Sixteen Tons
Sixteen Tons: A Struggle for Freedom and Dignity in Hard Labor
Lyrics
Some people say a man is made outta mud.
Some people believe a man is created from mud.
A poor man's made outta muscle and blood.
A poor man is formed from muscle and blood.
Muscle and blood, skin and bones;
Reference to the physical aspects of a person - muscle, blood, skin, and bones.
A mind that's weak and a back that's strong.
Describes a person with a weak mind but a strong back, implying physical strength despite mental challenges.
You load sixteen tons an' what do you get?
Rhetorical question about the result of loading sixteen tons.
Another day older and deeper in debt.
Working hard (loading tons) leads to aging and accumulating debt.
St Peter don't you call me cause I can't go:
Rejecting a call from St. Peter, suggesting a reluctance to face judgment.
I owe my soul to the company store.
Indebtedness to the company store, indicating a challenging economic situation.
Well, I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine.
Describes the speaker's birth in unfavorable conditions.
I picked up a shovel, an' I walked out to the mine.
The speaker starts working in a mine from an early age.
I loaded sixteen tons of Number 9 coal,
Loaded sixteen tons of coal, a physically demanding and exhausting task.
An' the store boss said: "Well, bless my soul."
The store boss reacts with surprise or sarcasm at the speaker's hard work.
You load sixteen tons an' what do you get?
Repetition of the question about the result of loading sixteen tons.
Another day older and deeper in debt.
Emphasizes the toll of hard labor on the body and life.
St Peter don't you call me cause I can't go:
Reiteration of not being able to answer St. Peter's call due to indebtedness.
I owe my soul to the company store.
Reaffirmation of owing one's soul to the company store.
Well, I was born one mornin', it was drizzlin' rain.
Describes a difficult upbringing with fighting and trouble.
Fightin' an' trouble was my middle name.
Highlights the speaker's rebellious nature.
I was raised in the canebreak by an old mama lion,
Raised by a strong and protective figure, possibly symbolized by an old mama lion.
Can't no high-toned woman makes me walk the line.
Asserts independence from high-class women and societal expectations.
You load sixteen tons an' what do you get?
Reiteration of the question about the result of loading sixteen tons.
Another day older and deeper in debt.
Reiterates the physical and emotional toll of hard labor.
St Peter don't you call me cause I can't go:
Rejection of St. Peter's call due to the speaker's life circumstances.
I owe my soul to the company store.
Restatement of being indebted to the company store.
Well, if you see me comin', better step aside.
Warning to step aside when the speaker approaches, indicating a tough and formidable nature.
A lot of men didn't, an' a lotta men died.
Refers to the consequences faced by those who don't heed the warning.
One fist of iron, the other of steel.
Describes the speaker's strength with one fist of iron and the other of steel.
If the right one don't get you, then the left one will.
Forewarns that consequences are inevitable, emphasizing the relentlessness of life's challenges.
You load sixteen tons an' what do you get?
Reiteration of the question about the result of loading sixteen tons.
Another day older and deeper in debt.
Emphasizes the ongoing struggle and hardships of life.
St Peter don't you call me cause I can't go:
Reiteration of rejecting St. Peter's call due to indebtedness.
I owe my soul to the company store.
Final confirmation of owing one's soul to the company store.
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