Discover the story of the song > Old Man River – The Righteous Brothers

The song is about a man who works along the Mississippi River and toils all day long, without rest until the end. He cannot look up or down and must bow his head and pull the boat's rope until he dies. He dreams of leaving the Mississippi and going to the River Jordan, and describes how Ol' Man River just keeps rolling along, planting nothing but still knows something. The man and his colleagues work hard, but they only get tired and drunk, and may even end up in jail.