Some people say a man is made outta mud
A-made outta mud an' muscle an' blood
Muscle an' blood an' skin an' bones
A mind that's weak and a back that's strongYou load sixteen tons and whaddya get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter, doncha call me, 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company storeWell, I was born one night when the sun didn't shine
I picked up a shovel, I went towards the mine
I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
The straw boss said, "Well, bless my soul!"You load sixteen tons and whaddya get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter, doncha call me, 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company storeWell, if ya see me comin' better step aside
A lotta men didn't, a lotta men died
One fist of iron, the other of steel
And if the right one don' getcha, well, the left one willYou load sixteen tons and whaddya get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter, doncha call me, 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company storeYou load sixteen tons and whaddya get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter, doncha call me, 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store