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Sixteen Tons Lyrics by James & Bobby Purify

The Pure Sound Of The Purifys - James & Bobby

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[Verse 1]
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
[Chorus]
You load sixteen tons, and 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
[Verse 2]
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
Then the straw boss said "Well-a bless my soul!"
[Chorus]
You load sixteen tons, and what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Pеter don't you call me, 'cause I can't go
I owе my soul to the company store
[Verse 3]
I was born one morning, it was drizzling rain
A-fightin' and trouble are my middle name
I was born in a canebrake by an old mama lion
Can't no high-toned woman make me walk the line
[Chorus]
You load sixteen tons, and 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
[Verse 4]
If you see me coming, you better step aside
A lot of men didn't, a lot of men died
One fist of iron and the other of steel
If the right one don't get you, then the left one will
[Chorus]
You load sixteen tons, and 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
[Outro]
(Sixteen tons, what do you get?)
(Another day older and deeper in debt) Oh, Lord
(Sixteen tons)
Credits
James & Bobby Purify

James & Bobby Purify

About “Sixteen Tons” by James & Bobby Purify

Read the complete lyrics to "Sixteen Tons" by James & Bobby Purify from the album "The Pure Sound Of The Purifys - James & Bobby". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Cover, Soul, R&B.

"Sixteen Tons" is performed by James & Bobby Purify. from the album "The Pure Sound Of The Purifys - James & Bobby" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Sixteen Tons", explore more songs by James & Bobby Purify using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Sixteen Tons" is credited to James & Bobby Purify. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Sixteen Tons" appears on "The Pure Sound Of The Purifys - James & Bobby".

Visit the James & Bobby Purify artist page at /artist/james-and-bobby-purify for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.