Blue Note Trip 6: Somethin’ Old - “Sixteen Tons“ (Louis Neefs cover)
From the first part (’’Somethin’ Old’’) of the ’’Blue Note Trip 6’’ compilation.
Original song by Merle Travis (altough some sources tend to give the credit for the original song to George S. Davis).
Lyrics :
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 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 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 well to “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 cane-brake by an old mama lion;
Cain’t no a high-tone 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 lot of men didn’t, a lot of men died.
One first of iron, the other of steel;
If the right one don’t git 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.
Please note that I do not own any rights related to this song; I am only publishing it here for everyone’s enjoyment and without making any profit.