Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: ska
Song Meaning of “Sixteen Tons” by Tim Timebomb
Tim Timebomb’s ‘Sixteen Tons’ is a somber reflection on the harsh and laborious lives often endured by people who work in coal mining and other blue-collar industries. The title lyric “You load sixteen tons and what do you get?” implies the grueling labor endured by laborers who worked long days only to suffer for meager rewards – a keepsake of coal.
The song paints a vivid picture of the great risks taken by miners going below “the ground…to bring a load of coal back home” in the face of potential danger each and every day. The lyrics “St. Peter don’t call me ’cause I can’t go” alludes to the belief that dying for such a thankless career was not worth the inordinate risks taken by coal miners.
Ultimately, ‘Sixteen Tons’ bemoans those who lived a life of hardship in an effort to provide for their families. It stands as a tribute to those who continue to labor for meager rewards and raises awareness to the struggles endured by hardworking laborers.