Colored folks work on de Mississippi,
Colored folks work while de white folks play,
Pullin' does boats from de dawn to sunset,
Gittin' no rest till de judgement day.
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 yo'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' a long.
He don't plant 'taters,
He don't 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 fits weary an' sick of tryin'
Ah'm tired o flivin'
An' skeered of dyin'
But Ol' man river he jus' keeps rollin' along.