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    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 morning 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 morning it was drizzling rain  Fighting and trouble are my middle name  I was raised in the canebreak by an old mama lion  Ain't no high tone 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 coming better step aside  A lot of men didn't a lot of men died  One fist of iron the other of steel  If the right one don't 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  I owe my soul to the company store