sixteen tons

autor: merle travis, canta paul robeson

some people say a man is made out of mud,
a poor man made out of muscle and blood,
muscle and blood and skin and bones,
a mind that's weak and a back that's strong.

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 own my soul to the company store.

i was born one morning when the sun didn't shine,
i picked up the shovel and 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…

if you see me coming, better step aside:
a lot of men didn't and a lot of men died.
one fist of iron, the other of steel,
if the right one don't get you,
then the left one will.

you load sixteen tons…

i was born one morning and it was drizzling rain,
fightin' and trouble are my middle name.
i was raised in a cane-break by an old mama lion,
can't no high-toned woman make me walk the line.

you load sixteen tons…





el trabajo del minero descrito en 'sixteen tons', cosechar algodón, cortar banano o la zafra de la caña, no quedan nada lejos del trabajo forzado de 'water boy', verdad.

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