I owe my soul
to the company store.
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, but a back that's strong.
You load 16 tons.
What do you get?
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.
Picked up a shovel and I walked to the mine.
I load 16 tons of number 9 coal.
The strong boss said,
well,
bless my soul,
you load 16 tons.
What do you get?
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.
Yeah.
If you see me coming better, step aside.
A lot of men didn't and a lot of men died.
One fist of iron, the other of steel.
If the right one don't get you,
then the left one will.
You load 16 tons.
What do you get?
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.
Yeah.
Yes, I do.