Old Man River (From Showboat)

Dere's an ol' man called de Mississippi
Dat's de ol' man dat I'd like to be!
What does he care if de world's got troubles?
What does he care if de land ain't free?

Ol' man river
Dat ol' man river
He mus'know sumpin'
But don't say nuthin'
He jes'keeps rollin'
He keeps on rollin' along.

He don' plant taters
He don't plant cotton
An' dem dat plants'em
is soon forgotten
But ol'man river
He jes keeps rollin'along.

You an'me, we sweat an' strain
Body all achin' an' racket wid pain
Tote dat barge!
Lif' 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 jes'keeps rolling' along.

Colored folks work on de Mississippi
Colored folks work while de white folks play
Pullin' dose boats from de dawn to sunset
Gittin' no rest till de judgement day.

Don't look up
An' don't look down
You don' dast make
De white boss frown
Bend your knees
An'bow your head
An' pull date rope
Until you' dead.

Let me go 'way from the Mississippi
Let me go 'way from de white man boss
Show me dat stream called de river Jordan
Dat's de ol' stream dat I long to cross.

O' man river
Dat ol' man river
He mus'know sumpin'
But don't say nuthin'
He jes' keeps rollin'
He keeps on rollin' along.

Long ol' river forever keeps rollin' on...

He don' plant tater
He don' plant cotton
An' dem dat plants 'em
Is soon forgotten
but ol' man river
He jes' keeps rollin' along.

Long ol' river keeps hearing dat song
You an' me, we sweat an' strain
Body all achin an' racked wid pain
Tote dat barge!
Lif' 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 jes'keeps rollin' along!