This video was embedded automatically and may not always match perfectly.
A show tune from the 1927 musical Show Boat, with music composed by Jerome Kern and words written by Oscar Hammerstein II in 1925. The song became the most famous number from the production. It is performed at a slow tempo and appears multiple times throughout the show, with the character Joe performing it completely in the first scene and reprising it four additional times in the stage version.
Lyrics ↗What the lyrics are about
The song juxtaposes the trials and suffering experienced by African Americans against the indifferent, perpetual movement of the Mississippi River. It is performed from the perspective of a black stevedore aboard a showboat, functioning as a commentary on events.
You might also like
