Some people say man
Is made out of mud
But a poor man's made
Out of muscle and blood
Muscle and blood
Skin and bone
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
Saint Peter, don't you call me
Cause I can't go
I owe my soul
To the company store
I was born one morning
The sun didn't shine
I picked up my shovel
And I walked to the mine
I loaded sixteen tons
Of number nine coal
The store-boss hollowed
"Bless my soul"
You load sixteen tons
And what do you get?
Another day older
And deeper in debt
Saint Peter, don't you call me
Cause I can't go
I owe my soul
To the company store
I was born one morning
Drizzling rain
Fighting and trouble
Is my middle name
I was raised in the cane-brake
By an old mama lion
No a high-tone woman
Make me walk the line
You load sixteen tons
What do you get?
Another day older
And deeper in debt
Saint Peter, don't you call me
Cause I can't go
I owe my soul
To the company store
When you see me coming
You better step aside
A lot of men didn't
And a lot of men died
I got one fist of iron
The other of steel
If the right one don't git you
Then the left one will
You load sixteen tons
And what do you get?
Another day older
And deeper in debt
Saint Peter, don't you call me
Cause I can't go
I owe my soul
To the company store