Other arrangements of Sixteen Tons
Pick a learning view.
Some (Em)peo ple say a man is made out of mud.
A (Em)poor man’s made out of mus cle and (B)blood.
(Em)mus cle and blood, and (Am)skin and bones, a (C7)mind that’s (Em)weak and a (Em)back that’s (B7)strong.
You load (Em)six teen (Em)tons, and (Em)what do you get?
(B)An (Em)oth er day (Em)old er and (Em)deep er in debt.
(B)Saint (Em)Pe ter, don’t you call me ’cause (Am)I can’t go.
I (C)owe my (Em)soul to the (Em)com pa ny store.
I was (Em)peo ple say a man is made out of mud.
A (Em)poor man’s made out of mus cle and (B)blood.
(Em)mus cle and blood, and (Am)skin and bones, a (C7)mind that’s (Em)weak and a (Em)back that’s (B7)strong.
You load (Em)six teen (Em)tons, and (Em)what do you get?
(B)An (Em)oth er day (Em)old er and (Em)deep er in debt.
(B)Saint (Em)Pe ter, don’t you call me ’cause (Am)I can’t go.
I (C)owe my (Em)soul to the (Em)com pa ny store.
I was
I (C#)owe my (C7)soul to the (B7)com pa ny (Em)store.
Sixteen Tons — Easy Piano Notes for Beginners
1 person has learned this song
Learn "Sixteen Tons" on piano with easy notes — perfect for absolute beginners. Large color-coded note names show exactly which keys to press. No music reading required. Key of G, 112 BPM.
Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.
Try other practice modes:
About “Sixteen Tons”
- Can I play "Sixteen Tons" without reading sheet music?
- Yes — Easy Notes mode prints the letter name (C, D, E…) directly on each note in big color-coded labels, so you can match colors to your keyboard without any traditional notation. The whole arrangement of "Sixteen Tons" is playable in minutes, even for first-time players.
- What key is "Sixteen Tons" by Tennessee Ernie Ford played in?
- Sixteen Tons is arranged in the key of G on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Sixteen Tons"?
- The arrangement plays at 112 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Sixteen Tons" easy to play on piano?
- Yes — this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
- Can I download sheet music for "Sixteen Tons"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Sixteen Tons"?
- "Sixteen Tons" was originally performed by Tennessee Ernie Ford. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- What other songs by Tennessee Ernie Ford can I play here?
- Try "The Ballad Of Davy Crockett", "The Ballad Of Davy Crockett", "This Is My Country". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Can a complete beginner play "Sixteen Tons"?
- Absolutely! The Beginner mode shows large color-coded notes with letter names (C, D, E...). Just match the colors to your keyboard — no music reading needed. "Sixteen Tons" is perfect for first-time players.
- Do I need to read music to play "Sixteen Tons"?
- No! Our Beginner mode replaces traditional notation with color-coded letter names. Each note shows exactly which key to press. You can start playing "Sixteen Tons" in minutes, even if you've never touched a piano before.
More piano songs by Tennessee Ernie Ford
See all Tennessee Ernie Ford songs →More songs you might like
The Ballad Of Davy Crockett
Tennessee Ernie Ford
The Ballad Of Davy Crockett
Tennessee Ernie Ford
This Is My Country
Tennessee Ernie Ford
ANYTHING BUT MINE
Kenny Chesney
He'll Have To Go
Jim Reeves
LITTLE TOY GUNS
Carrie Underwood
DON'T ROCK THE JUKEBOX
Alan Jackson
IT'S A GREAT DAY TO BE ALIVE
Travis Tritt
Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys
Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson
KICK THE DUST UP
Luke Bryan
Walking In The Sunshine
Roger Miller
MARRY ME
Thomas Rhett