Ol' Man River
Frank Sinatra Ray Anthony and His Orchestra Lyrics

Ol' man river
The river has been around for a long time and has seen much of life.

That ol' man river
The river has a timeless quality, always present and unstoppable.

He don't say nothing
The river does not talk, but its mere presence is enough to convey its wisdom.

But he must know something
The river has seen much of life and has much to teach us about existence.

Cause he just keeps rolling
The river's steady movement is a reflection of the persistence of life.

He keeps rolling along
The river flows endlessly, unceasing and unfaltering.

Rollin' along
The river moves steadily, without pause, through time.

He don't plant tators
The river is not subject to the same demands as farmers who must grow crops to survive.

He don't plant cotton
The river is not beholden to the needs of the textile industry, as cotton farmers are.

Them that plants 'em is soon forgotten
People who work hard in fields and farms are often ignored and their contributions forgotten.

But ol' man river
The river remains vital and present, even as generations of people come and go.

He keeps rolling along
The river continues to flow, oblivious to the ebb and flow of human activity.

You and me
The song addresses every person who has struggled with life's challenges.

We sweat and strain
We work hard to make ends meet and to survive.

Body all aching
We often suffer pain and exhaustion as we go about our daily activities.

And wracked with pain
Our bodies and minds are often worn down by life's difficulties.

Tote that barge
We carry heavy loads and labor to make a living.

Lift that bale
We work hard and perform strenuous physical labor.

Get a little drunk
We sometimes seek solace in alcohol or other vices to escape life's troubles.

And you land in jail
We sometimes make poor decisions that have serious consequences.

I gets weary
We sometimes become exhausted and overwhelmed by life's challenges.

Sick of trying
We sometimes feel like giving up or feel that our efforts are futile.

I'm tired of living
We sometimes become disillusioned with life, feeling that it has little to offer or that it is too hard.

Feared of dying
We sometimes fear death and the unknown, and feel uncertain about our place in the world.

But ol' man river
The river remains a source of strength and inspiration, even in the face of life's difficulties.

He's rolling along
The river continues to flow, an ever-present reminder that life goes on, no matter what.