16 tons

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
A mind that's weak and a back that's strong

You load sixteen tons and what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
(We're not going back to those days of sixteen tons)

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 bus said well bless my soul

You load sixteen tons and what do you get
Another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
(We're not gonna be takin' the Red Line, we're taking the Green Line to prosperity)

I was born one morning, it was drizzling rain
Fightin' and trouble are my maiden name
I was raised in the chain break by an old mama lion
God no, you don't wanna make me walk the line

You load sixteen tons and what do you get
Another day older, deeper in debt
St. Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
(We're not going back to those days of sixteen tons)

If you see me comin', better step aside
A lotta men didn't and a lotta men died
I got a fist of iron and a fist of steel
If the right one don't get you then the left one will

You load sixteen tons and what do you get
Another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store