| Here we all work 'long the Mississippi
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| Here we all work while the white folk play
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| Pullin' them boats from the dawn till sunset
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| Gettin' no rest till the judgment day
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| Don’t look up and don’t look down
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| Ya don’t dast make the white boss frown
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| Bend your knees and bow your head
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| And pull that rope until you’re dead
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| Let me go 'way from the Mississippi
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| Let me go 'way from the white man boss
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| Show me that stream called the River Jordan
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| That’s the old stream that I long to cross
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| Ol' Man River, that Ol' Man River
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| He must know somepin', but he don’t say nothin'
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| He just keeps rollin', he keeps on rollin' along
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| He don’t plant taters, and he don’t plant cotton
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| And them what plants 'em is soon forgotten
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| But Ol' Man River, jest keeps rollin' along
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| You and me, we sweat and strain
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| Bodies all achin' and wracked with pain
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| Tote that barge and lift that bale
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| Ya get a little drunk and ya lands in ja-ail
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| I gets weary and so sick of tryin'
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| I’m tired of livin', but I’m feared of dyin'
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| And Ol' Man River, he just keeps rollin' along |