Ol' Man River
Jerome Kern Lyrics

Here we all work 'long the Mississippi
We all work hard along the Mississippi.

Here we all work while the white folk play
We work while the white people have fun.

Pullin' them boats from the dawn 'till sunset
We pull boats from sunrise to sunset.

Gettin' no rest 'till the judgment day
We won't rest until the day of reckoning.

Don't look up and don't look down
Don't look around or up, just focus on the work.

You don't das make the boss man frown
Don't make the boss angry.

Bend your knees and bow your head
Bend down and get to work.

And pull that rope until your dead
Keep pulling the rope until you die.

Let me go 'way from the Mississippi
I want to leave the Mississippi.

Let me go 'way from the white man boss
I want to leave the white man's boss.

Show me that stream called the river jordan
Take me to the River Jordan.

That's the old stream that I long to cross.
I want to cross the River Jordan.

Ol' man river, that ol' man river
The old man river keeps rolling.

He don't say nothin', but he must know somethin'
The river remains silent, but it knows something.

He just keeps rollin', he keeps on rollin' along
The river keeps rolling.

He don't plant tatters, and he don't plant cotton
The river doesn't plant crops.

And them what plants em, are soon forgotten
Those who plant crops are quickly forgotten.

But ol' man river, just keeps rollin' along
The river keeps rolling.

You and me, we sweat and strain
We sweat and put in a lot of effort.

Body all achin' and racked with pain
Our bodies hurt and feel pain.

Tote that barge and lift that bail
We carry the load and lift the goods.

You get a little drunk and you lands in jail
If you drink and misbehave, you'll end up in jail.

I gets weary, and sick of trying
I get tired and frustrated.

I'm tired of livin', but I'm scared of dyin'
I'm tired of living, but I'm afraid to die.

But ol' man river, he just keeps rollin' along
The river keeps rolling.