Ol' Man River
Lou Raderman & His Pelham Heath Inn Orchestra Lyrics


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Ol' man river
That ol' man river
He don't say nothing
But he must know something
Cause he just keeps rolling
He keeps rolling along
Rollin' along
He don't plant tators
He don't plant cotton
Them that plants 'em is soon forgotten
But ol' man river
He keeps rolling along
You and me
We sweat and strain
Body all aching
And wracked with pain
Tote that barge
Lift that bale
Get a little drunk
And you land in jail
I gets weary
Sick of trying
I'm tired of living
Feared of dying




But ol' man river
He's rolling along

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Lou Raderman & His Pelham Heath Inn Orchestra's song Ol' Man River are incredibly poignant and at the same time, melancholic. The song seems to be talking about the trials and tribulations of life and how, despite all of our efforts to achieve something, the world keeps moving, and the river keeps on rolling. Every day is a never-ending struggle with no end in sight, and we have to keep going despite facing all sorts of hardships such as pain, exhaustion, and even imprisonment.


Ol' man river never stops flowing, and that's a metaphor for how life doesn't stop for anyone, no matter what their station in life is. The river may not say anything, but it seems to know something that we don't, and that's what keeps it going. Even when we feel like giving up, the river keeps on rolling, and that's something we can hold on to, to keep us going when things get tough.


Overall, this song is a powerful reminder that, in the grand scheme of things, our struggles and hardships are small in comparison to the flow of life itself. It's a call to embrace the challenges we face head-on, and to never give up, even when things look bleak.


Line by Line Meaning

Ol' man river
The river, with its history and depth, is a prominent symbol of American culture.


That ol' man river
It's been around for years, surviving through it all.


He don't say nothing
The river doesn't need to speak - its actions speak for itself.


But he must know something
The river is wise and knowledgeable, having witnessed and flowed through many events in history?


Cause he just keeps rolling
The river never stops, continuing to flow and endure through time.


He keeps rolling along
The river is a constant reminder of the past and present, and a hopeful promise of the future.


Rollin' along
The river is the only thing that remains predictable in a world of chaos and change.


He don't plant tators
The river doesn't plant crops or harvest them.


He don't plant cotton
The river doesn't pick cotton or do any agricultural labor.


Them that plants 'em is soon forgotten
People who plant and harvest crops are easily replaced and forgotten, just like the river outlasts them all.


But ol' man river
However, the river still flows on.


He keeps rolling along
The river endures through everything, and cannot be stopped.


You and me
Humans, who are always working and struggling.


We sweat and strain
We work hard and exert ourselves.


Body all aching
Our bodies are in pain from the work.


And wracked with pain
We are physically and emotionally suffering.


Tote that barge
We have to carry heavy loads and bear burdens.


Lift that bale
We are responsible for manual labor and hard work to survive.


Get a little drunk
Sometimes we turn to vices to numb the pain and escape reality.


And you land in jail
This vices could lead to negative consequences and punishment from society.


I gets weary
We become tired and burdened by the endless work we have to do.


Sick of trying
Our work seems never-ending and unfulfilling.


I'm tired of living
Life seems hard and endless.


Feared of dying
We may fear death and the unknown afterlife.


But ol' man river
Still, the river is there.


He's rolling along
The river is a constant reminder of life's hardships and endurance through it all.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Jerome Kern, Oscar Ii Hammerstein

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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