Tennessee Ernie Ford - Sixteen Tons

      [Verse 1]
Am                G      F           E
Some people say a man is made out of mud
  Am         G           F          E
A poor man's made out of muscle and blood
Am         G         F        E
Muscle and blood and skin and bone
  Am          G          F           E
A mind that's weak and a back that's strong.

[Chorus]
         Am      G     F           E
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
 Am         G         F         E
Another day older and deeper in debt
      Am               G              F       E
Saint Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
  Am     G           E       Am
I owe my soul to the company store.

[Verse 2]
Am             G                F          E
I was born one morning when the sun didn't shine
  Am           G            F             E
I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine
         Am      G       F           E
I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
        Am         G              F        E
And the straw boss said, "Well, a-bless my soul!"

[Chorus]
         Am      G     F           E
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
 Am         G         F         E
Another day older and deeper in debt
      Am               G              F       E
Saint Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
  Am     G           E       Am
I owe my soul to the company store.

[Verse 3]
Am             G               F         E
I was born one morning, it was drizzling rain
Am           G           F         E
Fightin' and trouble are my middle name
      Am            G               F          E
I was raised in the canebrake by an ol' mama lion
            Am         G             F        E
Cain't no a-high-toned woman make me walk the line

[Chorus]
         Am      G     F           E
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
 Am         G         F         E
Another day older and deeper in debt
      Am               G              F       E
Saint Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
  Am     G           E       Am
I owe my soul to the company store.

[Verse 4]
Am            G             F     E
If you see me coming better step aside
  Am         G         F          E
A lot of men didn't, a lot of men died
     Am          G         F        E
With one fist of iron, the other of steel
       Am              G                F        E
If the right one don't get you then the left one will.

[Chorus]
         Am      G     F           E
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
 Am         G         F         E
Another day older and deeper in debt
      Am               G              F       E
Saint Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
  Am     G           E       Am
I owe my soul to the company store.