Old Man River - Ruth Brown

Here we all work 'long the Mississippi

Here we all work while the white folk play

Pulling' them boats from the dawn till sunset

Getting no rest till the judgment day

Don’t look up and don’t look down

You don’t dare make the white boss frown

Bend your knees and bow your head

And pull that rope until you’re dead

Let me go 'way from the Mississippi

Let me go 'way from the white man boss

Show me that stream called the River Jordan

That’s the old stream that I long to cross

Old Man River, that Old Man River

He must know something, but he don’t say nothing

He just keeps rolling, he keeps on rolling along

He don’t plant taters, and he don’t plant cotton

And them what plants 'em is soon forgotten

But Old Man River, jest keeps rolling along

You and me, we sweat and strain

Bodies all aching and wracked with pain

Tote that barge and lift that bale

You get a little drunk and you land in jail

I get weary and so sick of trying

I’m tired of living, but I’m feared of dying

And Old Man River, he just keeps rolling along