Some people say a man's made out of mud
a poor man's made out
of muscle and blood
Muscle and blood, skin and bones
A man that's weak in the back,
that's strong
he's loaded sixteen tons,
but what'd he 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 was born one morning
when the sun didn't shine
I picked up my shovel and I ran to the mine
I loaded six teen tons
of number nine coal
The straw boss said, well,
bless my soul,
you load 16 tons, and what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt,
St. Peter, don't call me, cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
I was born one morning, it was drizzlin' rain
Fightin' and trouble
with my middle name
I was raised in Duquesne,
break by an old mama line
Ain't no high -toned woman
made me walk the line
You load sixteen tons,
and 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
Well, if you see me coming,
better step aside
A lot of men been there,
a lot of men died
One fist to bind, the other one to steal
If my right one don't get you,
then my left one will
You load sixteen tons,
and what do you get?
Another day wonderin' deeper in
Dead
St. Peter don't call me cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store