Lyrics of Sixteen Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford
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 16 tons and whadaya get
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't ya 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 16 tons of number nine coal
And the store boss said
Well bless my soul
You load 16 tons and whadaya get
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don′t ya 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 canebreak
By an old mama lion
Ain′t no high-toned woman
Make me walk the line
You load 16 tons
And whadaya get
Another day older and
Deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't ya call me cause
I can′t go
I owe my soul to the company store
If you see me coming better step aside
A lot of men didn't
And a lot of men died
One fist of iron, the other of steel
If the right one don′t hit ya
Then the left one will.
You load 16 tons and whadaya get
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't ya call me cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
Writer(s): Merle Travis
Share
Contribute
To-do
Structure Tag
Identify the song's sections
Completed
Lyrics
Lyrics in time with music
Performers Tag
Identify who's singing what
Credits
Show all credits
Contributions
Last edit 5 months ago
Sixteen Tons & Other Favorites
Album • 2013 • 9 tracks
1
Sixteen Tons
Tennessee Ernie Ford
Are you an artist? Distribute your lyrics!
Take full control of your lyrics. Curate, sync, and distribute your lyrics on Spotify, Apple Music, and more.
Explore Musixmatch Pro
🇮🇹 Made with love & passion in Italy 🌎 Enjoyed everywhere