Sixteen Tons
[Verse 1]
Some people say a man is made out of mud
A poor man's made out of muscle and blood
Muscle and blood and skin and bones
A mind that's weak and a back that's strong
[Chorus]
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter, don't you call me, 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
[Verse 2]
Well, I was born one morning when the sun didn't shine
I fetched my shovel and I headed for the mine
I loaded sixteen tons of number 9 coal
And the straw boss said, "Well-a bless my soul!"
[Chorus]
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter, don't you call me, 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
[Verse 3]
Well, if you see me comin', better step aside
A lot of men didn't, a lot of men died
One fist of iron, the other of steel
If the right one don't get you, then the left one will
[Chorus]
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter, don't you call me, 'cause I cannot go
I owe my soul to the company store
Sixteen tons
Sixteen tons