Sixteen Tons - Platters, guitar chords

Published: 2011-04-06 21:05
Selection chords: Henry Walker

          Em        D      C        B7
    Some people say manʼs made out mud,
             Em         D           C           B7
    Well, a good manʼs made out of muscle and blood
      Em        G          A       
    Muscle and blood, and skin and bones,
         B7
    And mind thatʼs weak and the back thatʼs strong.

Chorus:
                 Em  D
        You load 16 tons,
             C          B7
        And what do you get?
           Em         D
        Another day older,
             C         B7
        And deeper in debt.
               Em              G
        Saint Peter, donʼt you call me,
              A  
        Cause I canʼt go,
          Em                   B7     Em                
       I owe my soul to the company store!

          Em        D      C        B7
    I was born one morning when sun didnʼt shine,
             Em         D           C         B7
    I picked up my shovel and I went to the mine,
      Em        G          A       
    Loaded 16 tons of number nine coal,
         B7
    And the straw boss said: "Well, bless my soul!"

Chorus:
                 Em  D
        You load 16 tons,
             C          B7
        And what do you get?
           Em         D
        Another day older,
             C         B7
        And deeper in debt.
               Em              G
        Saint Peter, donʼt you call me,
              A  
        Cause I canʼt go,
          Em                   B7     Em                
       I owe my soul to the company store!

          Em        D      C        B7
     I was born one morning, it was drizzling rain,
             Em         D           C    B7
     Fighting and Trouble ʼs my middle name,
      Em        G          A       
     I was raised down the Canebrake by an old mountain mine,
         B7
     And there ainʼt no hard hearted women make me walk that line!

Chorus:
                 Em  D
        You load 16 tons,
             C          B7
        And what do you get?
           Em         D
        Another day older,
             C         B7
        And deeper in debt.
               Em              G
        Saint Peter, donʼt you call me,
              A  
        Cause I canʼt go,
          Em                   B7     Em                
       I owe my soul to the company store!

          Em        D      C        B7
    If you see me coming, you better step aside,
             Em         D           C     B7
    A lot of men didnʼt and a lot of men died.
      Em        G          A       
    My one fist is iron, the other oneʼs steel,
         B7
    And if the left donʼt getcha, then the right one will.

Chorus:
                 Em  D
        You load 16 tons,
             C          B7
        And what do you get?
           Em         D
        Another day older,
             C         B7
        And deeper in debt.
               Em              G
        Saint Peter, donʼt you call me,
              A  
        Cause I canʼt go,
          Em                   B7     Em                
       I owe my soul to the company store