disappears
And rain keeps falling like helpless tears
What have they done to the rain?
Malvina Reynolds
One evening in summer, when twilight was falling
Down by the river I chanced for to roam
And there a young man sat a-weeping and wailing
And rocking a cradle that was not his own
Oh sweet baby lie easy
Your own Daddy will never be known
With a-weeping and wailing and rocking the cradle
Of somebody's baby that was not his own
It was first when I married your innocent mother
I thought, like a fool, I was blessed with a wife
It's now to my sorrow and sad lamentation
She's turned out this plague and the curse of my life
Oh sweet baby lie easy...
It's every night to some ball or dance-hall
While I am left with the baby alone
A poor innocent laddie who calls me his Daddy
Though little he knows that I am not his own
Oh sweet baby lie easy...
Come all you young fellows who one day may marry
Take my advice and leave woman alone
For by the Lord Harry, if ever you marry
She'll give you a baby and swear it's your own
Oh sweet baby lie easy
Your own Daddy will never be known
With a-weeping and wailing and rocking the cradle
Of somebody's baby that was not his own
I've been a wild rover for many a year
And I've spent all my money on whisky and beer
And now I'm returning with gold in great store
And I never will play the wild rover no more
And it's No nay never
No nay never no more
Will I play the wild rover
No never no more
I went into an ale-house I used to frequent
And I told the landlady my money was spent
I asked her for credit, she answered me Nay
Such a custom as yours I can get any day
And it's No nay never...
I drew from my pocket ten sovereigns bright
And the landlady's eyes opened wide with delight
She said I have whisky, and wines of the best
And the words that I spoke then were only in jest
And it's No nay never...
I'll have none of your whisky nor fine Spanish wines
For your words show you plainly as no friend of mine
There's others most willing will open the door
To a man coming home from a far distant shore
And it's No nay never...
I'll go home to my parents, confess what I've done
And ask them to pardon their prodigal son
And if they will do so, as oft times before
Then I never will play the wild rover no more
And it's No nay never
No nay never no more
Will I play the wild rover
No never no more
Guitar chords for The Wild Rover
C G C F
I've been a wild rover for many a year
C F G C
And I've spent all my money on whisky and beer
G7 C F
And now now I'm re-turning with gold in great store
C F G7 C
And I never will play the wild rover no more
G7
And it's no nay never
C F
No nay never no more
C G
Will I play the wild rover
C G7 C
No never, no more
Don't mind the rain or the rolling sea
The weary night never worries me
But the hardest time in a sailor's day
Is to watch the sun as it dies away
Here's one more day on the Grey Funnel Line
The finest ship that sails the sea
Is still a prison for the likes of me
But give me wings like Noah's dove
I'd fly up harbour to the girl I love
Here's one more day on the Grey Funnel Line
Oh Lord, if only dreams were real
I'd have my hands on that wooden wheel
And with all my heart I'd turn her round
And tell the boys that we're homeward bound
Here's one more day on the Grey Funnel Line
I'll pass the time like some machine
Until blue water turns to green
Then I'll dance on down that walk ashore
And sail the Grey Funnel Line no more
And sail the Grey Funnel Line no more
Here's one more day on the Grey Funnel Line
Cyril Tawney