Ol' Man River
Jeff Beck Lyrics
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He don't say nothin', but he must know somethin'
That old man river, he just keeps rolling along.
He don't plant tater's,
And we all know he don't pick cotton.
But them that plant 'em, are soon forgotten, that
Old man river, he just keeps rolling along, oh yes he does.
You and me, we sweat and toil,
Our bodies all achin' and racked with pain, now listen!
Lift that bar, you'd better, tote that bail,
And if ya' get a little drunk,
You'll land in jail.
I'm so weary, and sick of tryin',
I'm tired of livin', but afraid of dyin'.
That, that god-darn' old river, he just keeps rolling along.
Keep on rollin' along.
Keep on rollin' along.
Old man river don't you stop your way.
Keep on runnin' from the north, the south, the east or west,
You gotta roll it
Jeff Beck's "Ol' Man River" is a reworking of the classic song from the musical "Show Boat" with a blues-rock twist. The song speaks to the enduring power of Old Man River and how he continues to roll along despite the struggles of the people who work near him. The first verse describes how Old Man River doesn't say anything but must know something, as he continues to flow no matter what happens around him. While he doesn't plant crops like potatoes or cotton, those who do are soon forgotten, while Old Man River just keeps rolling along.
The second verse is more personal and describes the toils and struggles of the people who work alongside Old Man River. They sweat and toil and are in pain, lifting heavy weights and trying to survive. If they get drunk, they'll end up in jail. The singer is tired of living and afraid of dying, but Old Man River keeps rolling along, seemingly uncaring of human struggles.
Overall, the song speaks to the enduring power of nature and the strength of the human spirit. No matter how hard things get, Old Man River keeps rolling along, and the people working beside him keep pushing forward. It's a bluesy take on a classic song, adding a new layer of meaning and emotion to the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Old man river, that old man river,
This river has been around for a very long time.
He don't say nothin', but he must know somethin'
Although the river may not have the ability to speak, it still has a vast amount of knowledge.
That old man river, he just keeps rolling along.
The river keeps on moving forward, never stopping for anyone or anything.
He don't plant tater's,
The river does not plant potatoes.
And we all know he don't pick cotton.
It is a well-known fact that the river does not pick cotton.
But them that plant 'em, are soon forgotten, that
Those who plant and tend to the crops often go unnoticed and under-appreciated.
Old man river, he just keeps rolling along, oh yes he does.
The river keeps moving forward, despite the hard work of the people around it.
You and me, we sweat and toil,
We work hard and often struggle in our daily lives.
Our bodies all achin' and racked with pain, now listen!
Our physical bodies suffer from the hardships that we face.
Lift that bar, you'd better, tote that bail,
We must continue to work hard and push ourselves forward.
And if ya' get a little drunk,
If we make mistakes or falter, there are consequences.
You'll land in jail.
We must be careful and responsible in our actions.
I'm so weary, and sick of tryin',
I am exhausted from my constant efforts and tired of struggling.
I'm tired of livin', but afraid of dyin'.
I am worn out by life's challenges, but frightened of what may come after death.
That, that god-darn' old river, he just keeps rolling along.
The river continues to move forward, regardless of the struggles and hardships faced by individuals.
Keep on rollin' along.
The river reminds us to keep moving forward and not give up.
Old man river don't you stop your way.
The river serves as a reminder to continuously move forward and not give up.
Keep on runnin' from the north, the south, the east or west,
The river flows in all directions and reminds us to move forward no matter where we are.
You gotta roll it
We must continue to push forward and move along, just like the river.
Lyrics © UNIVERSAL MUSIC PUBLISHING,
Written by: Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind