Missing perhaps the single greatest southern song ever recorded, performed, or even possible.
Paul Robson
SHowboat, 1936
"Let me go ´way from this Mississippi.
Let me go ´way from the white man boss.
Show me that stream, called the river Jordan.
That’s the old stream that I long to cross.
Old Man River,
that Old Man River,
he must know something
but he don’t say nothing.
He just keeps rolling.
He keeps on rolling along.
He don’t plant tatoes.
He don’t plant cotton.
And them that plants them
is soon forgotten.
But Old Man River,
he just keeps rolling along.
You and me,
we sweat and strained.
Body all achening, racked with pain.
Tote that barge
and lift that bail.
Get a little drunk then we’ll land in jail.
I get weary
And sick of trying.
I’m tired of living
and scared of dying,
but Old Man River,
he just keeps rolling along".
I'd love to find an MP3 of that, it sends a chill up my spine every time.
I'd love to find an MP3 of that, it sends a chill up my spine every time.
Agreed on the "chills" and goosebumps when hearing Ol' Man River. Especially the orignal Paul Robeson version - but really, just about anytime, anywhere.
We can *all* relate to "tote that barge, lift that bale" on any given day.