Some people say a man is made out of mud A poor man's made out of muscle and blood Muscle and blood and skin and bones A mind that's weak and a back that's strong You loaded 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 morning when the sun didn 't shine I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal And the straw boss said: "Wella bless my soul" If you see me comin', better step aside A lot of man didn't, a lot of man died One fist of iron, the other of steel Of the right one doesn't get you, then the left one will