Sixteen Tons
The Platters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A poor man´s made outta muscle and blood
Muscle and blood and skin and bones
A mind that´s a-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 was born one mornin´ 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, a-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 canebrake* by an ol´ mama lion
Cain´t no-a high-toned 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 lotta men didn´t, a lotta men died
One fist of iron, the other of steel
If the right one don´t a-get 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
The Platters' song "Sixteen Tons" tells a story of the grueling, backbreaking work of coal miners and the debt they accrue in working in the mines. In the first verse, the lyrics describe the physical strength of a man who is made up of "muscle and blood and skin and bones" with a strong back, but a weak mind. The second part of the verse describes the mundanity of the work, "loading sixteen tons" of coal, which only results in growing debt and another day older. The phrase "I owe my soul to the company store" is a reference to the practice of miners being paid in scrip or credit at a company-owned store, leaving the workers indebted and trapped to the company-controlled company store.
The second and third verse offer more details about the hard life of the miners. The second describes the singer's early morning start loading coal, while the third is a sort of bio of the character, explaining how he was raised in the canebrake and is not easily tamed by women. The fourth verse is a warning to those who might cross the singer, as he's been tempered by his trade and has "one fist of iron, the other of steel."
Overall, the song addresses the exploitation and entrapment of coal miners in situations where the workers are barely surviving while the companies make massive profits. It highlights the hardship of the work and the often-misunderstood cycle of indebtedness to a dangerous and unforgiving industry.
Line by Line Meaning
Some people say a man is made outta mud
It is believed by some that a man is no more than dirt
A poor man´s made outta muscle and blood
A man who has nothing has only his strength and willpower
Muscle and blood and skin and bones
The human body is made up of mere elements
A mind that´s a-weak and a back that´s strong
Despite hardship, the human spirit endures
You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
What do you have to show for your hard work?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Each day brings you closer to death and deeper into debt
Saint Peter don´t you call me ´cause I can´t go
I am in no hurry to face judgment day
I owe my soul to the company store
I have nothing to show for all my hard work but the debt I owe to the company
I was born one mornin´ when the sun didn´t shine
My life has always been one of struggle and hardship
I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine
I worked from a young age, using my body to earn a living
I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
My hard work was in the form of mining coal
And the straw boss said ´Well, a-bless my soul´
Even after giving it my all, I received little recognition
Fightin´ and trouble are my middle name
I am no stranger to conflict and difficulty
I was raised in the canebrake* by an ol´ mama lion
I have had to fend for myself from a young age, with little assistance
Cain´t no-a high-toned woman make me walk the line
I will not be controlled or tamed, no matter the cost
If you see me comin´, better step aside
I am a force to be reckoned with
A lotta men didn´t, a lotta men died
Many people have underestimated me and paid the ultimate price
One fist of iron, the other of steel
I am both hardened and flexible, able to adapt to any situation
If the right one don´t a-get you, then the left one will
I am a formidable opponent who can strike with either hand
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Merle Travis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-mc6xk3ns4p
Нравится эта песня с давних лет. Балдею. Так и хочется пуститься потанцевать. Спасибо за ролик.
@adrat8339
He is Herb Reed the founder of the Platters and was the last surviving member till his death in 2012. His voice is incomparable. He is the man on the left in the photo. There are a lot of bass singers out there, but he was at the top in his field. His voice is so powerful, that when singing with the group he is often the farthest from the microphone, typically bass singers are close miked to capture their low notes, not him.
@laislegg3522
Thank you very much for the lesson. Greetings from Braxil
@user-bq9qi6pq4m
Спасибо за ценную тнформацию
@admiralspacecat6334
this 14 yr old boy bout catch him up his soul better wait 15 years
@sinisterisrandom8537
Def was prob happy to finally be able to see the rest of the band.
@GarioTheRock
If a mountain could sing, this is the voice I would imagine it to have.
@Evergreyoviedo
Mountains are busy killing Martells, got no time for this bullshit
@delstanley1349
Go Tell It On the Mountain!
@delstanley1349
How 'bout Tony the Tiger! "They're G R E A T!"