16 Tons
Tennessee Ernie Ford
| Em | C7 | B7 | |
| Now | some people say a man is | made out of | mud |
| Em | C7 | B7 | |
| But a | poor man's made out of | muscle and | blood |
| Em | Am | |
| Muscle and blood - | skin and bones |
| Em | C7 | B7 | |
| A | mind that's weak and a | back that's | strong. |
| Em | C7 | B7 | Em | C7 | B7 | |
| You load | sixteen tons, and | what do you | get - An | other day older and | deeper in | debt |
| Em | Am | Em | B7 | Em | |
| Saint 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 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, a-bless my soul!" |
| 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 |
| I was born one mornin', it was drizzlin' rain. |
| Fightin' and trouble are my middle name. |
| I was raised in the bottoms by a momma hound. |
| I'm mean as a dog but I'm gentle as a lamb. |
| 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 |
| If you see me comin', better step aside |
| A lotta men didn't, a lotta men died |
| One fist of iron, the other of steel |
| If the right one don't a-get you |
| Then the left one will |
| 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 |