Sixteen Tons performed by Tennessee Ernie Ford
[Am]Some people say a man's [Dm]made out of [E]mud
but a [Am]poor man's made out of [Dm]muscle and [E]blood
[Am]Muscle and blood, [Dm]skin and bones,
a [Am]mind that's weak and a [E]back that's [E7]strong
You load [Am]sixteen [Am/G]tons and [Am/F]whaddya [E]get,
a[Am]nother day [Am/G]older and [Am/F]deeper in [E]debt
Saint [Am]Peter don't you call me 'cause [Dm]I can't go,
I [Am]owe my soul to the [E]company [Am]store
I was [Am]born one morning when the [Dm]sun didn't [E]shine,
pi[Am]cked up my shovel and [Dm]walked to the [E]mine
I loaded[Am] sixteen tons of number[Dm] nine coal;
the [Am]straw boss said "well, [E]damn my [E7]soul."
You load [Am]sixteen [Am/G]tons and [Am/F]whaddya [E]get,
a[Am]nother day [Am/G]older and [Am/F]deeper in [E]debt
Saint [Am]Peter don't you call me 'cause [Dm]I can't go,
I [Am]owe my soul to the [E]company [Am]store
I was [Am]born one morning, it was [Dm]drizzling rain.
[Am]Fightin' and trouble are [Dm]my middle name.
I was [Am]raised in a cane break by that [Dm]ol' mom of mine,
can't[Am] no high-toned woman make me[E] walk the [E7]line
You load [Am]sixteen [Am/G]tons and [Am/F]whaddya [E]get,
a[Am]nother day [Am/G]older and [Am/F]deeper in [E]debt
Saint [Am]Peter don't you call me 'cause [Dm]I can't go,
I [Am]owe my soul to the [E]company [Am]store
If you [Am]see me comin' you better [Dm]step aside;
ano[Am]ther man didn't and an[Dm]other man died.
I've got [Am] [Dm]one fist of iron and another of steel,
if the [Am]left one don't get you, well, [E]the right one [E7]will
You load [Am]sixteen [Am/G]tons and [Am/F]whaddya [E]get,
a[Am]nother day [Am/G]older and [Am/F]deeper in [E]debt
Saint [Am]Peter don't you call me 'cause [Dm]I can't go,
I [Am]owe my soul to the [E]company [Am]store
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