Album: Big Dad John
(Merle Travis)
Now some people say a man's made outta mud
But a poor man's made outta muscle and blood
Muscle and blood skin and bone
A mind that's weak and a back that's strong.
You load Sixteen Tons what do you get
Another day older and deeper and debt
St. Peter don't you call me I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store.
I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine
Grabbed me a shovel and I went to the mine
Loaded sixteen tons of No. 9 coal
And the storeboss said, "Well, bless my soul."
You load sixteen tons what do you get
Another day older and deeper and debt
St. Peter don't you call me I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store.
I was born one mornin' and it was drizzlin' rain
Figtin' and trouble is my middle name
Raisin' the cane reaped by that ol' mom of mine
Ain't no hightoned mama makes me walk the line.
You load sixteen tons what do you get
Another day older and deeper and debt
St. Peter don't you call me I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store.
If you see me comin' better step aside
A lotta men didn't and a lotta men died
One fist is iron the other one's steel
If the left one don't get you then the right one will.
You load sixteen tons what do you get
Another day older and deeper and debt
St. Peter don't you call me I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store....