Posts Tagged ‘Ol’’
REQUEST: “Ol’ Man River” (music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II) was a popular song written for the 1927 musical “Show Boat”, that contrasts African American hardship and struggles of the time with the endless, uncaring flow of the Mississippi River, from the view of a dock worker on a showboat.
The most famous rendition of it, one that is still noted today, was sung by Paul Robeson in James Whale’s 1936 film version of “Show Boat” (Robeson had first performed the song in the 1928 London production of the show and in the 1932 Broadway revival, and had even recorded it with Paul Whiteman’s orchestra back in 1928). Many musicians and musical groups have covered the song, including Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Sam Cooke, Al Jolson, Ray Charles, Jim Croce, and The Beach Boys and it is considered an American classic. William Warfield sang it in the 1951 film version of “Show Boat”, another rendition which became very famous. (It became his signature song, and he performed it several times on television.) Famous bass singer of The Temptations, Melvin Franklin was known to sing this at most concerts, and it eventually became his signature song, as well. Judy Garland, one of the few female singers to attempt the song, sang a powerful rendition of it on her television show in 1963, and also recorded it.
Here is my humble attempt at this powerful, broadway chart. I hope I do it justice and I hope that you all enjoy it!
Thank you for watching! Much appreciated! : )
Duration : 0:3:28
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This originally comes from here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRiZiVvdX4g
LYRICS:
Dare’s an ol’ man cal’d de Mississipi
Dat’s de ol’ man dat I’d lek to be
Whot does he care
iv de world gets trauble
Whot does he care iv de land lev’s free.
Ol’ man river,
Dat ol’ man river
He mus’know sumpin’
But don’t say nuthin’,
He jes’keeps rollin’
He keeps on rollin’ along.
He don’ plant taters,
He don’t plant cotton,
An’ dem dat plants’em
is soon forgotten,
But ol’man river,
He jes keeps rollin’along.
You an’me, we sweat an’ strain,
Body all achin’ an’ racket wid pain,
Tote dat barge!
Lif’ dat bale!
Git a little drunk
An’ you land in jail.
Ah gits weary
An’ sick of tryin’
Ah’m tired of livin’
An’ skeered of dyin’,
But ol’ man river,
He jes’keeps rolling’ along.
[Colored folks work on de Mississippi,
Colored folks work while de white folks play,
Pullin’ dose boats from de dawn to sunset,
Gittin’ no rest till de judgement day.
Don’t look up
An’ don’t look down,
You don’ dast make
De white boss frown.
Bend your knees
An’bow your head,
An’ pull date rope
Until you’ dead.)
Let me go ‘way from the Mississippi,
Let me go ‘way from de white man boss;
Show me dat stream called de river Jordan,
Dat’s de ol’ stream dat I long to cross.
O’ man river,
Dat ol’ man river,
He mus’know sumpin’
But don’t say nuthin’
He jes’ keeps rollin’
He keeps on rollin’ along.
(Long ol’ river forever keeps rollin’ on…)
He don’ plant tater,
He don’ plant cotton,
An’ dem dat plants ‘em
Is soon forgotten,
but ol’ man river,
He jes’ keeps rollin’ along.
(Long ol’ river keeps hearing dat song).
You an’ me, we sweat an’ strain,
Body all achin an’ racked wid pain.
Tote dat barge!
Lif’ dat bale!
Git a little drunk
An’ you land in jail.
Ah, gits weary
An’ sick of tryin’
Ah’m tired of livin’
An’ skeered of dyin’,
But ol’ man river,
He jes’keeps rollin’ along!
Duration : 0:4:30
From Showboat’s 2nd version (1936) Paul Robeson – Ol’ Man River
Ol’ Man River (Jerome Kern – Oscar Hammerstein II)
Lyrics from the Original Libretto
Dare’s an ol’ man cal’d de Mississipi
Dat’s de ol’ man dat I’d lek to be
Whot does he care
iv de world gets trauble
Whot does he care iv de land lev’s free.
Ol’ man river,
Dat ol’ man river
He mus’know sumpin’
But don’t say nuthin’,
He jes’keeps rollin’
He keeps on rollin’ along.
He don’ plant taters,
He don’t plant cotton,
An’ dem dat plants’em
is soon forgotten,
But ol’man river,
He jes keeps rollin’along.
You an’me, we sweat an’ strain,
Body all achin’ an’ racket wid pain,
Tote dat barge!
Lif’ dat bale!
You gits a little drunk
An’ you lands in jail.
Ah gits weary
An’ sick of tryin’
Ah’m tired of livin’
An’ skeered of dyin’,
But ol’ man river,
He jes’keeps rolling’ along.
[Colored folks work on de Mississippi,
Colored folks work while de white folks play,
Pullin’ dose boats from de dawn to sunset,
Gittin’ no rest till de judgement day.
Don’t look up
An’ don’t look down,
You don’ dast make
De white boss frown.
Bend your knees
An’bow your head,
An’ pull date rope
Until you’ dead.)
Let me go ‘way from the Mississippi,
Let me go ‘way from de white man boss;
Show me dat stream called de river Jordan,
Dat’s de ol’ stream dat I long to cross.
O’ man river,
Dat ol’ man river,
He mus’know sumpin’
But don’t say nuthin’
He jes’ keeps rollin’
He keeps on rollin’ along.
(Long ol’ river forever keeps rollin’ on…)
He don’ plant tater,
He don’ plant cotton,
An’ dem dat plants ‘em
Is soon forgotten,
but ol’ man river,
He jes’ keeps rollin’ along.
(Long ol’ river keeps hearing dat song).
You an’ me, we sweat an’ strain,
Body all achin an’ racked wid pain.
Tote dat barge!
Lif’ dat bale!
Git a little drunk
An’ you land in jail.
Ah, gits weary
An’ sick of tryin’
Ah’m tired of livin’
An’ skeered of dyin’,
But ol’ man river,
He jes’keeps rollin’ along!
Duration : 0:4:19