Jerry Reed
"Sixteen Tons" lyrics

Sixteen Tons

Son
Yeah

Now some people say a man is made outta mud
A poor man's made outta muscle and blood
Muscle and blood and 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 in debt
Saint Peter, don't call me
Cause I can't go
I owe my soul
To the company store

I owe my soul
I owe my soul
To the company store
I owe my soul
To the company store

Well, I was born one morning
When the sun didn't shine
I picked up my shovel
I walked to the mine
I loaded sixteen tons
Of number nine coal
The store boss said
"Son, bless my soul"

You load sixteen tons
What do you get?
You get another day older
And deeper in debt
Saint Peter, don't call me
Cause I can't go
I owe my soul
To the company store

I owe my soul
I owe my soul
To the company store

Well, I was born one morning
It was drizzling rain
Fighting and trouble
That's my middle name
I was raised in the woods
By a mama lion
No hightoned 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 call me
Cause I can't go
I owe my soul
To the company store

I owe my soul
I owe my soul
To the company store
To the company store

If you see me coming
Better step aside
A lotta men didn't
A lotta men died
One fist of iron
And the other one steel
If the right one don't get you
Son, the left one will

I load sixteen tons
What do you get?
Another day older
And deeper in debt
Saint Peter, don't call me
Cause I can't go
I owe my soul
To the company store

I owe my soul
I owe my soul
To the company store
Son

Sixteen tons
I owe my soul
Sixteen tons
To the company store

Sixteen tons
I owe my soul
Sixteen tons
To the company store