Sixteen Tons

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 bone

A mind that's weak and a back that's strong

You load sixteen tons, and what do you get

Another day older and deeper in debt

Say brother don't you call me 'cos 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 bless my soul'

I was born one morning it was drizzling rain

Fighting and trouble are my middle name

I was raised in cane-brake by an old mamma lion

Can't no high toned woman make me walk the line

If you see me coming better step aside

A lotta men didn't and 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.