Frank Sinatra - Ol' Man River Lyrics






[Elongated Intro:]
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 white boss 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
[End Of Intro]

Ol' Man River, that Ol' Man River
He must know somepin', but he don't say nothin'

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 is soon forgotten
But Ol' Man River, jest keeps rollin' along

You and me, we sweat and strain
Bodies all achin' and wracked with pain
Tote that barge and lift that bale
Ya get a little drunk and ya lands in ja-ail

I gets weary and so sick of tryin'
I'm tired of livin', but I'm feared of dyin'
And Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along
[final 2 notes linger for 11 seconds]





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Frank Sinatra Ol' Man River Comments
  1. W.... M....

    Best version ever, RIP from Scotland 💙💙💙

  2. C.... P....

    Best version ever and listen to the sustained note at 3:20

  3. A.... P....

    I would love to now where this version originated from it's very interesting

  4. F.... D....

    This version of 'Old Man River' is an example of why Frank Sinatra exemplified feeling in everything he sang, he understood human dignity, and compassion intimately. When I listen to him sing this I am just as moved to tears as when Paul Robeson, and Judy Garland sang it, because it comes out of his heart.

  5. E.... ....

    While nobody can touch Paul Robeson’s version, Frank Sinatra performed this beautifully....there’s a lot of confusion and anger in the comments. And frankly, that’s how you know when a song is a great song; when it sparks conversation, controversy, and debate.

    Obviously Sinatra can’t really relate to the lyrics as a whole, but it doesn’t mean that they’re completely meaningless to him, or to any other white artist who performs this song.

    “I’m tired of living, but scared of dying,” might be one of the most powerful lines in a song ever...

    I don’t think it’s racist for a white person to sing this song, as long as the history and context is understood. There’s a reason this became an American songbook classic, and it’s because it speaks to mankind as a whole.

    E.... ....

    I feel like Frank Sinatra is one of the worst people to complaint about when it comes to "cultural appropriation". He was a supporter of human rights all his life, and held a gala for Martin Luther King where he sang this song. According to his son, King actually cried from this rendition, so must have been one hell of a performance.

  6. w.... ....

    doesn't sound right with a white guy singing it! lol

    w.... ....

    wheeler1 he’s Italian...

  7. D.... �....

    Esto es talento y no las mamadas de bad bunni y esas chingaderas, esto es una obra de arte 😍😍

  8. E.... A....

    Old man River, the old man River, is the best. Strong song.

  9. J.... G....

    Do we call this cultural appropriation?

    J.... G....

    is Nat King Cole singing "Besame mucho" cultural appropriation?

  10. J.... A....

    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
    You don't das make the boss man frown
    Bend your knees and bow your head
    And pull that rope until your 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 tatters, 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 racked with pain
    Tote that barge and lift that bail
    You get a little drunk and you lands in jail
    I gets weary, and sick of trying
    I'm tired of livin', but I'm scared of dyin'
    But ol' man river, he just keeps rollin' along

  11. e.... ....

    Top class

  12. B.... B....

    The famous song is transformed in Bengali form by the legant singer late Bhupen Hazarika !

  13. q.... ....

    The best EVER.

  14. S.... P....

    To all the thumbs down ur all malakes

  15. s.... ....

    well, i'm in the minority, but i don't think SInatra should sing Old Man River. He did a good job on it, but his voice just doesn't have the "helf" for the song. i'm a big believer that there are some songs that some singers should not sing. There is (i think) an urban legend that at some point during the 70s Kate Smith recorded a version of "If you want my body..."

    s.... ....

    sifridbassoon He didn't have the pain for the song.

  16. G.... M....

    Música clássica em bom de mais

  17. t.... ....

    Ol, man river
    Jerome Kern 's best

  18. B.... ....

    what genre would this be under? classical comes to mind but it doesnt fit it that well

    B.... ....

    Spiritual.

  19. J.... C....

    Definitely the best and most touching version of "Ol' Man River", followed only by Jim Croce's version.

    J.... C....

    J.P. Craven Paul Robeson’s version far outdoes this.

    J.... C....

    I’ll chime in and say Judy Garland’s version is quite something to behold.

  20. P.... o....

    Speechless. What an amazing man.

  21. D.... P....

    The Best!

  22. E.... E....

    I can't find this on Spotify!!!!!

    E.... E....

    Nvmind I was typing old instead of o'l

    E.... E....

    Bless everything about this comment, your reply and your profile pic. Thank you for the laugh!

  23. E.... E....

    Can a song be perfect?

  24. s.... z....

    I love to sing this song with frank when I am in my car :)) turn on mute and sing out so loud, meanwhile I don´t have to breath in the end of the song :)) haha. I love this song so much!!!

    s.... z....

    stefan ziegler oh gosh I’ve done this too!!

  25. G.... Z....

    Frank Sinatra may have been a womanizer and a thug with photographers,, but one thing he was not was a bigot or racist.
    The great Gregory Hines, the best tap dancer after Sammie Davis Jr. died told me a great story about Frank and Sammie. Back in the 1940's they were booked to play the Ambassador Hotel in Chicago. Sammie was the warm-up act for Frank. At that time blacks were not allowed to go through the front door. One afternoon they went out for lunch and as they approached the hotel Sammie told Frank good-bye and he'd see him later. Frank asked Sammie where he was going, and Sammie told Frank, "You know blacks can't go through the front door. We have to go in the back door and take the freight elevator to my room.", " Frank told Sammie, "No, you're a human being. You're going in the front door with me. If anyone complains, I won't perform here." Sammie always had great love and affection for Frank after that.

    G.... Z....

    @barbara wissinger Hi.Thank you for your reply . Wow ,that's different that his grave is simple .I think he had a very good heart ,too ! From what I read & heard about him stood up for racial discrimination & anonymously donated a lot money to help orphanages I'm not a big fan of his ,but truly iconic singer he was ,still is !.

    G.... Z....

    Greg Zulak More then even that...Frank absolutely refused to play in Vegas unless Sammy stayed at the hotel. At that time, on the outside of town was a rundown Shanty Town where blacks had to stay. Sinatra said..he doesn’t stay, I leave. He did this for Nat Cole as well. Dr. Martin Luther King asked Frank to sing this song at an large important meeting....

    G.... Z....

    @saintcruzin That's a very beautiful ,moving story ! Thank you for sharing it w/ us ! I thought Tony Bennette was the one did that kind of things for black musicians as I remember some famous guy ( black ) thanked him directly on t.v.w/ Tony Bennette there on the stage ! Anyways ,either way who did 1st ,or not ...of course to be the 1st was the hardest & bravest ! But, very brave & right things to do ,either way ! They kind of risked their safeties, if not their lives doing so back then !!! Hats off to them ! I'm tearing up now ! Wow ! 👍🎵🎶💜🎤🥁😻

    G.... Z....

    Nobody is perfect. We all have good and bad traits.

    G.... Z....

    It's nice too see that abusing your status too have sex with woman in your eyes is better than having a belief that looks down on someone else seems like you have your priorities straight

  26. D.... L....

    Obviously, Sinatra is a racist for stealing a black man's song. Antifa and the Left should dig up his corpse, spray paint it, and then burn it.

    D.... L....

    nice strawman

    D.... L....

    Lol the song was written by two white guys.

    D.... L....

    @Susan S Jews.

    D.... L....

    @Andrew Tucker Not even a little.

    D.... L....

    Derek Leaberry Please don't give Antifa and the left any ideals. Lol. I love Frank and his voice is excellent but he should have left this one ALONE

  27. T.... 5....

    My favorite song from ''Showboat''.

  28. s.... z....

    this is the best version! good old franky Boy.

  29. r.... d....

    What A Voice.

  30. m.... e....

    holy shit. bravo Frank... bra fucking vo.

  31. J.... B....

    What about when he did this song in 1946. I believe he sang this song much better then. That was before his voice gave and he did his huge comeback

  32. S.... M....

    I had a double CD back in the day that included this, which I so cherish.  Any idea of the name of the CD? Greatest Hit or something? ( His later work - this, of course, included).  I wish I would kept it!  :( Any info would be so appreciated.

  33. H.... D....

    Best Versions are the Paul Robeson, Judy Garland, and William Warfield ones but this one is still pretty damn good. Sammy Davis Jr's is amazing too.

  34. p.... m....

    Touched by God, must be to have such a voice. Beautiful, powerful and emotional

  35. F.... S....

    Unforgettable artist!

  36. p.... ....

    Here we all work while the white folks play.... just silly. Equating the prejudice shown Italian immigrants with the black experience? Just too much.

    p.... ....

    This is not his song, it was originally sang by a black man. Frank just did this cover of it, probably to raise attention to racism since he was against people discriminating people based on their race

  37. B.... I....

    A true racial equality pioneer . . . he wouldn't play his gigs in Vegas until they let his black band members stay at the same hotel as him and his white band members. There are many more stories like this, counter-intuitive for sure . . . a class act always . . .

    B.... I....

    BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE yet he made racist comments onstage and constantly made fun of Sammy Davis JR as well. He was a piece of shit. But I do love this song and witchcraft.

    B.... I....

    Just a gentleman overall.

    B.... I....

    I thought that was Tony Bennett!?

  38. W.... ....

    Man, he does this song justice. Fantastic! Sounds like he put it all in this song.

  39. S.... S....

    ♬~~La Esterella d'Anvers 7 mai 1919-11 avril 2011 funérailles le 16 avril 2011~~♬

  40. A.... ....

    Sinatra was a horny, arrogant man with connections to the mob. Get over yourselves.

    A.... ....

    While all that is true, it doesn't take away from his fabulous talent. 'Judge not lest ye be judged'.

  41. R.... S....

    He sings it better than anyone. Thank You.

    R.... S....

    Ron Shears Agree

    R.... S....

    Not better than robeson.

    R.... S....

    He does a beautiful job. He really does. But it doesn't touch Robeson's.

    R.... S....

    jake preet or Warfield

    R.... S....

    It's a great version. But for the songs content I just prefer a black voice

  42. r.... ....

    For some reason I cry at the crescendo of Frank's performance of this song. It is so powerful, elegant and stunning. I love Sinatra.

  43. s.... Z....

    I love Frankieboy I love this song and in my car I sing it loud with him :))) It is perfect because it is not too high for my voice. I was searching for this Version Long time. thanks for posting!!

  44. F.... C....

    My favorite rendition Jailllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

  45. m.... a....

    Una volta Frank disse: "Di me potete dire quello che volete, ma quando canto sono sincero".

  46. B.... ....

    Superb singing, but really lacks the heart on what this song means and why it was written. just saying.

    B.... ....

    Martin Luther King disagrees. He was moved to tears when Sinatra sang this at an NAACP rally in the mid 60s.

    B.... ....

    I would say it lacks the heart if many non black people song this song but Frank was different because he cared and protested for civil rights. I personally love his voice and style eventhough I am a young r&b and rap loving black man. Frank was and will always be a legend in my book.

    B.... ....

    While I love Frank's rendition, you might want to listen to Judy Garland's take on this song. She evoked more pathos than any singer... past or present. Which is why she's the GOAT... all her contemporaries knew it and said so... even Frank.

    B.... ....

    Paul Robeson has a better voice (especially for this song), but Sinatra gives us a non-sanitized version. The stoicism of the oppressed is an important fact, whatever we make of it.

    B.... ....

    Bunnypod Agree

  47. b.... ....

    beautiful rendition

  48. C.... ....

    Sinatra sung this song cause he believed he shared many same struggles with African-Americans. He grew up in a neighborhood where Italians were still being discriminated against almost as worse as Blacks at the time. He was a very early and important figure in the desegregation of many hotels, theaters, and casinos across the country, especially in Vegas.

    C.... ....

    I kinda wish I was grown in the same way Sinatra was. Even through all of the empathy I have for black people, and working class people for that matter, with all the effort I put into trying to live in their shoes, and see through their eyes, I know deep down that I'll never _truly_ know what it was like. To be trampled on by ignorance and arrogance, by prejudice and insecurity, only to be wrapped in a deep cover of despair and misery, simply because of something you can't control. And this is coming from a guy who lives with severe chronic depression. I have it bad, but Sinatra, and Nat Cole, King Jr., JL Hooker, had it worse. And that's why I respect them so much.

    C.... ....

    @jakesprake fucking dumbass parrot.

    C.... ....

    @Patrick Huffman simply for your religious beliefs?

    C.... ....

    @Larree from CT new world odor

    C.... ....

    Irish flourish from their struggles

  49. s.... ....

    for a white guy he gets away with it. somehow. i like it.

    s.... ....

    Darn right he does! :) I love his voice, such talent.

    s.... ....

    Simply the best male singer of the last century.

    s.... ....

    What I found odd, is that 2 white guys (Kern and Hammerstein) wrote this song and it sounds like an old spiritual.

    s.... ....

    ever heard of Luciano Pavarotti?

    s.... ....

    @Jacob Richter Ever listen to "My Way" with Sinatra AND Pavarotti? Look it up! Amazing!

  50. S.... S....

    Jaw-dropping. Exquisite phrasing, arrangement. Never thought a "man of privilege" could nail an angst-ridden song like this. All hail the Chairman.

    S.... S....

    Sun Search Man of Privilege? Frank came from a working class Italian family in the early 20th century. Italians were looked down upon. They were referred to as "Wops" and often discriminated against. The women in my mother's family wouget their ears pierced because they didn't want people to think they were low class and stereo type them.

    S.... S....

    dude don’t call him the chairman, he doesn’t like to be called that.

    S.... S....

    Italians were also discriminated by WASPs back then.

    S.... S....

    Lol I knew old people who thought that about earrings.

  51. Z.... ....

    Gave me goosebumps all over

  52. G.... G....

    This is my favourite version. It is a test on Frank's ability but he killed he me when he he could sing when he was inhaling.

  53. J.... c....

    He move me always with this song

  54. T.... S....

    Why would Frank Sinatra agree to sing this anti white song ?

    T.... S....

    i think he is refering to a few lyrics like "to get away from the white man boss"

    T.... S....

    Because it's a truly great song, and he can do it justice.

    T.... S....

    Thomas Schmidt Maybe if you watched the movie this was from you'd understand it better. Watch Showboat.

    This really isn't so much an antibiotic white song. It was sung by a black man in the movie. Things were different back then and you may not realize the Frank was a huge supporter of rights for blacks. He wouldn't even play in the hotels that didn't allow blacks to stay there.

    So once again, this really isn't so much an antibiotic white song. Not everything is about race.

    T.... S....

    Song was written by 2 Jewish men. In New York City.You are aware this song is from a Broadway musical?

    T.... S....

    Thomas Schmidt Frank Sinatra is Italian. White folks hated him too

  55. K.... P....

    So much love for Frank Sinatra.

  56. b.... d....

    Ecco perché "the Voice". Piango di soddisfazione.

  57. s.... ....

    1963 The Concert Sinatra....one of his very best LPs..

  58. H.... L....

    genius!!

  59. v.... ....

    I sure miss Frank Sinatra. He was the best. Loved his personality too. When he sings this song, it makes me cry. Thanks for posting.

    v.... ....

    +valentinolover70 He was the Best! It seems I was born listening to Frank Sinatra's songs, thanks to my Dad, and I'll go on listening to him till the day I die!

    v.... ....

    Now you might like Steve Lippia(youTube). Sinatra was and is forever with me also.

    v.... ....

    To my mind, he´s still the best by far!!!!

    v.... ....

    Exactly, the river runs ....

  60. T.... D....

    Frank Sinatra is an absolute legend.

  61. M.... L....

    Terrific song and interpretation, but there is a small but quite noticeable "pop" or skip at ~4:04.  Might you re-upload, please?  In any case, thanks for the upload.  Mark

  62. R.... G....

    All i can say Frank was the best and still is.

    R.... G....

    Ray Giammarco I hate music today it does not compare with the sound of Sinatra

    R.... G....

    100% correct Peter

    R.... G....

    Deano sammy joey peter frankie they were original 😎😎😎😎

  63. T.... M....

    Huuaaah, 3, 23 - 3,35...thats something!

  64. M.... ....

    I heard this song in Pasila series fifth season finale. From that day, I've been looking this song. I really had to ask from father about this, since he knows more about old songs than me

    M.... ....

    Pasila is an area in Helsinki? Not very nice part. Just saying;)

  65. s.... ....

    Oh man, one of Franks finest!

  66. p.... c....

    Cette version ne me fait pas oublier celle de Paul Robson,même si celle d'Old Blue Eyes me parait meilleure;non pas à cause de la voix(les deux étant parfaites)MAIS Sinatra ressemble au MISSISSIPI;à la fois doux et violent par moments
    Merry Christmas,Froh Weinnachten;joyeux noel

  67. D.... B....

    So lovely, so perfect.

  68. R.... T....

    capolavooooorooooooo!!!

  69. h.... ....

    I can totally see why the ladies were so crazy about him. And as for the song lets not even talk about it, just listen...

  70. T.... M....

    Mindblowing! Those low chords, Unbeliavable.

  71. G.... L....

    As always, Frank nails it!!!!

  72. P.... M....

    all the times really good music my friend hypherism . Thanks for uploaded