Old Man River

Oscar Hammerstein Jerome Kern

Here we all work ''long de Mississippi here we all work while de white folk play pullin'' ''em boats from de dawn till sunset gittin'' 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 yo'' head an'' pull dat rope until yo''re dead Let me go ''way from de Mississippi let me go ''way from de white men boss Show me dat stream called de river Jordan dat''s de ol'' stream dat I long to cross Ol'' man river dat ol'' man river he must know sumpin'' but he don''t say nothin'' he jus'' keeps rollin'' he keeps on rollin'' along He don''t plant ''taters and he don''t plant cotton an'' dem what plants ''em is soon forgotten but ol'' man river he jus'' keeps rollin'' along You an'' me we sweat an'' strain bodies all achin'' an'' racked wid pain Tote dat barge Lift dat bale You git a little drunk then you land in jail Ah gits weary an'' so sick of tryin'' ah''m tired of livin'' ah''m feared of

Paul Robeson