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Old Man River

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Cmajor

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

Capo 2
Intro:  C   Am   C  Am  
COld Man AmRiver, that COld Man AmRiver, 
He Cmust know Amsomething, but he Emdon't saAmy nothing, 
ThaDmt Old Man RiGver, he Dmjust keeps Gon rolling aClong. Am  C  Am  
He Cdon't plant Amtaters, Cdon't plant Amcotton, 
and Cthem that Amplants them are Emsoon forAmgotten 
But DmOld Man GRiver, he Dmjust keeps Grolling aClong. Am  C  B7  
EmYou and Amme, we Emsweat and Amstrain, 
EmBody all Amaching and Emracked with Ampain. 
EmTote that B7barge, lifEmt that balB7e, 
EmGet a little B7drunk and yoEmu land in DmjailG. 
CBut I get Amweary, and sCick of tAmrying, 
Cause I'Cm tired of lAmiving, but I'm Emscared of Amdying, 
And DmOld Man RGiver, he Dmjust keeps Grolling Calong. Am  C  B7  
EmYou and Amme, we Emsweat and Amstrain, 
EmBody all Amaching and Emracked with Ampain. 
EmTote that B7barge, lifEmt that balB7e, 
EmGet a little B7drunk and yoEmu land in DmjailG. 
CBut I get Amweary, and sCick of tAmrying, 
Cause I'Cm tired of lAmiving, but I'm Emscared of Amdying, 
And DmOld Man RGiver, he Dmjust keeps Grolling Calong. 
Outro:  C   Am   C   Am   Dm   G  C  

All chords in this song (6)

The story behind the song

"Old Man River" captures the enduring spirit of the Mississippi River as a silent witness to human struggles. It draws a stark contrast between the relentless toil of people who "sweat and strain" and the river's indifferent, continuous flow. The lyrics paint a picture of the river as an almost timeless entity, simply "rolling along" while lives unfold on its banks. At its heart, the song is a meditation on resilience and the unceasing passage of time, against which human efforts are both profound and fleeting.

AI-written from these sources:Ol' Man River — Wikipedia ↗Jim Croce — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

Story time

Old Man River

Old Man River

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Chord Book

670,000+ free guitar chords · free-chords.com

Old Man River

by Jim Croce

Lyrics & chords · Original key · Capo on fret 2 (as written in this song)

Chords in this song · guitar

Capo 2

C Am C Am

Intro:

C Am C Am

Old Man River, that Old Man River,

C Am Em Am

He must know something, but he don't say nothing,

Dm G Dm G C Am C Am

That Old Man River, he just keeps on rolling along.

C Am C Am

He don't plant taters, don't plant cotton,

C Am Em Am

and them that plants them are soon forgotten

Dm G Dm G C Am C B7

But Old Man River, he just keeps rolling along.

Em Am Em Am

You and me, we sweat and strain,

Em Am Em Am

Body all aching and racked with pain.

Em B7 Em B7

Tote that barge, lift that bale,

Em B7 Em Dm G

Get a little drunk and you land in jail.

C Am C Am

But I get weary, and sick of trying,

C Am Em Am

Cause I'm tired of living, but I'm scared of dying,

Dm G Dm G C Am C B7

And Old Man River, he just keeps rolling along.

Em Am Em Am

You and me, we sweat and strain,

Em Am Em Am

Body all aching and racked with pain.

Em B7 Em B7

Tote that barge, lift that bale,

Em B7 Em Dm G

Get a little drunk and you land in jail.

C Am C Am

But I get weary, and sick of trying,

C Am Em Am

Cause I'm tired of living, but I'm scared of dying,

Dm G Dm G C

And Old Man River, he just keeps rolling along.

C Am C Am Dm G C

Outro:

About Old Man River Chords by Jim Croce

Learn how to play Old Man River by Jim Croce with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Old Man River chords”, “Old Man River guitar chords”, or “Jim Croce Old Man River chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Old Man River chords and for experienced players who want accurate Old Man River lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, Am, Em, Dm, G, B7.

FAQ — Old Man River by Jim Croce

How do I play "Old Man River" by Jim Croce on guitar?

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Can I transpose "Old Man River" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Old Man River" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Old Man River"?

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Is "Old Man River" easy to play on guitar?

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What key is "Old Man River" in?

The chords for "Old Man River" show the original chord names (including C, Am, Em, Dm, G, B7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.