Sixteen Tons Merle Travis

(Em) (C7) (Em) (C7) (Em) (C7) (B7) (Em) (Em/D) (C7) (B7) (Em) (Em/D) (C7) (B7)
Now, (Em)some people (Em/D)say a man is (C7)made out of (B7)mud,
A (Em)poor man's (Em/D)made out of (C7)muscle and (B7)blood.
(Em)Muscle and (Em/D)blood, (Am)skin and bone,
A (Em)mind that's (Em/D)weak and a (C7)back that's (B7)strong.

You load (Em)sixteen (Em/D)tons, and (C7)what do you (B7)get?
A(Em)nother day (Em/D)older and (C7)deeper in (B7)debt.
Saint (Em)Peter don't you (Em/D)call me, 'cause (Am)I can't go,(hold)
I (Em)owe my (C7)soul to the (B7)company (Em)store. (Em/D) (C7) (B7)
(Em) (Em/D) (C7) (B7) (hold)

I was (Em)born one (Em/D)morning when the (C7)sun didn't (B7)shine,
I (Em)picked up my (Em/D)shovel and I (C7)walked to the (B7)mine.
I loaded (Em)sixteen (Em/D)tons of the (Am)number nine coal,
And the (Em)straw boss (Em/D)hollered, ‘Well a-(C7)bless my (B7)soul!’

You load (Em)sixteen (Em/D)tons, and (C7)what do you (B7)get?
A(Em)nother day (Em/D)older and (C7)deeper in (B7)debt.
Saint (Em)Peter don't you (Em/D)call me, 'cause (Am)I can't go,(hold)
I (Em)owe my (C7)soul to the (B7)company (Em)store. (Em/D) (C7) (B7)
(Em) (Em/D) (C7) (B7) (hold)

I was (Em)born one (Em/D)morning, it was (C7)drizzling (B7)rain,
(Em)Fighting and (Em/D)trouble is (C7)my middle (B7)name.
I was (Em)raised in the (Em/D)cane break by an (Am)old mama lion,
Ain't no (Em)high-tone (Em/D)woman make me (C7)walk the (B7)line.

You load (Em)sixteen (Em/D)tons, and (C7)what do you (B7)get?
A(Em)nother day (Em/D)older and (C7)deeper in (B7)debt.
Saint (Em)Peter don't you (Em/D)call me, 'cause (Am)I can't go,(hold)
I (Em)owe my (C7)soul to the (B7)company (Em)store. (Em/D) (C7) (B7)
(Em) (Em/D) (C7) (B7) (hold)

If you (Em)see me (Em/D)coming, better (C7)step a(B7)side,
A (Em)lot of men (Em/D)didn't, and a (C7)lot of men (B7) died.
Got (Em)one fist of (Em/D)iron, the (Am)other of steel,
If the (Em)right one don't (Em/D)get you, then the (C7)left one sure (B7)will.

You load (Em)sixteen (Em/D)tons, and (C7)what do you (B7)get?
A(Em)nother day (Em/D)older and (C7)deeper in (B7)debt.
Saint (Em)Peter don't you (Em/D)call me, 'cause (Am)I can't go,(hold)
I (Em)owe my (C7)soul to the (B7)company (Em)store, (Em/D) (C7) (B7)
To the (Em)company (Em/D)store, (C7) (B7)
I (Em)owe my (Em/D)soul, (C7) (B7)
I (Em)owe my (Em/D)soul (C7) (B7) (Em) (C7) (Em) (C7) (Em) (C7) (hold)
To the company (Em)store! (Em/D) (C7) (B7)(hold) (B7)(Em)

© Merle Travis, All Rights Reserved

The way I play it, derived from many versions.

janhauenstein@gmx.de

www.janhauenstein.com