October 2023
Sixteen Tons
Written by Merle Travis
Some people say a man
is made out of mud
A poor man’s made
out of muscle and blood.
Muscle and blood
Skin and bones
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.
St. Peter don’t you
call him,
‘cause he can’t go
He owes his soul
to the company store.
He was born one morning
when the sun didn’t shine.
He picked up his shovel
and walked to the mine
Loaded sixteen tons
of number 9 coal
And the straw-boss said,
“Well-a bless my soul!”
You load sixteen tons
and what do you get?
Another day older
and deeper in debt.
St. Peter don’t you call him
‘cause he can’t go.
He owes his soul
to the company store.
He was born one morning,
it was drizzlin’ rain
Fighting and trouble
are his middle name.
He was raised in the
canebrake
by an old mama lion
Can’t no high-toned woman
make him walk the line.
You load sixteen tons,
what do you get?
Another day older
and deeper in debt.
St. Peter, don’t you call him,
‘cause he can’t go
He owes his soul
to the company store.
If you see him comin’
Better step aside
A lot of men didn’t
A lot of men died.
One fist of iron,
the other of steel
If the right one don’t getcha
then the left one will.
You load sixteen tons,
what do you get?
Another day older
and deeper in debt.
St. Peter don’t you call him
‘Cause he can’t go.
He owes his soul
to the company store.