By Merle Travis.
Duration: 2:42.

Listen on YouTube.

Contributors:

• Merle Travis (songwriting, performance)
• Cliffie Stone (bass)

Tracks that reference Sixteen Tons:

From Fandom:

• Sixteen Stiffs by Funk McLovin

Lyrics:

Some people say a man is made outta mud
Well the poor man is made outta muscle and blood
Muscle and blood and skin and bones
With a mind that's weak and a back that's strong

You load sixteen tons, and what do you get
You get another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't ya 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 my shovel and I walked to the mine
I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
And the straw boss said
Well, bless my soul

He loaded sixteen tons, and what do you get
You get another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't ya call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store

If you see me come, better step aside
A lot of men didn't, and a lot of men died
One fist of iron and the other one of steel
If the right one don't get you, then the left one will

You load sixteen tons, and what do you get
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't ya 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 troubling are my middle name
Well, I was raised in the canebrake by a ol' mama lion
Cain't no high-toned woman make me walk the line

You load sixteen tons, and what do you get
You get another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't ya call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store