some people say man s made out mud well a good man s made out of muscle and blood muscle and blood and skin and bones and mind that s weak and the back that s strong you load 16 tons and 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 sun didn t shine i picked up my shovel and i went to the mine loaded 16 tons of number nine coal and the straw boss said well bless my soul you load 16 tons and 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 s my middle name i was raised down the canebrake by an old mountain mine and there ain t no hard hearted women make me walk that line you load 16 tons and 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 you better step aside a lot of men didn t and a lot of men died my one fist is iron the other one s steel and if the left don t getcha then the right one will you load 16 tons and what do you get another day older and deeper in debt saint peter don t you call me cause i can t go i own my soul to the company store