“Ol' Man River”

Cultural  

1. A song from the musical Show Boat; the river is the Mississippi River. The music to “Ol' Man River” is by Jerome Kern and the words by Oscar Hammerstein II; it was memorably sung by Paul Robeson.

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Example Sentences

Singer Bing Crosby put “Ol’ Man River” on the charts.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 30, 2019

Here is movie mogul Louis B. Mayer sobbing as he watches young Sinatra belt out “Ol’ Man River” in 1943 at the Hollywood Bowl.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2015

“Ol’ Man River” is most closely associated with the stentorian African-American singer, actor, and activist Paul Robeson.

From The New Yorker • Mar. 17, 2015

But while there are haunting references to “Ol’ Man River” and, naturally, the blues, the guitarist ultimately realized it was pointless to trot out all these genres, textbook-style.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 1, 2013

Mr. Taylor sounded less than comfortable in soupy arrangements of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “Shall We Dance?,” but, guitar in hands, he made “Ol’ Man River” something of his own.

From New York Times • Jul. 16, 2012