The song is based on the life of the coal miners in Kentucky. The song was first sung and created by Merle Travis in 1947 and made popular in 1956 by Tennessee Ernie Ford. Just a little background on the song for you!!! Be safe with your wonderful family!!! 🤗♥️

You've GOT to react to Blackbird and Big Bad John both sung by Geoff.

Up through the end of the 30's miners lived in "company towns" and weren't paid in real money, but in company script that could only be spent in company owned stores. Men were never paid quite enough to keep up with rent and food, so they kept falling further and further into debt. Couldn't leave because of the debt, and the debt was passed through families to the children. So they were really trapped. So - even the big, strong, hard-working guy in the song "owes his soul to the company store."

Great reaction , the reason I like Geoff and Voiceplay over the other a Capella groups is that they do it all themselves, no managers no companies and yet they as just as good as the other groups or to me better!

Love how he uses the mining tools, the pick⛏️ and hammer ⚒️, as instruments. Great version.

Yes the song is about coal miners in the US, They were obliged to buy from the mining company store, and were always in debt to it, so they owed their soul to the company store. He's just brought out a new one in a mine setting, Big Bad John. Geoff is something special, no doubt about it. He has worked on his voice for years, and now it just sounds so easy though Layne often makes him hold those low notes for a ridiculous time.

There is a version of this from years back that a guy named Tennessee Ernie Ford made popular. He was a bass-baritone who was popular. A 'miner' is one who works in a mine, a 'minor' is one who is underage pronounced the same. I don't know who originally wrote the song or how old it is, but this is a cover.

he got a new one big bad John😂😂

And as for the 'snapping of fingers', if you check out Tennessee Ernie Ford's original version, you hear the sound of him snapping his fingers. I've read that this was because the producer wanted to get an idea from Ford what the tempo they should use, and it ended up sounding so cool that it was ultimately kept in. And the song was meant as the "B" side of the 45 record (the "A" side being the one meant to be used for radio play)!

Love a Geoff quartet. This is an old song that I remember from Tennessee Ernie Ford. He just did a Jimmy Dean song Big Bad John.

@Samantha its ok. They are called Miner's or way back in the day "Prospectors" during the great gold rush. And did I hear Geoff go from G1 to C chorus? *shook* :@

Great reaction! Thanks!

Written and released in 1946/7 by /Merie Robert Travis. That is sixteen TONS (weight) not TonEs.

You need to watch Big Bad John. This is generally a narrative song, mostly spoken except for the big bad John parts. Geoff once again raided his fathers tool shed for all of the tools and dug out couple of tank tops. And at the last note one of the Geoffs (who has the pickax) picks it up and slams it to the ground just like in 16 Tons, and just like in 16 Tons, the camera wavered at that point. It’s got a catchy little tune so people really don’t understand just how somber the subject is. I heard this and Big Bad John a lot growing up. My grandpa worked in the coal mines during the depression and narrowly escaped a cave in. He lost some friends in those cave-ins and always made sure to tell us never to go into debt (by the way that didn’t work for me) because he had been basically indentured to the coal mining industry. My dad was the oldest boy and if he hadn’t come out to California to work on the docks when he was all of 15, he never would have gotten away. There’s no way you can get ahead when they pay you in script you can only use at the overprice store. When they came to California he worked in the lumber industry and they have a company store. If you wanted to be paid in real money you didn’t get paid as much. But he chose the real money every time because he knew that company stores were basically the payday advance scam of their time.

The song was sung by Tennesee Earnie Ford in the 60s. You can find him on KZfaq

Your reaction was everthing I had hoped for and more! :)

Hello Samantha, If you want to hear some really amazing harmony and amazing voices check out Dragonborn comes by Voiceplay! It is featuring Omar Cardona. It's incredible!😁

I have my brain freeze up on timesmyself. Those are snaps.

Great reaction!! You should definitely check out Geoff’s brand new cover of Big Bad John!!

I can't believe Geoff's range. I've been watching his and Voice Play over and over.

Steady on girl...!

Coal miners are the subject here before the unions, written by Merle Travis .

I think you would love Voiceplay "Carry on wayward son" amazing

Now, head on over and check out Tim Foust (from Home Free) channel for his released album of doo-wop titles...some great stuff there...or Tim and Austin singing My Maria....can really see his range. Geoff is amazing as well!

Coal miners typically had to pay the company they worked for for their tools (pick, shovel, helmet, etc.) In the "company store". And then pay them for food, lodging and more. Those costs usually exceeded the pay. So you had to continue working for them to pay your debt. Hence the term, I owe my soul to the company store.

One of my favorite songs he does is "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman" so unique and unexpected and fabulous!

Samantha Lisa Long time ago mining companys also owned general stores that carried everything from food to clothing to mining equipment for the minors. The mining company quite often paid the minors in "credits" that the minors would use to purchase need things at the general store.. Many times, the mining company would charge outrageous prices even for a persons badic needs causing the minors to be in debt to the mining company insuring the minors continued work in the mines. This is why in the this song you hear the 4 Geoffs sing "Saint Peter don't you call me, because I can't go, I owe my soul to the company store".

The original was sung by Tennessee Earnie Ford

By now, you are itching to get to more of Geoff's solo work. Your timing is perfect! Four days ago, he released his 4-part (4 Geoffs in a row, just like "16 Tons") cover of the 1961 Grammy-winning song "Big Bad John" ( kzfaq.info/get/bejne/nMpydbCQyZnOnJc.html ). Like "16 Tons", It rumbles deliciously. :-) For this one, you will benefit from a brief translation of the lyrics before listening. The song's opening line is: "Every morning at the mine, you could see him arrive. He stood 6 foot 6 (inches) and weighed 245 (pounds)." Substituting the metric conversions, you have: "Every morning at the mine, you could see him arrive. He stood 1.98 m and weighed 111.13 kg."

In U.S. English, "miner" (minero, minador) and "minor" (meaning a person under 18) are both pronounced alike. Was that part of the confusion? Yes, the song came out in 1947. The definitive hit version was by "Tennessee" Ernie Ford, in 1958. He was very popular, and had a TV variety show at the time. As Aurora mentioned, the practice of being paid low wages, and most of it being in script rather than real money, meant that you could work all your life and just keep getting further in debt. You're not only working in a literal hole, you're sinking into a financial hole as well. So the subject matter of the song is more depressing than the way that it's usually sung. * Last week, Geoff dropped a cover of another old mining song, "Big John." That song was originally written and performed in 1961 by Jimmy Dean. And the subject matter of that one is even sadder.

Hey Samantha, The song Sixteen Tons was originally sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford, though Geoff Castelucci more than did this song justice

Sam, I am loving your reactions!! ❤️ You mentioned in a video how your family would watch Wizard Of OZ each Christmas Eve. Pentatonix has a version (Todrick Hall - The Wizard of Ahhhs (ft. Pentatonix) [Official Music Video]) that will have you smiling for a week!!

Hi Samantha!! Great reaction as always!! Check out Geoff’s version of the Beatles song Blackbird. I think you’ll like it. Take care cutie!!🤗♥️

Miners is mineros in spanish. English: The miners entered the mine shaft to dig for coal and other natural resources. Spanish: Los mineros entraron en el pozo minero para extraer carbón y otros recursos naturales.

The owners of the mines owned the mines, the stores, the rental houses, the pharmacies, the doctors, the banks. They paid the miners in scrip instead of money. The scrip wasn't worth as much as cash and it was only good in the places around town. The men never quite caught up, didn't have money for a car to get out of town and start again, if they didn't have enough for whatever they needed, they signed IOUs. So they did owe their soul to the company store. My American history teacher in eighth grade (I was 13) taught us the reality of the coal mines and it's something I've never forgotten. We had the album by Tennessee Ernie Ford and that was in 1964.

This is Geoff Castellucci - every end is the deep end!

Geoff just released Big Bad John.Should listen it out luv.

Headless horseman reaction!

Yes. Miners.

Snapping of fingers 😁

Soul Provider by Michael Bolton

Absolutely Love Your Reactions.....Check out Big Bad John by Geoff. Thanks in advance.

For you, ma'am, "finger snapping " are the words used to describe the sound. What is the Spanish term? Google translate gives chasquear los dedos. Your English is very good, but a word of caution "snapping your fingers " is ONLY interchangeable in English when you use to describe the sound made by pressing you thumb and forefinger together , usually when keeping time with music. It can men "a romper" which. if done produces lots of sound, and LOTS of pain!

Please Tracy to Monster Mash by Geoff Castelluci

👏👍🔥🔥🔥💖💖💖💖🌹🌹

If you like this song you should listen to The Headless Horseman

Hi, Samantha. People that work in a (mine/ myne) are (miners/ my-ners) and yes, you are (snapping) your fingers.

My earliest recollection this song was about 2 years ago I guess and my dad had the vinyl album on it. I like just rendition but some of the things that he does just don't quite settle too well with me. Always liked didn't see Ernie Ford's version and I just feel like it's in some ways being chopped all the pieces. But a lot of the parts I do like. As far as Lisa, why do I get the feeling you're too timing Home Free, flirting with another dude, lol.

It’s a Tennessee Ernie Ford song

Just curious, how do you listen to these? Ear buds, stereo speakers or just computer speakers?

yes miners

Tn. Erni Ford was the first

“Miners not minors” - Galaxy Quest

am I mistaken or is this dude backing himself up on three part harmony

snapping your fingers.

if you get confused use google translate it will help.

Home Free bass singer Tim Foust did a solo album called "Pieces Of Me", with some nice Doo-Wop on it, and it is all a cappella. He is on par with Geoff if not better and has nearly the same 5 octaves vocal range. "Come Go With Me", "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? / Stay" and "In My Room" of that album can be found here on KZfaq.

F#1

so why do women LOVE deepmale voices? I thunk it gives women a feeling in their loins. Be homest.

Please also react to the new version of My Funny Valentine by Angelina Jordan, at 16 years old, released February 14. This is perhaps her best vocal perfomance to date, in my opinión kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mL2Zf7KfrbC9qJs.html

RIP To all of the ovaries that exploded after this.💀😔😆

Of all the cheesy acting on KZfaq, this one takes the prize. I think that it might have been just a tiny bit more believable if you hadn't said you had listened to him before.

Who learned you English? 😂