Sixteen Tons
Written by Merle Travis
Recorded by Jerry Reed
Album: Hot A' Mighty (1973)

(Eb tuning, no capo)

Intro.:  | / / / (C)(G)|(Am) / / / | / / / (C)(G)|(Am) / / / | / / / 

(C)(G)Some (Am)people say man is (Dm)made out of mud
A (Am)poor man's made out of (E)muscle and blood
(Am)Muscle and blood and (Dm)skin and bone
A (Am)mind that's a-weak and a (E)back that's strong

(Chorus)
You load (Am)sixteen tons and (Dm)what do you get
An-(Am)other day older and (E)deeper in debt
Saint (Am)Peter don't you call me 'cause (Dm)I can't go
I (E)owe my soul to the company store
(Owe my soul, owe my soul to (Am)company store)
(C)Owe my (G)soul to the (Am)company store (C) (G)

Well, I was (Am)born one mornin' when the (Dm)sun didn't shine
I picked (Am)up my shovel and I (E)walked to the mine
I loaded (Am)sixteen tons of (Dm)number nine coal
And the (Am)store-boss said, "Son, (E)bless my soul"

(Chorus)
You load (Am)sixteen tons and (Dm)what do you get
An-(Am)other day older and (E)deeper in debt
Saint (Am)Peter don't you call me 'cause (Dm)I can't go
I (E)owe my soul to the company store, owe my soul, owe my soul

Solo:  |(Am)(Dm)|(Am)(E)|(Am)(Dm)|(E) --- |(Am) |(Am)

I was (Am)born one mornin', it was (Dm)drizzlin' rain
(Am)Fightin' and trouble are my (E)middle name
I was (Am)raised in the wood by (Dm)mama lion
No, a (Am)high-tone woman make me (E)walk the line

(Chorus)
You load (Am)sixteen tons and (Dm)what do you get
An-(Am)other day older and (E)deeper in debt
Saint (Am)Peter don't you call me 'cause (Dm)I can't go
I (E)owe my soul to the company store
Owe my soul, owe my soul to (Am)company store (C) (G)
To the (Am)company store (C) (G)

If you (Am)see me comin', better (Dm)step aside
A (Am)lot of men didn't and a (E)lot of men died
(Am)One fist of iron, the (Dm)other of steel
If the (Am)right one don't (G)git ya, (E)son, then left one will
(Chorus)
You load (Am)sixteen tons and (Dm)what do you get
An-(Am)other day older and (E)deeper in debt
Saint (Am)Peter don't you call me 'cause (Dm)I can't go
I (E)owe my soul to the company store

(Tag)
((E)Owe my soul, owe my soul, (Am)owe my soul) --- oh
((Am)Sixteen tons,) I (Dm)owe my soul, ((Am)sixteen tons) to the (Dm)company store
((Am)Sixteen tons,) I (Dm)owe my soul, ((Am)sixteen tons) to the (Dm)company store ---