Intro: Am  G  F  E (2x)    


Verse 1 
        

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

         Am      G       F        E  
You load sixteen tons and whaddya get? 
  Am         G        F          E 
A-nother day older and deeper in debt 
      Am            C              Dm      F 
Saint Peter dontcha call me 'cause I can't go 
  Am                 E       Am 
I owe my soul to the company store 



Verse 2 
        

      Am       G               F            E 
I was born one morning when the sun didn't shine 
  Am           G           F             E 
I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine 
         Am      C       Dm          F 
I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal 
    Am                   E        Am 
The strawboss said Well, Bless my soul! 


         

         Am      G       F        E 
You load sixteen tons and whaddya get? 
  Am         G        F          E 
A-nother day older and deeper in debt 
      Am            C              Dm      F 
Saint Peter dontcha call me 'cause I can't go 
  Am                 E       Am 
I owe my soul to the company store 



Verse 3 
        

      Am       G             F         E 
I was born one morning it was drizzling rain 
Am           G          F         E 
Fighting and trouble are my middle name 
      Am            C                Dm       F 
I was raised in the cane-break by an old mama lion 
         Am                         E        Am 
Can't no hot-coloured woman make me haunt the line 


         

         Am      G       F        E 
You load sixteen tons and whaddya get 
  Am         G        F          E 
A-nother day older and deeper in debt 
      Am            C              Dm         F 
Saint Peter dontcha call me 'cause I, I can't go 
  Am                 E       Am 
I owe my soul to the company store 



Verse 4  
                      

       Bbm    Ab           F#     F 
If you see me coming better step a-side 
  Bbm       Ab      F#        F 
A lotta men didn't a lotta men died 
      Bbm         C#       Ebm      F# 
I got one fist of iron the other of steel 
       Bbm                             F        Bbm 
If the right one don't get ya then the left one will 

         

            Am      G       F        E 
You load up sixteen tons and whaddya get 
  Am         G        F          E 
A-nother day older and deeper in debt 
      Am            C              Dm      F    
Saint Peter dontcha call me 'cause I can't go 
  Am                 E       Am 
I owe my soul to the company store