Ol' Man River

by Jerome Kern
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Same song, different levels

Ol' Man River

Very Easy
Jerome Kern100 BPM

Ol' Man River

Advanced
Jerome Kern112 BPM
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Lyrics

(C)Ol’ man (F)riv er, dat (C)ol’ man (F)riv er; he (C)must know (F)sump in’, but (C)don’t say noth in’.

He (Dm7)jus’ keeps (G7)roll in’, he (Dm7)keeps on (G7)roll in’ a (C)long.

He (C)don’t plant (F)’ta ters, he (C)don’t plant (F)cot ton, an’ (C)dem dat plants ’em is soon for (Ebdim)got ten.

But (Dm7)ol’ man (G7)riv er, he (Dm7)jus’ keeps (G7)roll in’ a (C)long.

(Em)You an’ (B7)me,

we (Em)sweat and (B7)strain,

(Em)bod y all (B7)ach in’ an’ (Em)racked wid (B7)pain.

(Em)“Tote dat (Am)barge!”

(Em)“Lift dat (Am)bale.”

(Em)Get a lit tle (Am)drunk an’ you (Em)land in (Dm)jail.

(C)Ah gits (F)wea ry an’ (C)sick of (F)try in’, ah’m (C)tired of (G7)liv in’ an’ (Am)skeered of (D7)dy in’, but (C)ol’ man (Am)riv er, he (Dm7)jus’ keeps (G7)roll in’ a (C)long.

Ol' Man River by Jerome Kern

Easy piano arrangement in the key of C at 120 BPM. Difficulty: easy. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.

About “Ol' Man River”

What key is "Ol' Man River" in?
"Ol' Man River" by Jerome Kern is in the key of C with a tempo of 120 BPM. Difficulty: easy.
Is "Ol' Man River" easy to play on piano?
Yes — this arrangement is rated easy, meaning it uses simple chord patterns and a manageable tempo. Most beginners can play through it in 1-3 practice sessions using our color-coded notes.
Can I play "Ol' Man River" without reading sheet music?
Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.
How long does it take to learn "Ol' Man River" on piano?
1–3 short practice sessions for the basics; 2–3 weeks to perform confidently with both hands.
What other songs by Jerome Kern can I play here?
Try "SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES", "NOBODY ELSE BUT ME", "WHY DO I LOVE YOU?". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.

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