| C | F | C | F | |
| Ol' Man | River, that | Ol' Man | River, |
| C | F | C | F | |
| he | don't say | nothin', but he | must know | somethin', |
| G | G7 | G | G7 | C | F | C | F | |
| he | just keeps | rollin', he | keeps on | rollin' | along. |
| C | F | C | F | |
| He | don't plant | tatters, and he | don't plant | cotton, |
| C | Em | Am | B7 | |
| and | them what | plants em, are | soon for | gotten |
| G | Dm | G | F | C | F | C | |
| But | Ol' Man | River, | just keeps | rollin' | along. |
| Em | Am | Em | Am | |
| You and | me, we | sweat and | strain, |
| Em | Am | Em | Am | |
| body all | achin' and | racked with | pain. |
| Em | B7 | Em | B7 | |
| Tote that | barge and | lift that | bail, |
| Em | B7 | Em | Dm | G | |
| you | get a little | drunk and you | lands in | jail. |
| C | F | C | F | |
| I gets | weary, and | sick of | trying, |
| C | Dm | Am | D7 | |
| I'm | tired of | livin', but I'm | scared of | dyin', |
| C | Am | Dm | G7 | C | F | C | |
| but | Ol' Man | River, he | just keeps | rollin' | along. |
| repeat all |