Ol' Man River

Ol' man river

Dat ol' man river

He mus' know sumpin'

But don't say nuthin'

He jes' keeps rollin'

He keeps on rollin' along

He don' plant taters

He don't plant cotton

An' dem dat plants 'em

Is soon forgotten

But ol' man river

He jes keeps rollin' along

You an' me, we sweat an' strain

Body all achin' an' racked wid pain

Tote dat barge!

Lif' dat bale!

Git a little drunk

An' you lands in jail

Ah gits weary

An' sick of tryin'

Ah'm tired of livin'

An' scared of dyin'

But ol' man river

He jes' keeps rolling' along

(Colored folks work on de Mississippi

Colored folks work while de white folks play

Pullin' dose boats from de dawn to sunset

Gittin' no rest till de judgement day

Or musical part

Don't look up

An' don't look down

You don' dast make

De white boss frown

Bend your knees

An'bow your head

An' pull date rope

Until you' dead.)

Let me go 'way from the Mississippi

Let me go 'way from de white man boss;

Show me dat stream called de river Jordan

Dat's de ol' stream dat I long to cross

O' man river

Dat ol' man river

He mus'know sumpin'

But don't say nuthin'

He jes' keeps rollin'

He keeps on rollin' along

Long ol' river forever keeps rollin' on...

He don' plant tater

He don' plant cotton

An' dem dat plants 'em

Is soon forgotten

But ol' man river

He jes' keeps rollin' along

Long ol' river keeps hearing dat song

You an' me, we sweat an' strain

Body all achin an' racked wid pain

Tote dat barge!

Lif' dat bale!

Git a little drunk

An' you land in jail

Ah, gits weary

An' sick of tryin'

Ah'm tired of livin'

An' scared of dyin'

But ol' man river

He jes' keeps rollin' along!