Sixteen Tons

SIXTEEN TONS

Writer Merle Travis



Some people say man is made out of mud A poor man's

made out of muscle and blood Muscle and blood and skin

and bone A mind that's a-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 store-boss

said the "Well-a 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 was born one mornin',

it was drizzlin' rain Fightin' and trouble are my middle

name I was raised in the cane-brake by an old mama

lion Cain't no a high-tone woman make me walk the line

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', better step aside A lot of men

didn't and a lot of men died One fist of iron,

the other of steel If the right one don't git ya,

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