Sixteen Tons - Dave Dudley

Some people say a man’s made outta mud a poor man’s made outta 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 just another day older deeper and debt

St Peter don’t you call me I cause 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 a shovel walked out to the mine

I loaded sixteen tons of No 9 coal and the storeboss said well bless my soul

You load sixteen tons…

I was born one mornin' it was drizzlin' rain

A figtin' and trouble that’s my middle name

I was risin' the cane raiped by that ol' mom of mine

Ain’t no hightoned woman makes me walk the line

You load sixteen tons…

Well if you see me comin' you better step aside a lotta men didn’t a lotta men

died

One fist is iron the other one’s steel

If the right one don’t get you then the left one will

You load sixteen tons…