Dark people work on the Mississippi
Dark people work while de white people play
Pullin' them boats from the dawn to sunset
Gettin' no rest till the judgement day
Don't look up an' don't look down
You don't dust, make the white boss frown
Bend your knees an' bow your head
An' 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 ol' stream that I long to cross
O' man river that ol' man river
He must know somethin' but don't say nothin'
He just keeps rollin'
He keeps on rollin' along
Long ol' river forever keeps rollin' on...
He don't plant tater
He don't plant cotton
An' them that plants 'em is soon forgotten
But ol' man river he just keeps rollin' along
Long ol' river keeps hearing that song
You and me, we sweat an' strain
Body all achin' and racked with pain
Tote that barge!
Lift that bale!
Git a little drunk an' you land in jail
Ah, gits weary an' sick of tryin'
I'm tired of livin' an' scared of dyin'
But ol' man river he just keeps rollin' along
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