4 Chords used in the song: Em, C, B7, B
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View these chords for the Baritone
Transpose chords:
Em C B7
Some people say a man is made outa mud
Em C B7
A poor man's made outa muscle 'n blood...
Em C B7
Muscle an' blood an' skin an' bone
Em C B7
A mind that's weak and a back that's strong
Chorus
Em C B7
You load sixteen tons an' whaddya get?
Em C B7
Another day older an' deeper in debt
Em C B7
Saint Peter doncha call me 'cause I can't go
Em B7 Em
I owe my soul to the company sto'
Em C B7
If ya hear me a-comin' ya better step aside
Em C B7
A lotta men din't an' a lotta men died
Em C B7
With one fist of iron an' the other of steel
Em C B7
If the right one don' getcha then the left one will.
Em C B7
I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine
Em C B7
Picked up my shovel and I went to the mine
Em C B
Loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
Em C B7
And the strawboss said, "Well, Bless my soul!"
Em C B7
I was born one morning in the drizzlin' rain
Em C B7
Fightin' and trouble are my middle name
Em C B7
I was raised in the canebreak by an' ol' mama hound
Em C B7
Ain't no high-tone woman gonna push me around.
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Tab comments (1)
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Super accurate both for the notes and the timing! Thank you for the good tab. It's one of the few that's in my natural singing range that isn't in a lot of other people's, and it's nice to be able to play along with it!
02 Jul 2021
Top Tabs & Chords by Tennessee Ernie Ford, don't miss these songs!
About this song: Sixteen Tons
Classic pop-country crossover hit of 1955-56, reaching #1 on both Billboard's pop and country charts. Orchestrated with a clarinet lead, not a typical country music instrument, by Jack Fascinato.