Sixteen Tons Songtext
von B.B. King

Some people say a man is made out of mud
A poor man is 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 sixteen tons, and 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
I picked up my shovel and I went to the mine
I loaded sixteen ton of number nine coal
And the straw-boss said, "Well, 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 me 'cause I can′t go
I owe my soul to the company store

I was born one mornin' when it was drizzle in rain
Fightin′ and trouble is my middle name
I was raised in a cane break by an ol' mama hound
Can′t no one woman make me walk the line

You load sixteen tons, and 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

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


You load sixteen tons, and 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