Sixteen Tons

Sixteen Tons

"Tennessee" Ernie Ford (#1 in 1955), Frankie Laine

Some people say a man is made of a mud
A poor man's made of muscle and blood
Muscle and blood and skin and bones
A mind that's weak and a back that's strong

    You load sixteen tons, what do you get
    Another day older and deeper in debt
    Saint Peter don't you call me cause I can't go
    I owe my soul to the company store

I was born one mornin' / When the sun didn't shine
I picked up my shovel, I walked to the mine
I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
And the strawboss said " Well best my soul "    Chorus

I was born one mornin', it was drizzling rain
Fightin' and trouble are my middle name
I was raised in a cane
Brake by an old name'lion can't
No, high-toned woman make me walk the line    Chorus

If you see me comin' better step a side
A lotta man didn't, a lotta men died
One fist of iron, the other of steel
If the right one don't get you
Then the left on will you     Chorus

Sheet Music

When Tennessee Ernie Ford recorded the song, some of the musicians hadn't shown up for the session yet, so he snapped his fingers for the rhythm. He did it in one take and was guenuinly surprised when it became a hit.