Sixteen Tons
Deeper in Debt: Unveiling the Grit Behind 'Sixteen Tons'
Lyrics
Some people say a man is made outta mud
Some people believe a man is created from humble origins.
A poor man's made outta muscle and blood
A poor man is formed from physical strength and vitality.
Muscle and blood and skin and bones
The composition of a person includes muscle, blood, skin, and bones.
A mind that's a-weak and a back that's strong
Describes a person with a vulnerable mind but a strong back.
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Ponders the outcome of loading sixteen tons of weight.
Another day older and deeper in debt
Loading sixteen tons leads to aging and accumulating debt.
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
Rejects Saint Peter's call, indicating an inability to move on spiritually.
I owe my soul to the company store
Expresses a soul indebted to the company store, suggesting a life controlled by an employer.
I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine
Recalls the narrator's birth during unfavorable circumstances.
I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine
The narrator starts working in the mines from a young age.
I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
Details the labor of loading sixteen tons of coal.
And the straw boss said "Well, a-bless my soul"
The straw boss expresses surprise at the narrator's hard work.
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Reiterates the consequences of loading sixteen tons.
Another day older and deeper in debt
Continues the theme of aging and accumulating debt.
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
Repeats the refusal to answer Saint Peter's call.
I owe my soul to the company store
Reiterates the soul being indebted to the company store.
I was born one mornin', it was drizzlin' rain
Recalls the narrator's birth in unfavorable weather conditions.
Fightin' and trouble are my middle name
Highlights the narrator's inclination towards conflict and trouble.
I was raised in the canebrake by an ol' mama lion
Describes the narrator's upbringing in a challenging environment.
Cain't no-a high-toned woman make me walk the line
Asserts resistance to the influence of sophisticated women.
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Ponders the outcome of loading sixteen tons, echoing the earlier verse.
Another day older and deeper in debt
Reiterates the consequences of aging and deepening debt.
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
Repeats the rejection of Saint Peter's call.
I owe my soul to the company store
Reiterates the soul being indebted to the company store.
If you see me comin', better step aside
Warns others to step aside when the narrator approaches.
A lotta men didn't, a lotta men died
Reflects on the consequences for those who don't heed the warning.
One fist of iron, the other of steel
Describes the narrator's formidable fists, emphasizing strength.
If the right one don't a-get you, then the left one will
Suggests the inevitability of facing consequences, either from the right or left fist.
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Ponders the outcome of loading sixteen tons, mirroring previous verses.
Another day older and deeper in debt
Reiterates the cycle of aging and accumulating debt.
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
Restates the rejection of Saint Peter's call.
I owe my soul to the company store
Reiterates the soul being indebted to the company store.
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