[Verse 1]
Some people say a man is made out of mud
A poor man's made out of muscle and blood
Muscle and blood and skin and bones
A mind that's weak and a back that's strong

[Chorus]
You load sixteen tons and what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter, don't you call me
'Cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
(We're not going back to those days of sixteen tons)
St Peter, don't you call me
'Cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
(We're not going back to those days of sixteen tons)

[Verse 2]
I was born one morning when the sun didn't shine
I picked up my shovel and I walked to the minе
I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
And thе straw bus said well bless my soul

[Chorus]
Well, sixteen tons and what do you get
Another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter, don't you call me
'Cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
(We're not gonna be takin' the Red Line, we're taking the Green Line to prosperity)
[Verse 3]
I was born one morning
It was drizzling rain
Fightin' and trouble are my maiden name
I was raised in the chain break by an old mama lion
God no, no don't make me walk the line

[Chorus]
Sixteen tons and what do you get
Another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter, don't you call me
'Cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store

[Verse 4]
If you see me comin', better step aside
A lotta men didn't and a lotta men died
I got a fist of iron and a fist of steel
If the right one don't get you
Then the left one will

[Chorus]
Load sixteen tons and what do you get
Another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter, don't you call me
'Cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store