[Verse 1]
Some people say a man's made outta mud
A poor man's made outta muscle and blood
Muscle and blood and skin and bones
A mind that's weak and a back that's strong
[Chorus]
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
[Verse 2]
I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine
I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine
I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
And the straw boss hollered "Well, bless my soul"
[Chorus]
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
[Verse 3]
I woke up one mornin' in the drizzlin' rain
Fightin' and Trouble is my middle name
I was raised in the bottoms by an ol' mama hound
I'm as mean as a dog and I'm as gentle as a hound
[Chorus]
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
[Verse 4]
If you see me comin', you'd better step aside
A lotta men didn't, and a lotta men died
I got one fist of iron and the next fist of steel
If the right one don't get you, then the left one will
[Chorus]
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
[Chorus]
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
Yes, I owe my soul to the company store
Yes, I owe my soul to the company store