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16 Tons Lyrics by Nina Hagen

Unity

2022

[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
St. Peter, don't you call me
'Cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
(We're not going back to those days of sixteen tons)
St Peter, don't you call me
'Cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
(We're not going back to those days of sixteen tons)
[Verse 2]
I was born one morning when the sun didn't shine
I picked up my shovel and I walked to the minе
I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
And thе straw bus said well bless my soul
[Chorus]
Well, 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
(We're not gonna be takin' the Red Line, we're taking the Green Line to prosperity)
[Verse 3]
I was born one morning
It was drizzling rain
Fightin' and trouble are my maiden name
I was raised in the chain break by an old mama lion
God no, no don't make me walk the line
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 4]
If you see me comin', better step aside
A lotta men didn't and a lotta men died
I got a fist of iron and a fist of steel
If the right one don't get you
Then the left one will
[Chorus]
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
Credits
Nina Hagen

Nina Hagen

About “16 Tons” by Nina Hagen

Read the complete lyrics to "16 Tons" by Nina Hagen from the album "Unity" in 2022. 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 Deutschland, Pop, Rock.

"16 Tons" is performed by Nina Hagen. from the album "Unity" in 2022 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 "16 Tons", explore more songs by Nina Hagen 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

"16 Tons" is credited to Nina Hagen. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"16 Tons" appears on "Unity" in 2022.

Visit the Nina Hagen artist page at /artist/nina-hagen for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.