“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

The following year, Peluso starred in the 2016 West End revival of “Show Boat,” a musical he had connected with — particularly its song “Ol’ Man River” — when he was a young actor.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 18, 2023

With a fresh drink beading water atop his piano, Eggleston plays “Ol’ Man River” from the Broadway musical “Show Boat.”

From New York Times • Oct. 17, 2016

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