Lyric Sixteen Tons

(Merle Travis)

Now some people say a man s made outta mud
But a poor man s made outta muscle and blood
Muscle and blood skin and bone
A mind that s weak and a back that s strong.

You load sixteen tons what do you get
Another day older and deeper and debt
St. Peter don t you call me I can t go
I owe my soul to the company store.

I was born one mornin when the sun didn t shine
Grabbed me a shovel and I went to the mine
Loaded sixteen tons of No. 9 coal
And the storeboss 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 I can t go
I owe my soul to the company store.

I was born one mornin and it was drizzlin rain
Figtin and trouble is my middle name
Raisin the cane reaped by that ol mom of mine
Ain t no hightoned mama 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 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 and a lotta men died
One fist is iron the other one s steel
If the left one don t get you then the right one will.

You load sixteen tons what do you get
Another day older and deeper and debt
St. Peter don t you call me I can t go
I owe my soul to the company store....