Western Flyer

Sixteen Tons

Western Flyer


Some people say a man is made outta mud 
A poor man´s made outta muscle and blood 
Muscle and blood and skin and bones 
A mind that´s a-weak and a back that´s strong 
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´ 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 said "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 canebrake by an ol´ mama lion 
Cain´t no-a high-toned woman make me walk the line 

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