Ol Man River

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OL' MAN RIVER
Lyrics by: Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by: Jerome Kern
From the Musical "Show Boat" (1936)
Frank Sinatra recorded this song at least 3 times.
These lyrics are from the 1963 arrangement conducted by Nelson Riddle
https://youtu.be/BoLWw7vtO24
[Intro]
C G C
[Verse 1]
C F
Here we all work 'long the Mississippi,
C Am C G
Here we all work, while the rich folk play,
C Am
Pullin' 'em boats from the dawn till sunset,
C G7 G C
Gettin' no rest till the judgment day.
[Bridge]
Em Am Em Am
Don't look up, and don't look down,
Em Am Em Am
You don't dares make the boss man frown,
Em F#m Em F#m
Bend your knees, and bow your head,
Em F#m C Em Dm G
And pull that rope until you're dead.
[Verse 2]
C F
Let me go away from the Mississippi,
C Am C G
Let me go away from the white man boss,
C F C Dm
Show me that stream, called the River Jordan,
C Dm G7 C
That's the old stream, that I long to cross.
[Chorus]
C Am C Am
Old Man River, that Old Man River,
C F C Am C
He don't say nothin', but he must know somethin'.
Am C G7
He just keeps rollin',
C G7 G C F C G7
He keeps on rollin' along.
[Verse 3]
C FM7 C FM7
He don't plant taters, and he don't plant cotton,
C FM7 C FM7
And them what plants 'em are soon forgotten,
C Dm C Dm C F C Dm
But Old Man River, just keeps rollin' along.
[Bridge]
Em Am Em Am
You, and me, we sweat and strain,
Em Am Em Am
Body all achin', and racked with pain,
Em F Em F
Tote that barge, lift that bale,
Em F Em Dm G
You get a little drunk, and you lands in jail.
[Outro]
C FM7 C FM7
I gets weary and sick of tryin',
C Dm C F Dm Dm7
I'm tired of livin', but I'm scared of dyin'
C Dm C Dm C Dm C Dm C Dm C
That Old Man River, he just keeps rollin' along.

Ol Man River chords and lyrics

Free chords for Ol Man River by Frank Sinatra. Scroll the interactive sheet above or read the chord names inline below.

OL' MAN RIVER
Lyrics by: Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by: Jerome Kern
From the Musical "Show Boat" (1936)
Frank Sinatra recorded this song at least 3 times.
These lyrics are from the 1963 arrangement conducted by Nelson Riddle
https://youtu.be/BoLWw7vtO24
[Intro]
C  G  C
[Verse 1]
[Bridge]
[Verse 2]
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
[Bridge]
[Outro]

Ol Man River Chords by Frank Sinatra

Learn how to play Ol Man River by Frank Sinatra with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Ol Man River chords”, “Ol Man River guitar chords”, or “Frank Sinatra Ol 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 Ol Man River chords and for experienced players who want accurate Ol Man River lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, G, F, Am, G7, Em.

Frequently asked questions about Ol Man River

How do I play "Ol Man River" by Frank Sinatra on guitar?

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

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

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

Yes. Tap any chord in "Ol Man River" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

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

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What key is "Ol Man River" in?

The chords for "Ol Man River" show the original chord names (including C, G, F, Am, G7, Em). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.