SIXTEEN TONS

(Merle Travis)



Some people say a man is made outa mud

A poor man's made outa muscle 'n blood...

Muscle an' blood an' skin an' bone

A mind that's weak and a back that's strong



cho: You load sixteen tons an' whaddya get?

Another day older an' deeper in debt

Saint Peter doncha call me 'cause I can't go

I owe my soul to the company sto'



If ya hear me a-comin' ya better step aside

A lotta men din't an' a lotta men died

With one fist of iron an' the other of steel

If the right one don' getcha then the left one will.



I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine

Picked up my shovel and I went to the mine

Loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal

And the strawboss said, "Well, Bless my soul!"



I was born one morning in the drizzlin' rain

Fightin' and trouble are my middle name

I was raised in the canebreak by an' ol' mama hound

Ain't no high-tone woman gonna push me around.



@mine

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