Sixteen Tons Songtext
von Lorne Greene

I was born one mornin′ when the sun didn't shine Picked up my shovel
And I walked to the mine I hauled sixteen
Tons of number 9 coal And the store boss said, "
Well, bless my soul"

) You haul sixteen tons,
Whadaya 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

Born one morning it was drizzl'n rain Fightin′ and Trouble are my
Middle name I was raised in a canebrake by an old
Mama lion And no high-toned woman make me walk the line

See me comin′ better step aside A lot of men didn't and a lot of men
Died I got one fist of iron and the other of steel
And if the right one don′t get ya, the left one will


Born one mornin' when the sun didn′t shine Picked up my shovel and I
Walked to the mine I hauled Sixteen Tons
Of number 9 coal And the store boss said, "
Well, bless my soul" 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 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
Mornin' and 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 said, "
Well bless my soul!" ...
You loaded...

I was born one mornin' it was drizzlin′ rain Fightin' and Trouble are
My middle name I was raised in a cane-brake by an old
Mama lion can′t no high-toned woman make me walk no line

If you see me comin', better step aside A lot of men didn't,
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 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