Coloured folks work
on de Mississippi
Coloured folks work
while de
white folks play
Pullin' dose boats from
de dawn to sunset
Getting no rest till de
judgement day
Don't look up an'
don't look down
You don't dast make
de white boss frown
Bend yo' knees
an' bow your head
An' pull dat rope
until you're dead
Let me go way
from de Mississippi
Let me go way
from de
white man boss
Show me dat stream
call'd de River Jordan
Dat's de ol' stream
dat I long to cross
Ol' man river
dat ol' man river
He mus' know sumpin'
but don't say nuthin'
He jus' keeps rollin'
He keeps on
rollin' along
He don't plant 'taters
He don't plant cotton
An' dem dat plants 'em
is soon forgotten
But ol' man river
he jus' keeps
rollin' a long
You an' me we sweat
an' strain
Body all achin' an'
racked wid pain
Tote dat barge!
Lift dat bale!
Git a little drunk
an' you land in jail
Ah gits weary
an' sick of tryin'
Ah'm tired of livin' an'
skeered of dyin'
But ol' man river
he jus' keeps rollin'
along