Paul Robeson - Ol’ Man River (Showboat - 1936) O. Hammerstein II

From Showboat’s 2nd version (1936) Paul Robeson - Ol’ Man River Ol’ Man River (Jerome Kern - Oscar Hammerstein II) Lyrics from the Original Libretto Dare’s an ol’ man cal’d de Mississipi Dat’s de ol’ man dat I’d lek to be Whot does he care iv de world gets trauble Whot does he care iv de land lev’s 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! You gits a little drunk An’ you lands in jail. Ah gits weary An’ sick of tryin'