here we all work long the mississippi here we all work while the white folk play pullin them boats from the dawn till sunset gettin no rest till the judgment day don t look up and don t look down ya don t dast make the boss man 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 ol man river that ol man river he don t say nothin but he must know somethin he just keeps rollin he keeps on rollin along he don t plant taters and he don t plant cotton and them what plants em are soon forgotten but ol man river just keeps rollin along you and me we sweat and strain body all achin and wracked with pain tote that barge lift that bale ya get a little drunk and ya lands in ja ail i gets weary and sick of tryin i m tired of livin but i m scared of dyin and ol man river he just keeps rollin along