Some people say a man is made outa mud
A poor man's made outa muscle 'n blood
Muscle an' blood an' skin an' bone
A mind that's weak and a back that's strong
You load sixteen tons an' whaddya get?
Another day older an' deeper in debt
Saint Peter doncha call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company sto'
I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine
I picked up my shovel and I went to the mine
Loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
And the Strawboss said, "Well, Bless my soul
You load sixteen tons an' whaddya get?
Another day older an' deeper in debt
Saint Peter doncha call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company sto'
I was born one morning it was drizzlin' rain
Fightin' and trouble are my middle name
I was raised in the cane-break by an' ol' mama hound
Ain't no high-tone woman gonna push me around.
You load sixteen tons an' whaddya get?
Another day older an' deeper in debt
Saint Peter doncha call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company sto'
If ya see me a-comin' ya better step aside
A lotta men din't an' a lotta men died
With one fist of iron an' the other of steel
If the right one don' getcha then the left one will.
You load sixteen tons an' whaddya get?
Another day older an' deeper in debt
Saint Peter doncha call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company sto'
Tabbed by Bob O'Neill 2015