OL' MAN RIVER From the Broadway Musical "Show Boat" (1927) (Jerome Kern / Oscar Hammerstein II) Jules Bledsoe (Broadway Production) - 1927 Paul Robeson (London Production) - 1928 Jules Bledsoe (Film Soundtrack) - 1929 Paul Robeson (Broadway Revival) - 1932 Paul Robeson (Film Soundtrack) - 1936 Kenneth Spencer (Broadway Revival) - 1946 Caleb Peterson (feat. in The film "Till The Clouds Roll By") - 1946 William Warfield (Film Soundtrack) - 1951 William Warfield - 1962 William Warfield (Lincoln Center Production) - 1966 Thomas Carey (London Revival) - 1971 Bruce Hubbard (Broadway Revival) - 1983 Bruce Hubbard - 1988 P.L. Brown (TV Production) - 1989 Willard White - 1993 Michel Bell (Toronto Production) - 1993 Michel Bell (Broadway Revival) - 1994 Mark Coles (London Revival) - 2006 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' wracked wid pain, Tote dat barge! Lif' dat bale! Git a little drunk an' you lands 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 Niggers all work on de Mississippi** Niggers all 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' dar'st make de white boss frown) (Bend your knees an' bow your head) (An' pull dat rope until you're 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 (Ol' man river, dat ol' man river) (He mus' know sumpin', but don't say nothin') (He just keeps rollin') (He keeps on rollin' along) Long, low river Forever keeps rollin' (Don' plant taters, he don' plant cotton) (And dem dat plants' em is soon forgotten) (But ol' man river (He jes' keeps rollin' along) Long low river Keeps singin' dis song You an' me, we sweat an' strain Body all achin' and wracked wid pain Tote dat barge! Lift dat bale! Git a little drunk and ya lands in jail Ah gits weary an' sick o' tryin' Ah'm tired o livin' an' skeered o' dyin' But ol' man river He jes' keeps rollin' along! **The lines "Niggers all work on de Mississippi, Niggers all work while de white folks play" were sung in the original 1927 Broadway Show. They were changed for the 1936 film version to "Darkies all work on de Mississippi, Darkies all work while de white folks play". By the time of the 1946 Broadway revival, the lines had changed again to "Colored folks work on de Mississippi, Colored folks work while de white folks play". And soon after, in the film "Till the Clouds Roll By", they had become "Here we all work on de Mississippi, Here we all work while de white folks play". ************************** STANDARD RECORDED VERSION: OL' MAN RIVER From the Broadway Musical "Show Boat" (1927) (Jerome Kern / Oscar Hammerstein II) Paul Whiteman & His Orch. (vocal: Bing Crosby) - 1928 Al Jolson - 1928 Paul Robeson with Paul Whiteman & His Orch. - 1928 The Revelers - 1928 Jack Hylton & His Orch. (vocal: Paul England) - 1928 Luis Russell & His Orch. (vocal: Sonny Woods) - 1934 Frank Sinatra - 1944 Frank Sinatra (feat. in the film "Till The Clouds Roll By") - 1946 Boyd Raeburn & His Orch. (vocal: Mel Tormé) - 1946 Al Hibbler - 1952 Martha Raye - 1954 Tony Bennett - 1959 Roy Hamilton - 1959 Sam Cooke - 1960 Ray Charles - 1963 Frank Sinatra - 1963 Charlie Rich - 1964 The Lettermen - 1965 Cilla Black - 1965 Pat Boone - 1966 The Temptations - 1967 Lou Rawls - 1968 Also recorded by: Jim Croce; Sammy Davis Jr.; Bo Diddley; Edmundo Ros; Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen; Melanie; Rosemary Clooney; Les Brown & His Band of Renown; Gordon MacRae; Cher; Les Paul; Bob Pearson; Oscar Peterson; André Previn; Robert Merrill; Marian Montgomery; Caterina Valente; Louis Prima; Denis Quilley; Della Reese; Roy Rogers; Harry James & His Orch.; Chet Atkins; Judy Garland; Duke Ellington; Stephane Grappelli; Lionel Hampton; Erroll Garner; Dick Haymes; Al Hirt; The Ink Spots; Percy Faith & His Orch.; Tommy Dorsey; Beach Boys; Gordon MacRae; Melanie; Howard Keel; David Kernan; Frank Sinatra Jr.; Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orch; Roger Whittaker; Stan Kenton; Pasadena Roof Orch.; Glenn Miller: ............. and many, many others. Ol' man river, that ol' man river He must know somethin', but he don't say nothin' He just keeps rollin' He keeps on rollin' along He don't plant taters, he don't plant cotton An' them that plants' 'em is soon forgotten But ol' man river He just keeps rollin' along You an' me, we sweat an' strain Body all achin' and wracked with pain Tote that barge! Lift that bale! You get a little drunk an' you land in jail I get weary and sick of tryin' I'm tired of livin' and scared of dyin' But ol' man river He just keeps rollin' along *********************** SOME OTHER VERSIONS: 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. Male Chorus: (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 you'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 don't say nothin'; He jus' keeps rollin' He keeps on rollin' along. He don't plant taters, he don' plant cotton, An' dem dat plants `em is soon forgotten; But ol' man river He jus' keeps rollin' along. You an' me, we sweat an' strain Body all achin' an' racked wid pain. "Tote dat barge!" "Lift 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 jus' keeps rollin' along. STANDARD RECORDED VERSION (without 2 verses on the beginning): 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 don't say nothin'; He jus' keeps rollin' He keeps on rollin' along. He don't plant taters, he don' plant cotton, An' dem dat plants `em is soon forgotten; But ol' man river He jus' keeps rollin' along. You an' me, we sweat an' strain Body all achin' an' racked wid pain. "Tote dat barge!" "Lift 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 jus' keeps rollin' along. ***Or as the first verse instead of the verse "Let me go �": Dere's an ol' man called de Mississippi Dat's de ol' man dat I'd like (long) to be. What does he care if de world's got troubles, What does he care if de land ain't free. (Contributed by Ferda Dolunay - June 2006) ***********************