Some people say a man is made out of mud
Well, a poor man's made outta muscle and blood
Muscle and blood and skin and bone and a mind
That's weak but a back that's strong

And he was born one morning when the sun didn't shine
He picked up his shovel and he went to the mines
He loaded sixteen tons of that number nine coal
Til the Straw boss said, 'Well, uh, bless my soul'

You load sixteen tons and whaddaya get?
Another day older and deeper in dept
Saint Peter don'tcha call me
'Cause I can't go, I owe my soul to the Company Store

So if you see him coming you better step aside
A lot of men didn't and a lot of men died
He's got one fist of iron and the other of steel
And if the right one doesn't get you then the night one will

You load sixteen tons and whaddaya get?
Another day older and deeper in dept
Saint Peter don'tcha call me
'Cause I can't go, I owe my soul to the Company Store