Sixteen Tons Chords

by Johnny Cash
44,257 views, added to favorites 3,968 times
Difficulty: beginner
Tuning: E A D G B E
Capo: no capo
Author sir_dead [a] 68.
4 contributors total, last edit on Jun 13, 2024
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Chords

Am
F
E
Dm

Strumming

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[Intro]
 
e|---------------------------------------|
B|--4h5-4h5--4h5--3--1---1---------------|
G|---------------------2----2--0--1/2----|
D|---------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------|
 
e|-----------------------------------------------------------0-----------|
B|--4h5-4h5--4h5--3--1---1-----------------------------------1-----------|
G|---------------------2----2--0--1/2--0-----------2---0-----2-----------|
D|----------------------------------------3--2------------3--2-----------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
 
 
[Verse 1]
     Am                  F          E
Some people say a man is made outta mud
  Am                    F          E
A poor man's made outta muscle and blood
Am                   Dm
Muscle and blood and skin and bone
  Am   N.C.
A mind that's weak and a back that's strong
 
 
[Chorus]
         Am               F           E
You load sixteen tons and what do you get
 Am                   F         E
Another day older and deeper in debt
      Am                             Dm
Saint Peter, don't ya call me 'cause I can't go
  Am  N.C.
I owe my soul to the company store
 
 
[Verse 2]
      Am                        F          E
I was born one morning when the sun didn't shine
  Am                        F             E
I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine
         Am              Dm
I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal
        Am    N.C.
And the straw boss said, "Well, a-bless my soul!"
 
 
[Chorus]
         Am               F           E
You load sixteen tons and what do you get
 Am                   F         E
Another day older and deeper in debt
      Am                              Dm
Saint Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
  Am  N.C.
I owe my soul to the company store
 
 
[Verse 3]
      Am                        F        E
I was born one morning, it was drizzlin' rain
Am                       F         E
Fightin' and trouble are my middle name
Am                            Dm
Raised in the canebrake by an old mama lion
         Am   N.C.
Ain't no high-tone woman make me walk the line
 
 
[Chorus]
         Am               F           E
You load sixteen tons and what do you get
 Am                   F         E
Another day older and deeper in debt
      Am                              Dm
Saint Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
  Am  N.C.
I owe my soul to the company store
 
 
[Verse 4]
      Am                   F      E
If ya see me coming better step aside
  Am                     F         E
A lotta men didn't and a lotta men died
     Am                       Dm
With one fist of iron and the other of steel
       Am    N.C.
If the right one don't get you then the left one will
 
 
[Chorus]
         Am               F           E
You load sixteen tons and what do you get
 Am                   F         E
Another day older and deeper in debt
      Am                              Dm
Saint Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go
N.C.                                  Am
I owe my soul to the company store
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Sixteen Tons – Johnny Cash
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"Sixteen Tons"
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