Sixteen Tons ’65 Songtext
von Tennessee Ernie Ford

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