Lyrics: Merle Travis
Music: Merle Travis
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
You've got a mind that′s weak and a back that's strong
You load 16 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
Saint Peter, don't you call me, ′cause I can't go
Saint Peter, don′t you call me, but to the company store
Saint Peter, but don't you call me ′cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store, c'mon
Well, I was born one morning when the sun didn′t shine
I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine
I loaded 16 tons of number nine coal
And the straw boss said, "Well-a bless my soul!"
You load 16 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, yeah
I was born one morning, in the drizzlin' rain
The fightin′ and trouble have been my middle name
I was raised in the cane brake by an old mama lion
Can't no high-toned woman make me walk the line
Yeah, 16 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 owe my soul
If you see me comin′ better step aside
A lot of men didn′t, a lot of men died
One fist of iron and the other of steel
If the left one don't getcha then the right one will
You load
16 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
Saint Peter, don't you call me, ′cause I can't go
Saint Peter, don't you call me, but to the company store
Saint Peter, don′t you call me, ′cause I can't go
I owe my soul
To the company store
Saint Peter, don′t you call me, 'cause I can′t go