这首歌曲与《Dark As The Dungeon》都忠实记录了煤矿工人的悲惨生活。它们是莫尔·特拉维斯（Merle Travis）的代表作品。莫尔·特拉维斯（Merle Travis）曾是美国最耀眼的乡村音乐人之一。他的吉他演奏方法曾大受赞赏，号称“特拉伪斯拇指法”，连著名吉他手、纳什维尔音乐创始人之一的切特·阿特金斯（Chet Atkins）也没有想到他的崇拜者在电台里演奏的美妙醉人的音乐竟是用两根手指弹拨出来的。莫尔·特拉维斯不仅吉他弹得出神入化，填词作曲也毫不逊色。他凭着一身硬功夫在《市政厅沙龙》（Town Hall Party）等节目里“施展拳脚”，以独奏、伴奏形式灌录的唱片就达数百张。
Some people say a man is made outta mud
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 owe my soul to the company store
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
