some people say a man is made outta mud a poor man s made outta muscle and blood muscle and blood skin and bones a mind that s weak and a back that s strong you load sixteen tons an 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 well i was born one mornin when the sun didn t shine i picked up a shovel an i walked out to the mine i loaded sixteen tons of number 9 coal an the store boss said well bless my soul you load sixteen tons an 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 well i was born one mornin it was drizzlin rain fightin an trouble was my middle name i was raised in the canebreak by an old mama lion can t no high toned woman makes me walk the line you load sixteen tons an 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 well if you see me comin better step aside a lotta men didn t an a lotta 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 an 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