Tennessee Ernie Ford
Miscellaneous
Sixteen Tons (1955)
Some people say a man is made out-a mud
A poor man's made out-a 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-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 morning it was drizzling rain
Fighting and trouble are my middle name
I was raised in the cane raked by an old mama lion
Cain't no 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 coming, 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

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