Here we all work 'long the Mississippi
Here we all work while the white boys play
Gettin' no rest from the dawn till sunset
Gettin' no rest till the judgement day
You don't look up, you don't look down
You don't dare make the rich boss frown
Bend your knees and bow your head
And tote that barge until you're dead
Let me go 'way from the Mississippi
Let me go 'way from the rich man boss
Show me that stream called the River Jordan
That's the old stream that I long to cross

Ol' Man River, that Ol' Man River
He don't say nothin', but he must know somethin'
Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along
He don't plant taters
And he don't plant cotton
And then what plants 'em, are soon forgotten
But Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along

You know, you and me
Sometimes we have to we have to sweat, sweat and strain
Our bodies all achin' and wracked with pain
Tote that barge, lift that bale, you get a little drunk
And you land, you gotta land, yes you land, in jail

Oh
I get weary and so sick of tryin'
I'm tired of livin', and fraid of dyin'
But Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' ah
Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along, ooh

Copyright: BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Universal Music Publishing Group
Writer(s): Jerome Kern, Oscar Ii Hammerstein