Sixteen Tons

Sixteen Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford

Some people say a man

Is made outta mud

A poor man's made

Outta muscle and blood

Muscle and blood

And skin and bones

A mind that's a-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 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 boss said

"Well a-bless my soul"

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 mornin'

It was drizzlin' rain

Fightin' and trouble

Are my middle name

I was raised in the

Canebrake by an ol' mama lion

Cain't no-a high-toned

Woman make me walk the line

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

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 a-get you

Then the left one will

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