Sixteen Tons

Sixteen Tons - Frankie laine

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

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

I was born one morning 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 boss said

Well bless my soul

You load sixteen tons

What do you get

Another day older and

Deeper and debt

St Peter don't you call

Me 'cause I can't go

I owe my soul to

The company store

I was born one mornin'

It was drizzlin' rain

Fightin' and trouble are

My middle name

Raisin' the cane

Break by an old mountain lion

Ain't no hightoned woman

Makes me walk the line

You load sixteen tons

What do you get

Another day older and

Deeper and debt

St Peter don't you call

Me 'cause I can't go

I owe my soul to

The company store

If you see me comin'

Better step aside

A lotta men didn't

A lotta men died

One fist of iron the

Other of steel

If the right one don't

Get you then the left one will

You load sixteen tons

What do you get

Another day older

And deeper and debt

St Peter don't you

Call me 'cause I can't go

I owe my soul to

The company store