Sixteen Tons

Some people say a man's made outta mud

A poor man's made outta 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 and 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

I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine

I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine

I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal

And the straw-byes hollered, "Well, bless my soul"

You load sixteen tons and 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

I woke up one mornin' in the drizzlin' rain

Fightin' and trouble is my middle name

I was raised in the bottoms by an ol' mama hound

I'm as mean as a dog and I'm as gentle as a lamb

You load sixteen tons and 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

If you see me comin' you better step aside

A lot of men didn't and a lot of men died

I got a fist of iron and a fist 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

Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go

I owe my soul to the company store

You load sixteen tons and 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

Yes, I owe my soul to the company store

Yes, I owe my soul to the company store