Sixteen Tons

Now some people say a man's made out of mud
But a poor man's made of muscle and blood
Muscle and blood, skin and bone
A mind that's weak and a back that's strong

You load sixteen tons and what do you get
Another day older and deeper in debt
St. Peter don't you call me cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store

I was born one day when the sun didn't shine
I picked up my shovel and walked to the mine
O loaded sixteen tons of number one coal
And the straw boss hollered - well bless my soul
...chorus...
I was born one morning in the drizzling rain
Fighting and trouble is my middle name
I was raised in the bottoms by a mama hound
I'm mean as a dog but gentle as a lamb
...chorus...
If you see me coming you better step aside
A lot of men didn't and a lot of men died
I got a fist of iron and a fist of steel
If the right one don't get you then the left on will
...chorus...

__________________
Minds are like parachutes. They only work when they are open.

~Thomas Dewar~