Sixteen Tons
The Struggle for Freedom in "Sixteen Tons
Lyrics
Some people say a man is made out of mud
Some believe a man's composition is akin to mud, suggesting insignificance or lowliness.
A poor man's made out of muscle and blood
A poor man is constituted by physical strength and vitality.
Muscle and blood and skin and bones
Emphasizes the physical makeup of a person, encompassing flesh, bone, and structure.
A mind that's a-weak and a back that's strong
Contrasts a vulnerable mind with a resilient, powerful back, illustrating hardship and resilience.
You load sixteen tons, what do you get
Poses a rhetorical question about the outcome of arduous labor.
Another day older and deeper in debt
Highlights the toil's result: aging and accumulating debts.
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
Rejects the notion of going to heaven due to indebtedness to the company store.
I owe my soul to the company store
Expresses the soul's indebtedness to the employer, trapped in a cycle of debt.
I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine
Describes a difficult birth, perhaps symbolizing a challenging start in life.
I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine
Illustrates a laborious journey to work in the mines.
I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
Details the heavy workload of gathering coal, highlighting strenuous labor.
And the straw boss said "Well, a-bless my soul"
Shows surprise from the boss at the worker's productivity.
You load sixteen tons, what do you get
Reiterates the question on the outcome of hard work.
Another day older and deeper in debt
Reaffirms the consequences of labor: getting older and deeper into debt.
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
Declines an invitation to heaven due to indebtedness.
I owe my soul to the company store
Repeats the idea of being indebted to the company store for one's soul.
I was born one mornin', it was drizzlin' rain
Depicts an adverse beginning, symbolic of hardships faced from birth.
Fightin' and trouble are my middle name
Describes a life filled with conflict and difficulty.
Raised in the Canebrake by an old mama lion
Highlights a tough upbringing by a strong maternal figure.
Ain't no a high-toned woman make me walk the line
Rejects the influence of sophisticated women, preferring a rugged life.
You load sixteen tons, what do you get
Presents the recurring theme of the outcome of laborious work.
Another day older and deeper in debt
Emphasizes the ongoing cycle of aging and increasing debt due to labor.
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
Declines entry to heaven due to indebtedness.
I owe my soul to the company store
Reiterates being indebted to the company for one's soul.
If you see me comin', better step aside
Warns others to move out of the way due to toughness and potential danger.
A lot of men didn't, and a lot of men died
Reflects on the consequences faced by those who challenge the speaker.
With one fist of iron, and the other of steel
Portrays the speaker's strength and power, suggesting an ability to cause harm.
If the right one don't get you then the left one will
Emphasizes the inevitability of getting hurt, whether by one hand or the other.
You load sixteen tons, what do you get
Repeats the query about the outcome of hard labor.
Another day older and deeper in debt
Reiterates the consequences of labor: aging and increasing debt.
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
Declines the invitation to heaven due to being indebted.
I owe my soul to the company store
Finalizes the statement about being indebted to the company store for the soul.
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