Written by Oscar Hammerstein and Jerome Kern
Intro: C Am7 Dm7 G7 C G7 Colored folks work on the Mississipi, colored folks work while the white folks play C7 F C Am7 D7 G7 C Pullin' those boats from the dawn to sunset, gittin' no rest till the judgement day Em Am6 Em Am6 Em Am6 Em B7 Don't look up an' don't look down, you don't dast make the white boss frown Em Cdim Em Cdim Em Em7 F#m7 Cdim Dm7 C Bend yo' knees bow yo' head, an' pull that hope until yo're dead C7 A7 Dm Let me go'way from the Mississipi, let me go 'way, from the white men boss Fdim C Bb7 G7 C G7 Show me that stream called the river Jordan, that's the ol' stream that I long to cross C Am C F C F C Am Ol' man river, ol' man river, he must know sumpin' but don't say nothing G7 Dm7 G7 C Dm7 C He jus' keeps rollin'; He keeps on rollin' along Am C F C Am C Cdim He don't planttaters, he don't plant cotton, an' them dat plants'em is soon forgoten G7 Dm7 G7 C F C Am B7 But ol' man river he jus' keeps rollin' along Em B7 Em B7 Em6 Cdim Em B7 You an' me we sweat an' strain, body all aching' an' racked wid pain Em Cdim Em Cdim Em Cdim Em Dm G7 " Tote dat barge". " Lift dat bale ". Git a little drunk an' land in jail C Am C F C G7 Am D7 Ah gits weary an' sick of tryin' a'm tired of living' an' skeered of dying' C Am Dm G7 C Fm C Dm7 G7 But Ol' man river, he jus' keep rollin' along C Am C F C F C Am Ol' man river, ol' man river, he must know sumpin' but don't say nothing G7 Dm7 G7 C Dm7 C He jus' keeps rollin'; He keeps on rollin' along Am C F C Am C Cdim He don't planttaters, he don't plant cotton, an' them dat plants'em is soon forgoten G7 Dm7 G7 C F C Am B7 But ol' man river he jus' keeps rollin' along Em B7 Em B7 Em6 Cdim Em B7 You an' me we sweat an' strain, body all aching' an' racked wid pain Em Cdim Em Cdim Em Cdim Em Dm G7 " Tote dat barge". " Lift dat bale ". Git a little drunk an' land in jail C Am C F C G7 Am D7 Ah gits weary an' sick of tryin' a'm tired of living' an' skeered of dying' C Am Dm G7 C F G7 C But Ol' man river, he jus' keep rollin' along