Ol’ Man River – Hammerstein & Kern (Sinatra's arrangement)
Tab by Aatvza
verse 1
[Cmaj7]
Colored folks work on de Mississippi,
[Cmaj7] [G7+5]
Colored folks work while de white folks play,
[C7] [F] [Fm6]
Pullin' dose boats from de dawn to sunset,
[C6] [F] [Fm] [Cmaj7]
Gittin' no rest ‘till de judgement day.
bridge 1
[Em] [B7] [Em] [B7]
Don't look up, An' don't look down,
[Em] [B7] [Em] [B7]
You don' dast make de white boss frown
[Em] [B7] [Em] [B7]
Bend your knees an' bow your head,
[Em] [B7]
An' pull dat rope
[Em] [Cm/G] [G7]
Until you' dead.
verse 2
[Cmaj7]
Let me go 'way from the Mississippi,
[Gdim7] [A] [A7] [Dm]
Let me go 'way from de white man boss;
[Fdim7] [Cmaj7]
Show me dat stream called de river Jordan,
[Fdim7] [Dm7] [G7] [Cadd9]
Dat's de ol' stream dat I long to cross.
interlude
Fmsus4 Fm Cadd9 G11 G+7
chorus 1
[Cmaj7] [Fmaj7]
Ol' man river,
[Cmaj7] [Fmaj7] [F6]
Dat ol' man river,
[Cmaj7] [Dm7]
He mus' know sumpin'
[Em7] [Am7]
But don't say nuthin'
[G7] [Dm7]
He jus' keeps rollin'
[G7] [Dm7] [G6-9] [Cmaj7]
He keeps on rollin' a- long.
interlude
Dm7 G7 G+7
chorus 2
[Cmaj7] [Fmaj7]
He don' plant taters,
[Cmaj7] [Fmaj7]
He don' plant cotton,
[Cmaj7] [Dm7]
An' dem dat plants 'em
[Em7] [Am7]
Is soon forgotten,
[G7] [Dm7]
but ol' man river,
[G7] [Dm7] [G6-9] [Cmaj7]
He jes' keeps rollin' a- long.
interlude
[F#m7] [B7-9]
bridge 2
[Em] [B7] [Em] [B7]
You an' me, we sweat an' strain,
[Em] [B7] [Em] [B7]
Body all achin' an' racked wid pain.
[Em] [B7]
Tote dat barge!
[Em] [B7]
Lif' dat bale!
[Em] [B7]
You gits a little drunk
[Em] [Edim7] [G7] [G7+5]
An' you land in jail.
chorus 3
[Cmaj7] [Fmaj7]
Ah, gits weary
[Cmaj7] [F6]
An' sick of tryin'
[C/G] [G7/F]
Ah'm tired of livin'
[C/E] [D7]
An' skeered of dyin',
[C/G] [Am7]
But ol' man river,
[Dm7] [G7] [C]
He jus' keeps rollin' along!