Sixteen Tons Lyrics - Stan Ridgway

Some people say a man is made outta mud 

A-made outta mud an' muscle an' blood 

Muscle an' blood an' skin an' bones 

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

You load sixteen tons and whaddya get? 

Another day older and deeper in debt 

Saint Peter, doncha call me, 'cause I can't go 

I owe my soul to the company store 

Well, I was born one night when the sun didn't shine 

I picked up a shovel, I went towards the mine 

I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal 

The straw boss said, "Well, bless my soul!" 

You load sixteen tons and whaddya get? 

Another day older and deeper in debt 

Saint Peter, doncha call me, 'cause I can't go 

I owe my soul to the company store 

Well, if ya see me comin' better step aside 

A lotta men didn't, a lotta men died 

One fist of iron, the other of steel 

And if the right one don' getcha, well, the left one will 

You load sixteen tons and whaddya get? 

Another day older and deeper in debt 

Saint Peter, doncha call me, 'cause I can't go 

I owe my soul to the company store 

You load sixteen tons and whaddya get? 

Another day older and deeper in debt 

Saint Peter, doncha call me, 'cause I can't go 

I owe my soul to the company store