Some people say a man is made out of mud
A poor man's made out of muscle and blood
Muscle and blood and skin and bone
A mind that's weak and a back that's strong
You load 16 tons and what are you getting?
Another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter, don't you 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 walked to the mine
I loaded 16 tons of number nine coal
And the straw boy said, well, bless my soul
You load 16 tons and what are you getting?
Another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter, don't you call me cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
I was born one morning, it was drizzling rain
Fighting and trouble on my middle name
Raised in a cane brake by an old mama lion
Ain't no high-toned woman make me walk the line
You load 16 tons and what are you getting?
Another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter, don't you call me cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
guitar solo
Yeah!
If you see me coming, better step aside
A lot of men didn't and a lot of men died
With one fist of iron and the other of steel
If the right one don't get you, then the left one will
You load 16 tons and what are you getting?
Another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter, don't you call me cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
I owe my soul to the company store