Sixteen Tons

(Merle Travis)

I was born one morning when the sun didn’t shine

I picked up my shovel, I walked to the mine

I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal

and the foreman said well bless my soul

I was born one morning in the drizzling rain

fightin’ and trouble is my middle name

I was raised in a cave by an old mama lion

and there aint no man gonna keep me in line

I loaded sixteen tons and whattaya get

you get another day older and you’re 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 coming, you’d better step aside

alot of men didn’t and alot of men died

I got one fist of iron and the other is steel

and if the right don’t get you then the left one will

Now some folks say a girl is made out of mud

a poor girl is made out of muscle and blood

muscle and blood and skin and bones

a mind that’s weak and a back that’s strong