Ol' Man River

kern • hammerstein

dere's an ol' man called de Mississippi
dat's de ol' man dat I'd like to be
what does he care if de world's got troubles
what does he care if de land ain't free

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' wracked 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' skeered of dyin'
but ol' man river
he jes' keeps rolling' along ...

niggers all work on de Mississippi
niggers all work while de white folks play
pullin' dose boats from de dawn to sunset
gittin' no rest till de judgement day

[don't look up an' don't look down
you don' dar'st make de white boss frown
bend your knees an' bow your head
an' pull dat rope until you're dead)]

let me go 'way from de 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

[ol' man river • dat ol' man river
he mus' know sumpin', but don't say nothin'
he just keeps rollin'
he keeps on rollin' along]

long, low river
forever keeps rollin'
[don' plant taters, he don' plant cotton
and dem dat plants' em is soon forgotten
but ol' man river
he jes' keeps rollin' along]
long low river
keeps singin' dis song

you an' me we sweat an' strain
body all achin' and wracked wid pain
"tote dat barge! Lift dat bale!
git a little drunk and ya lands in jail"

ah gits weary an' sick o' tryin'
ah'm tired o' livin' an' skeered o' dyin'
but ol' man river
he jes' keeps rollin' along ...