Sixteen Tons (chromatic)

SIXTEEN TONS
By Merle Travis
Tennessee Earnie Ford, Jimmy Dean
Key: G

6     7   6   7  7  6  -4  6    6   6 -4
Some peo-ple say a man is made out-ta mud
-4  7    6     6  -4  -4  6   6   6   -4
A poor man's made out-ta mus-cle and blood
6    6   6    6    6   -7  -7   -7
Mus-cle and blood and skin and bones
-7 -7*   -7   7  6   -4 -4  6     6      -4
A mind that's a-weak and a back that's strong

-4   5*   6   6     6     7  7   7   6
You load six-teen tons, what do you get
6   7   7  7   6  6  -4    6  6  6   -4
An-oth-er day old-er and deep-er in debt
6     6   6    6    6   7   -6*  6   -7  -7   -7
Saint Pe-ter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
-8 10-7* -8  7   -4 -4   6  6  6    6
I  owe   my soul to the com-pa-ny store

I was born one mornin' 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 "Well, a-bless my soul"

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', it was drizzlin' rain
Fightin' and trouble are my middle name
I was raised in the canebrake by an ol' mama lion
Cain't no-a high-toned woman make me walk the line

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

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

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