Other arrangements of Ol' Man River
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(C)Here we all work on de Mis sis (F)sip pi, (C)here we all work while de white (D7)folks (G7)play,
(C)pull in’ dose boats from de (C7)dawn to (F)sun set, (C)get tin’ no (Am)rest till de (D7)judge (G7)ment (C)day.
(Em)Don’t look (B7)up an’ (Em)don’t look (B7)down, you (Em)don’t dast (B7)make de (Em)white boss (B7)frown.
(Em)Bend yo’ (Am6)knees an’ (Em)bow yo’ (Am6)head, an’ (Em)pull dat (Am6)rope un (Em)til yo’re (Dm7)dead.
(C7)Let me go ’way from de Mis sis (F)sip pi, (A7)let me go ’way from de white men (Dm)boss, (Ddim)show me dat stream called de riv er (C)Jor dan, (Bb7)dat’s de ol’ stream dat I long (G7)to (C)cross.
(C)Ol’ man (Am)riv er.
dat (C)ol’ man (F)riv er, he (C)must know (F)sump in’, but (Am7)don’t say noth in’.
He (G7)jus’ keeps roll in’, he (G7)keeps on roll in’ a (C)long.
He don’t plant (Am)’ta ters, he (C)don’t plant (F)cot ton, an’ (Dm)dem dat plants ’em is (Ebdim)soon for got ten.
But (G7)ol’ man riv er, he (G7)jus’ keeps roll in’ a (C)long.
(Em)You an’ (B7)me,
we (Em)sweat an’ (B7)strain,
(Em)bod y all (B7)ach in’ an’ (Em)racked wid (B7)pain.
(Em)“Tote (Am6)dat barge!”
(Em)“Lift dat (Am6)bale.”
(Am)Git a lit tle (Am6)drunk an’ you (G7)land in jail.
(C)Ah gits (Am)wea ry an’ (C)sick of (F)try in’, Ah’m (G7)tired of liv in’ an’ (D7)skeered of dy in’, but (C)ol’ man (Am)riv er, he (G7)jus’ keeps roll in’ a (F)long.
Ol' Man River — Simple Sheet Music
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"Ol' Man River" in simplified sheet music format — the bridge between beginner modes and real sheet music. Color-coded notes with lyrics scrolling horizontally. Perfect for learning to read music. Key of C, 100 BPM.
Tip: Break this song into sections and master each one separately. The speed control lets you drill difficult passages at any tempo.
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About “Ol' Man River”
- How does Simplified Piano Arrangement differ from full sheet music for "Ol' Man River"?
- Simplified Arrangement keeps the melody and chords on a simplified staff with lyrics, color-coded for easy recognition. It's a learner-bridge between Beginner mode and the classic engraved Sheet Music — same song, less visual density.
- What key is "Ol' Man River" by Jerome Kern played in?
- Ol' Man River is arranged in the key of C on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
- What's the tempo (BPM) of "Ol' Man River"?
- The arrangement plays at 100 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
- Is "Ol' Man River" easy to play on piano?
- This is an advanced arrangement. We recommend breaking it into sections and using the speed control to drill harder passages.
- Can I download sheet music for "Ol' Man River"?
- Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
- Who composed "Ol' Man River"?
- "Ol' Man River" was originally performed by Jerome Kern. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
- 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 in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
- Is Simple Sheet good for learning to read sheet music?
- Yes! Simple Sheet bridges the gap between beginner color-coded modes and traditional notation. Notes are displayed on a simplified staff with colors, lyrics, and chords — helping you build music reading skills gradually while still enjoying "Ol' Man River". Key of C, 100 BPM.
- What's the difference between Simple Sheet and Lead Sheet?
- Simple Sheet shows a more streamlined, horizontally scrolling view with color-coded notes on a staff and lyrics below — like a simplified version of real sheet music. Lead Sheet shows melody with chord symbols above and full lyrics. Simple Sheet is the next step toward reading traditional notation.