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 judgment 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, Ol' Man River
He don't say nothin, he must know somethin
Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along
You know, you know he don't plant taters
And we all know the man don't plant no cotton
And then, and then what plants 'em, all know is soon forgotten
But Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along
You, you and me
You know sometimes we have to we have to sweat, sweat and strain
Our bodies, our bodies are all achin' and wracked with a whole lot of pain
Tote that barge, lift that bale, you get a little drunk
And you land in ja-ail
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' a-
Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along, ooh