What are you on about. A) There's nothing 'so called' about historical facts and B) This song was written for show boat in 1927... it was always about african-americans
He did subscribe to the Communist Party during the kindling of the 'Red Scare' and he was also in the wrong time to be the race he was. It was inevitable that he be sort of disowned or excommunicated, however talented he may have been.
I am an 86 year old white woman who heard this song when she was about 14 years old and I have never forgotten it or the singer. This was the original protest song. Greatness
Paul Robeson had an extremely wide range of talent: He was valedictorian of his class at Rutgers University; he was a lawyer; he had a marvelous singing voice; he was a movie actor; he was an early civil rights activist; he was a college football all star; and he played pro football. Talk about versatility and talent!
Thomas H. smith Now I know why the devil chose to sing this song trough the 1949 14 year old possessed boy body in saint louis missouri it's because of the line you reference it fits the devil the devil is weary and sick of trying i am tired of living but scared of dying.
Back in the early 70s (In The South) our school had an assembly in the gym. The principal, an older black man who also sided as a pastor, couldn't get the students' attention. He always seemed kind of weak so, you have to know the students took advantage of him. In front of all of us (about 2,000) he started singing this with the loudest and most elegant baritone voice ever, eventually had most of the students in tears. It took about 10 seconds for everyone to quite down.
It’s a powerful piece of music that time and racially segregated America forgot. I’ve loved the song since I discovered it through Frank Sinatra’s cover a few months ago, and here I am now feeling more emotion from Robeson than I ever did when listening to Sinatra. I don’t know if it’s the old-time audio that I find is always easy for me to connect to emotionally or the knowledge this song was written in such a morally dubious time period, but I’m crying from it all the same.
Paul Robeson truly a man ahead of his time, singer, actor, civil rights and political activist, top athlete, and Columbia graduate. He’s truly not appreciated enough.
Rutgers, not Columbia. Rutgers (Queens College) and Columbia (King's College) were both part of the Colonial Universities. While the others converted or remained private and formed the Ivy league, only Queen's College (later Rutgers) chose to remain a public university.
@@Bruce947 he’s my idol, Since I stumbled onto a documentary about him as a teen ironically from meming about the ussr anthem in English. Ive always felt like that’s a great comparison
@@robinndjavera5625 Hello, Robin. There is one written by his granddaughter, Susan Robeson, which is titled "Grandpa Stops A War: A Paul Robeson Story." It's wonderful. Warm wishes.
Wales will always keep Mr Robeson very much in our hearts. He stood by us through thick and thin.. Supported our miners when no one else would. God bless. A legend.
And the Welsh miners in turn were to first to launch a campaign in his support when the US government withdrew his passport and travel rights. My dad ended up in a mine near Aberdare for 2 weeks after arriving in the UK from Hungary in 56, before realising he was too tall and claustrophobic for that job. He met Paul Robeson in Blackburn when he toured the UK- 1969 I believe.
Paul Robeson was an outstanding man. He went to Rutgers U on an academic scholarship, was All American in football and class valedictorian. He got a Law Degree from Columbia Law School, played in the NFL, and moved into theater, in which he made his reputation in England and then internationally. He became increasingly active in civil rights causes, working against the Nazis in the Spanish Civil War, and for the Council on African Affairs (CAA) in the USA. He campaigned against colonial exploitation of Africa. He met President Truman and demanded that Truman act to put a stop to lynchings, and Truman threw him out, stating that the time was not ripe to act against lynching. His outspoken support for civil rights and trade unionism led to his being harassed by the FBI and Congress who accused him of being a communist. Although there was no proof he was a communist, the FBI declared the CAA to be a subversive organization, his passport was revoked, and he was later black-listed by the McCarthy Anti-American Activities Committee. The FBI prevented him from giving public performances, and the black-listing kept him from movies and theater, so his career was trashed until the courts set aside the black-listing, and he made a comeback in 1957-58, but his health failed and put an end to his career.
Thanks for all the information he was an icon ....what a man should be taught in schools ....he was such an achiever in all aspects of life .....he could be a hero an inspiration for some of the youth today .....a master in all fields...
I'm pretty sure he was an active communist activist, even went to Russia and met with Stalin a few times. While he was treated very unfairly by Americans for being communist and even by Russia (they killed his best friend and imprisoned another), he still supported the ideology. I wouldn't fault him for it though, the communist party was one of the first to support civil rights during his time.
Very powerful. It is stating that we are not of this world, yet in a world ruled by someone who doesn't care about you or me. We are tired of living, yet afraid of dying because of giving up on the one that sent us here. It is not easy.
It's the final line "but Old Man River, he just keeps rollin' along" that clinches it. Our human lives are fraught with pain, misery and fear - but look at that calm river rolling along without a care in the word.
Brilliant singer, author, athlete, lawyer, humanitarian, language learner, clasical, opera, and folk spiritual singer. He is my hero as a proud African American because tenaciously defied all the racial and class barriers as he astutely focused on his goals and spirituality.
I am an Indian. At least in two Indian languages Assamese and Bengali this song is translated - not exact translation but translation of the concept & the chords. Mississippi became Brahmaputra (in Assamese) and Ganges or Ganga (in Bengali) - two of the key rivers in the Indian civilization. The legend behind these songs, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, was neighbour of Paul Robeson in NY while he was doing PhD in Columbia University. He was greatly influenced by Paul Robeson's protest music and adopted them in our languages. Isn't it beautiful how language of protest and mass movement against oppression is so same? Long live Paul Robeson, long live Bhupen Hazarika.
@@aloh99 yes, it is word by word translation of the Bengali version. Kabiraj Pandit Narendra Sharma translation. He was Sanskrit expert, naturally Tatsam shabd are used frequently. So nice to ears actually
"When one senator asked him why he hadn't remained in the Soviet Union, he replied, 'Because my father was a slave, and my people died to build this country, and I am going to stay here, and have a part of it just like you. And no Fascist-minded people will drive me from it. Is that clear? I am for peace with the Soviet Union, and I am for peace with China, and I am not for peace or friendship with the Fascist Franco, and I am not for peace with Fascist Nazi Germans. I am for peace with decent people.'" Paul Robeson on why he was a communist.
And where Sir would you rather reside today? Amongst the kindly former socialists of Russia and China or in the formerly fascist Spain? Robeson loved all the benefits of market economies he simply didn't care for the people that made it possible and so simply advocated for a change in the hand that griped the whip of authoritarianism rather then an end to the blows.
Sheer nonsense on Mr. Robeson's part. The Soviet Union's murderous history makes even the evils of Nazi Germany look comparatively lukewarm. The mass slaughter and repression against the Russian Orthodox clergy in the first 10 years of the U.S.S.R. alone was hell on earth. If Robeson was unaware of this, he spoke in praise out of ignorance and if he was aware of it, he spoke in praise out of malice.
1st time I heard it, I was impressed. A beautiful voice & a treasured song. It's sad that the blacks have denied some of their beautiful songs be song. Like " Old Black Joe" etc. They're song that define a culture. A history that should be kept alive. To deny your past is a sin.
One of the most talented people of all time - singer, actor, footballer, scholar, lawyer, multi-lingual. Inspirational. On top of that, he played a crucial part in the Civil Rights Movement. Hail Paul Robeson!
My Dad was a huge Robeson fan. Love him fiercely. Years ago when the Sydney Harbour Bridge was being built, he came down and sang to the workers. Such a hero.
"Let me go away from the Mississippi. Let me go away from the white man boss. Show me that stream called the river Jordan. That's the old stream that I long to cross."
There are many baritone voices around in contemporary music. Do you mean 2022 chart (pop) music or recent(!) music from over the pop music decades? Ian Curtis; Joy Division. Andrew Eldritch; Sisters Of Mercy. Leonard Cohen. Scott Walker. Sometimes you've got to push your own boundaries to find very different styles?
There's an old man called the Mississippi That's the old man that I long to be What does he care if the world's got troubles? What does he care if the land ain't free? Old man river That old man river He must know something But don't say nothin' He just keeps rollin' He keeps on rolling along But he don't plant taters And he don't plant cotton And them that plants 'em Are soon forgotten But old man river He just keeps on rolling along Oh, you and me, we sweat and strain Body all achin' and racked with pain Tote that barge Lift that bale Get a little drunk And you land in jail I gets weary And sick of tryin' I'm tired of livin' And scared of dyin' But old man river He just keeps rolling along
I'm glad I discovered Paul Robeson. After reading more about him, I think that it is an absolute shame that he does not get an adequate amount of acknowledgement in American society today. I get goosebumps listening to this and Old Kentucky Home.
I'm an owl paddy from Ireland and my favourite ballads are Irish songs of defiance, immigration and about the wild Irish characters but Paul Robeson singing old man river beats them all
When I was 16, 52 years ago, my pal and I used to listen to this song, in awe of this wonderful voice. Two young working class white boys that have forever had this great man their hearts.
What a voice. No one could have delivered these words more powerfully or more beautifully. What a shame that the world wasn't ready for Paul Robeson yet.
The world was ready for him, but America wasn't. And even in 2023, America is not ready for him. That is why the teaching of Black history is being removed from schools and being replaced with an even more sanitized and white washed version of American history. That is why talk of freedom for white Ukrainians rings hollow to the years of many Black Americans. All lives do not matter in this country.
+David Manhart I don't want to brag, but I can sing this too, but It was kinda hard at the start, but I tried it maybe 4 times, and now It's really easy for me :) The thing is I just turned 14 y/o, about 2 weeks ago
Paul Robeson was a friend of the working man, he went to Wales and Scotland to support the Miners at the time. Thats even greater than his music. The man he was.
Jdr Eldridge, The general themes of working hard/being tired, sure, but the song speaks specifically to being black in the Jim Crow South - and only people who have lived under similar states of extreme oppression could relate to that. For example: - "don't look up and don't look down; you don't dare make the white folks frown" (speaks to the tightrope that blacks had to walk when interacting with any white person - right down to not looking them in the eye - in order to avoid being assaulted, jailed, or lynched/murdered). - "let me go 'way from the white man boss" (the relationships between blacks and their white bosses typically had the same dynamics as relationships between slaves and slaveholders - even to the degree that many blacks were threatened with physical violence if they expressed a desire to leave and work elsewhere.) - "tote that barge, lift that bale; you gets a little drunk, and you lands in jail" (even though they were essential to the Southern economy (as during slavery) because they provided cheap, hard labor that whites weren't willing to do for such low wages, blacks were never allowed to rest even outside of work. They were arrested and jailed for the most minute offenses. Many "offenses" weren't even legally considered "offenses" unless the person committing them was black; those were known as "black codes".) So, while the song contains themes that we can all relate to on a very general level , it does a disservice to history and the people who actually endured all of these conditions to claim that this song can "define the struggles of anyone". That's just demonstrably false.
An Indian music legend Dr. Bhupen Hazarika wrote a song which is based on this song. And it is one of the most inspiring songs for the people of Assam, India. Coming here to pay my tribute to these two amazing artists and leaders that gives inspiration to all of us in many ways. Tanx a lot and Rest in peace.
Bhupen Hazarika Was not just the most inspiring musician of Assam but of India if not the whole world. I am a British Indian of Bengali heritage with roots in Assam and I was was immensely fortunate to have listened to Bhupen Hazarila live in my younger days. The Bengali version of this great creation of the legend is '' Ganga amar ma padma amar ma.
It feels like listening to the legend himself. The same powerful voice, same angst and passion in the lyrics. বিস্তীৰ্ণ পাৰৰে was a piece of the world. All of His songs are choruses of humanity.
Gil Orms I've heard it sung by other singers, yet it doesn't carry the same weight; instead a cheap showtuney effect rises to the top. It's Robeson's voice and rendition that propels this song to legendary status.
I had a Math teacher in Ireland back in the 1970's who did this each year at the Christmas concert. He was a De La Salle brother around 65, and did it so well, a wonderful baritone. Brings a tear to my eye.
A great man who stood for the solidarity of the poor of all races and nations. As someone coming from mining stock he'll always have my respect for how he stood with the miners of the U.K.
Proud of this man, he was a rennaisance man. He did everything, and he did it damn well. Also, he came over to London and studied at UCL, UoL, SOAS and others! We have a memorial of him on blue british plaque not far from SOAS, just near T.S. Elliot's plaque.
2:25 “Let me go away from the Mississippi, let me go away from the white-man boss. Show me that stream called the River Jordan, that’s the only stream that I long to cross...” So touching and sad.
I wish this was black culture now (minus the negatives associated with the time). Everyone had a better culture back then, this is something we have lost.
In 1970 I come to Japan from Brasil and ended up staying,I went to a club and there was this Japanese man shorter than me but with a strong voice and singing Old man river ,I loved each melody the song the way he sing although at that time didn’t speak English and didn’t understand the meaning,each time I went there I requested this song ,after some years I myself become a singer of Bossa nova and standard song ,but never had the courage to sing this beautiful song on stage ,well I am now almost 72 still in Japan with grandchildren and I am still eager of living ,little scared of dying , And this song bring me many memories 😁
Stayed in Bristol in 1951 when I was only 7 y.o. and was dragged along to the local cinema to see "Showboat", and was bored stupid until Paul Robson came on singing "Old Man River". It was the first time I had cried at a piece of music and the start of my love affair with the blues
В детстве я очень любила слушать песни в исполнении Поля Робсона, его неповторимый голос и сейчас завораживает такой бархатный и душевный до слёз, огромное спасибо за то, что сохранились записи
@@clintonleonard5187 no I just think its weird to call them African Americans because it doesn't contrast them with a African who moves to America these people have a separate culture and history , no doubt a very tough one but I think its more accurate and makes them identify as part of the American culture rather than this "other thing"
When we were young we love Paul Robeson .he had that special voice .my cousin loved going to cinema very often .he thought Paul Robeson had some wonderful voice 🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️Thank God for that man I still love to hear him sing ( old man River .may his dear soul rest in peace 🙏🙏🙏❤️
Woundeful voice....and as half a Welsh man I am glad that Mr Robeson and Welsh miners and choirs bonded.....they shared them same oppressors. This man was a true hero during a tough time for the black man.
***** That fact that 'everyone' believed in slavery by no means makes it right. If you're going to take credit for the supposed 'good things' the English have done, you may as well take credit for the bad as well. Considering that the English have historically had higher levels of illiteracy than the Scots (in fact, the English are still lagging behind in literacy), I don't know where the fuck you get off saying that Celtic cultures were 'primitive'. I'm sure many people (Celtic, black, and English included) would rather live in 'primitive' conditions than live under someone else' boot. If the English were so advanced, they wouldn't have participated in the barbarism of slavery anyway. TL:DR version u wot m8?
***** The Irish had forms of writing before the English even existed. The Irish also had complex governmental systems. Yet it was the English who felt they had the right to "civilise" the Irish by attempting to starve them all to death, ship them off as slaves to the colonies, steal their land, make their language and customs illegal and essentially ethnically cleanse an entire people. I will give credit to the English where it's due. I live in Yorkshire and I fucking love it here but if you're going to spurt bollocks about the Celts being "primitive" then you know fuck all. But if you're here to boast at how "superior" the English were... Is it any coincidence that most of the best regiments in the British army since 1707 have either been Scottish, Irish or Welsh? Or that the majority of the most important inventions were actually discovered by Scots.
Antoine Heisensperg Thank you for the comment Antoine et al. I shall strive to be more carefull when writing my comments in the future. No I am not English. Born and raised in the Caribbean in a former British colony with white Caribbean father and Welsh mother. However, rather than spotting 'typos' and grammatical errors in comments made, maybe we should focus on the what is being said: Paul Robeson and the Welsh miners bonded...because he (and they) realised that class issues and elitism are the real culprits of most societies....racism is a by-product of this.
I find myself listening to this over and over again. This is a masterpiece, robeson was a man underappreciated in his days but also, underappreciated today as well
AJ H. Not that much, just a natural baritone voice not even bass, just everybody are so used to high male voices on the radio that if a man goes under C3 its hits them with a surprise.
People who have no idea what Showboat is about....boycott and protest against Showboat. Saw it happen all the way back in the 90's; people marched against the Broadway revival. These people think in one dimension. They never open their ears to hear; they just don't want to see anything "old" set in post reconstruction south. This song showcases what Showboat was all about. The curtain came down on the first performance in 1927 and the audience was silent. No applause, no cheers. They stood up silently and walked out. The show was a hit...but they had no idea what to think. Their preconceived thinking had been challenged and they saw things in a new light. They saw color in a new light. A woman character they were led to believe was white, turns out to be bi racial. Now a whole new set of rules apply to Julie as she's thrown off the showboat by town officials. Nolie's tearful plea to Captain Andy echoed in theater goers ears: "Father, I love Julie, and Julie hasn't changed a bit to me!" The audience can echo her sympathy in their hearts ,but what they've been "taught " in their heads can't catch up yet. This was really REALLY daring of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein at the time. Old Man River told the plight of the southern Black man. Old Man River: "What does he care if the land ain't free?" Yet technically the land "was" free, at least according to the government...and yet not. Realize how early this show was =written and performed within the same generation that slavery was still legal! This entire show is phenomenal and at the time, it was unprecedented. Progress isn't built in one huge step- it is built small step by small step, and Showboat challenged racial prejudices in a way that no piece of entertainment had before. Showboat was one of those small steps...
@@RebeccaBaker-og9yd yeah oldies is life I love listening to oldies with mom and grandma and Dad they all love oldies nice meeting you where are you from???
@@RebeccaBaker-og9yd how are you doing today and the entire family and friends nice meeting you beautiful lady where are you from please don't be offended I'm new here
Ol' man river That ol' man river He don't say nothing But he must know something Cause he just keeps rolling He keeps rolling along Rollin' along He don't plant tators He don't plant cotton Them that plants 'em is soon forgotten But ol' man river He keeps rolling along You and me We sweat and strain Body all aching And wracked with pain Tote that barge Lift that bale Get a little drunk And you land in jail I gets weary Sick of trying I'm tired of living Feared of dying But ol' man river He's rolling along
This scene, in my humble opinion, is the best reason to watch the 1936 version of Show Boat directed by James Whale who also directed Frankenstein in 1931. 6'3" Paul Robson was a one-of-a-kind talent who only appeared in about a dozen films but was a sought after vocalist who performed all over the world. There was so much more to the man than a performer, though. He was a husband and a father and a social activist who championed the down-trodden masses. Altogether an extraordinary human being!
what a line "I'm tired of living, but scared of dying"
Sums up the lives of half the world's population, no doubt.
I remember my gran saying that's how she felt (when she became bedridden). So pertinent for so many.
Ben Walker Yep.
Ben Walker its a true quote preparing for it but still fearing it
Ben Walker me to
Incredibly sad. My granddad used to sing this. Even when he had dementia, this was something that stuck with him. We all sang it at his funeral rip
Too cool. Much respect.
Liam clancy
Guaranga Sound My grandad died in February and at his funeral they showed a video of him singing it when he was younger. I cried the whole time 😭
F
What are you on about. A) There's nothing 'so called' about historical facts and B) This song was written for show boat in 1927... it was always about african-americans
This country has never given Paul Robeson the respect he earned and deserved I will always think of him as one of my heroes.
He was a victim of McCarthy-ism.
Same
He did subscribe to the Communist Party during the kindling of the 'Red Scare' and he was also in the wrong time to be the race he was. It was inevitable that he be sort of disowned or excommunicated, however talented he may have been.
Racism
Racism + Communism is one hell of a mixture conspiring against him.
Whos listening to this MASTERPIECE in 2024
Me
FCK KNOWS HOW I GOT HERE, but I am glad I did. G'Day from western australia
Me as well.
I am an 86 year old white woman who heard this song when she was about 14 years old and I have never forgotten it or the singer. This was the original protest song. Greatness
Me.
Paul Robeson had an extremely wide range of talent: He was valedictorian of his class at Rutgers University; he was a lawyer; he had a marvelous singing voice; he was a movie actor; he was an early civil rights activist; he was a college football all star; and he played pro football. Talk about versatility and talent!
And a communist!
he's definitely one of my heroes because of his devotion to every oppressed group
@@killingmewillnotbringbacky9177
Is that a problem for you? He was never in the communist party, but of course sympathized with them.
@DrZook jesus christ, all I said is what he is.
@DrZook only good commie is a dead one
I drop by every so often to hear this man sing. 2024 now and still appreciate his voice.
"I get weary, and sick of tryin', I'm tired of living, and scared dyin'" That line is 96 years old and still hits just as hard.
True
86*
@Monkey D. Toriko Well, no, because the play was written in 1927.
I truly felt that...
Thomas H. smith Now I know why the devil chose to sing this song trough the 1949 14 year old possessed boy body in saint louis missouri it's because of the line you reference it fits the devil the devil is weary and sick of trying i am tired of living but scared of dying.
Back in the early 70s (In The South) our school had an assembly in the gym. The principal, an older black man who also sided as a pastor, couldn't get the students' attention. He always seemed kind of weak so, you have to know the students took advantage of him. In front of all of us (about 2,000) he started singing this with the loudest and most elegant baritone voice ever, eventually had most of the students in tears. It took about 10 seconds for everyone to quite down.
That's so cool.
That’s a wonderful story
It’s a powerful piece of music that time and racially segregated America forgot. I’ve loved the song since I discovered it through Frank Sinatra’s cover a few months ago, and here I am now feeling more emotion from Robeson than I ever did when listening to Sinatra. I don’t know if it’s the old-time audio that I find is always easy for me to connect to emotionally or the knowledge this song was written in such a morally dubious time period, but I’m crying from it all the same.
what a man he was
My God I wish someone would make a film like that. What a moment. I am now in love with that man.
Paul Robeson truly a man ahead of his time, singer, actor, civil rights and political activist, top athlete, and Columbia graduate. He’s truly not appreciated enough.
He was much appreciated in the UK
Paul Robeson graduated from RUTGERS not Columbia. He was the first black athlete to play football for the Scarlet Knights.
Rutgers, not Columbia. Rutgers (Queens College) and Columbia (King's College) were both part of the Colonial Universities. While the others converted or remained private and formed the Ivy league, only Queen's College (later Rutgers) chose to remain a public university.
He’s appreciated now for sure!
@@K4R3N William & Mary, a colonial college, also didn’t join.
When Robeson sang this in repertory, he changed the song to "show a little grit and you land in jail." He made his point
That was a true highlight of the Paul Robeson version!
The lyrics have continually evolved as the years go by, and yes, Robeson was responsible for a number of those changes.
“I get weary, and sick of tryin’, I’m tired of living, and scared of dyin’”
What a timeless line
@Tweed Penguin lol it is always that one.... I guess today it is you 😒🙄😂
@Tweed Penguin hater
@Tweed Penguin bro your life isn’t special, just shut up.
@Tweed Penguin notice how you’re the first person to bring up the word black. Homie was ITCHIN😂
@Tweed Penguin what do you get out of being racist ? What’s in it for you ?
Just reading about Paul Robeson's life. What an incredible man.
I like this my dad used to sing it with a deep voice. Rip dad.
another Leonardo da Vinci
@@Bruce947 he’s my idol, Since I stumbled onto a documentary about him as a teen ironically from meming about the ussr anthem in English. Ive always felt like that’s a great comparison
Any books to recommend? thanks
@@robinndjavera5625
Hello, Robin. There is one written by his granddaughter, Susan Robeson, which is titled "Grandpa Stops A War: A Paul Robeson Story." It's wonderful. Warm wishes.
"I'm tired of living
And scared of dying"
That could be the mantra of the human species in this 21st century.
+murihiku
how right you are my friend!
+herautdeDieu
This sentence could have been incorporated in Fight Club .
that's my whole life
very correct, im also tired of living but im not afraid of dying
nothing about human beings in the ''21st century'' is comparable to the lives of slaves with that line which is what the point of it was converying
Wales will always keep Mr Robeson very much in our hearts. He stood by us through thick and thin.. Supported our miners when no one else would. God bless. A legend.
And the Welsh miners in turn were to first to launch a campaign in his support when the US government withdrew his passport and travel rights. My dad ended up in a mine near Aberdare for 2 weeks after arriving in the UK from Hungary in 56, before realising he was too tall and claustrophobic for that job. He met Paul Robeson in Blackburn when he toured the UK- 1969 I believe.
Thank you Ty and Steve, this is really impressive history. What an artist, intellect, and person!
😅
😅@@stevev238
Paul Robeson was an outstanding man. He went to Rutgers U on an academic scholarship, was All American in football and class valedictorian. He got a Law Degree from Columbia Law School, played in the NFL, and moved into theater, in which he made his reputation in England and then internationally. He became increasingly active in civil rights causes, working against the Nazis in the Spanish Civil War, and for the Council on African Affairs (CAA) in the USA. He campaigned against colonial exploitation of Africa. He met President Truman and demanded that Truman act to put a stop to lynchings, and Truman threw him out, stating that the time was not ripe to act against lynching. His outspoken support for civil rights and trade unionism led to his being harassed by the FBI and Congress who accused him of being a communist. Although there was no proof he was a communist, the FBI declared the CAA to be a subversive organization, his passport was revoked, and he was later black-listed by the McCarthy Anti-American Activities Committee. The FBI prevented him from giving public performances, and the black-listing kept him from movies and theater, so his career was trashed until the courts set aside the black-listing, and he made a comeback in 1957-58, but his health failed and put an end to his career.
Wow. I only knew him from his versions of different national anthems.
Thanks for all the information he was an icon ....what a man should be taught in schools ....he was such an achiever in all aspects of life .....he could be a hero an inspiration for some of the youth today .....a master in all fields...
I'm pretty sure he was an active communist activist, even went to Russia and met with Stalin a few times. While he was treated very unfairly by Americans for being communist and even by Russia (they killed his best friend and imprisoned another), he still supported the ideology. I wouldn't fault him for it though, the communist party was one of the first to support civil rights during his time.
Al Tinfoil Wow!
Nathaniel Smith not only did he meet Stalin a few times but he received the USSR Stalin peace award
"I'm tired of living and scared of dying" so powerful
Makes my eyes sting when he sings that
Very powerful. It is stating that we are not of this world, yet in a world ruled by someone who doesn't care about you or me. We are tired of living, yet afraid of dying because of giving up on the one that sent us here. It is not easy.
What a place to be.
Sam Cooke!!!
It's the final line "but Old Man River, he just keeps rollin' along" that clinches it. Our human lives are fraught with pain, misery and fear - but look at that calm river rolling along without a care in the word.
Brilliant singer, author, athlete, lawyer, humanitarian, language learner, clasical, opera, and folk spiritual singer. He is my hero as a proud African American because tenaciously defied all the racial and class barriers as he astutely focused on his goals and spirituality.
He truly was amazing. No matter who you are I find it hard to believe someone can look at all he did and not be moved.
Paul Robeson a descendant of the Igbo tribe, it makes sense!
this song moves me, every time I hear it! it's also the best performance so far in my opinion
Try Judy Garland as well.
Hello, how are you doing today and the entire family and friends doing today I really enjoy oldies song with mom and dad
I am an Indian. At least in two Indian languages Assamese and Bengali this song is translated - not exact translation but translation of the concept & the chords. Mississippi became Brahmaputra (in Assamese) and Ganges or Ganga (in Bengali) - two of the key rivers in the Indian civilization. The legend behind these songs, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, was neighbour of Paul Robeson in NY while he was doing PhD in Columbia University. He was greatly influenced by Paul Robeson's protest music and adopted them in our languages. Isn't it beautiful how language of protest and mass movement against oppression is so same? Long live Paul Robeson, long live Bhupen Hazarika.
Typical indians, stealing intellectual property
I never knew that! That's so cool! :D
Salil Chaudhary has done a Hindi version with ganga
@@aloh99 yes, it is word by word translation of the Bengali version. Kabiraj Pandit Narendra Sharma translation. He was Sanskrit expert, naturally Tatsam shabd are used frequently. So nice to ears actually
Indeed!
Rhodes scholar, football star, actor, singer, writer...a true Renaissance man.
Unfortunately he was ostracized for his communist beliefs.
An aside, does anyone remember his cameos in the old Tarzan movies? He was always the tribal leader with the big voice. I
Robert Francis and communist
I'm not a communist, but I don't consider it to be an insult.
And a lawyer!
"When one senator asked him why he hadn't remained in the Soviet Union, he replied,
'Because my father was a slave, and my people died to build this country, and I am going to stay here, and have a part of it just like you. And no Fascist-minded people will drive me from it. Is that clear? I am for peace with the Soviet Union, and I am for peace with China, and I am not for peace or friendship with the Fascist Franco, and I am not for peace with Fascist Nazi Germans. I am for peace with decent people.'"
Paul Robeson on why he was a communist.
Thank you. I was trying to find this quora.
Wow! Thank you.
And where Sir would you rather reside today? Amongst the kindly former socialists of Russia and China or in the formerly fascist Spain? Robeson loved all the benefits of market economies he simply didn't care for the people that made it possible and so simply advocated for a change in the hand that griped the whip of authoritarianism rather then an end to the blows.
Ray Charles’ version is much better!!
Sheer nonsense on Mr. Robeson's part. The Soviet Union's murderous history makes even the evils of Nazi Germany look comparatively lukewarm. The mass slaughter and repression against the Russian Orthodox clergy in the first 10 years of the U.S.S.R. alone was hell on earth. If Robeson was unaware of this, he spoke in praise out of ignorance and if he was aware of it, he spoke in praise out of malice.
This version is so moving. I can listen to this version over and over
1st time I heard it, I was impressed. A beautiful voice & a treasured song. It's sad that the blacks have denied some of their beautiful songs be song. Like " Old Black Joe" etc. They're song that define a culture. A history that should be kept alive. To deny your past is a sin.
Great to hear OLD MAN RIVER again.What a wonderful man.XX💯💯💯
"বিস্তীর্ণ দু'পারের, অসংখ্য মানুষের
হাহাকার শুনেও
নিঃশব্দে নিরবে, ও গঙ্গা তুমি,
গঙ্গা বইছ কেন...."
Aha😌
Dr Bhupen Hazarika he was.
One of the most talented people of all time - singer, actor, footballer, scholar, lawyer, multi-lingual. Inspirational. On top of that, he played a crucial part in the Civil Rights Movement. Hail Paul Robeson!
finally i got this song........i heard this song when i was kid....
What other languages did he speak
@lylahsworld3930 he spoke russian. i dont know if there were others
@@lylahsworld3930 more than 20, including Russian, Chinese, French, Yiddish and of course English
My Dad was a huge Robeson fan. Love him fiercely. Years ago when the Sydney Harbour Bridge was being built, he came down and sang to the workers. Such a hero.
It wasn't the Sydney Habour Bridge. It was the Sydney Opera House.
So was mine. My Dad loved Tenors!
the entire family and friends doing today I really enjoy oldies song with mom and dad
"Let me go away from the Mississippi. Let me go away from the white man boss. Show me that stream called the river Jordan. That's the old stream that I long to cross."
I don't have many heroes.. but he's one.
Who is listening this song in 2020 ..like here
He was a great man
Me
Me man me! I like this song also family guy does a very small snip it of it
Me from Hungary
Everyone
One of the greatest songs in the history of musicals.
*2019 and still listening. Great songs never die, but just keep rolling along.*
Appreciate the music
AMEN!
Make that 2023 and I listen to "Going Home". What a man!!!!
my grandpa died and we had his funeral today. this is what they played at his ceremony.
One of the greatest talents I have been blessed to hear. RIP!
Never heard a man who sang quite like Paul Robeson. Absolutely wonderful man, with a heavenly voice.
Shivers run all over soon's I hear this voice!
What a voice. I wish we have more basses and bass-baritones in the mainstream charts today.
Look up Geoff Castellucci and Voiceplay you’ll never listen to another musician or group ever agin
You have to listen to musical theater for voices like that.
There are many baritone voices around in contemporary music. Do you mean 2022 chart (pop) music or recent(!) music from over the pop music decades?
Ian Curtis; Joy Division.
Andrew Eldritch; Sisters Of Mercy.
Leonard Cohen.
Scott Walker.
Sometimes you've got to push your own boundaries to find very different styles?
Wrong, @Marcell0Bass;
Who I, for one, will never listen to again is Jeff Castelluci.
There's an old man called the Mississippi
That's the old man that I long to be
What does he care if the world's got troubles?
What does he care if the land ain't free?
Old man river
That old man river
He must know something
But don't say nothin'
He just keeps rollin'
He keeps on rolling along
But he don't plant taters
And he don't plant cotton
And them that plants 'em
Are soon forgotten
But old man river
He just keeps on rolling along
Oh, you and me, we sweat and strain
Body all achin' and racked with pain
Tote that barge
Lift that bale
Get a little drunk
And you land in jail
I gets weary
And sick of tryin'
I'm tired of livin'
And scared of dyin'
But old man river
He just keeps rolling along
Different from the original score. Doing that for my first ever musical audition on Monday
@@alastairjinks6966 How did the audition go?
Sadly no joy but possibility of ensemble for twelfth night, but whole festival postponed for a year due to covid19
@@alastairjinks6966 sorry it didn't work out.. Keep practicing and doing what you love. You will be well prepared for next year..
@@theosymommy thanks
I'm glad I discovered Paul Robeson. After reading more about him, I think that it is an absolute shame that he does not get an adequate amount of acknowledgement in American society today.
I get goosebumps listening to this and Old Kentucky Home.
I'm an owl paddy from Ireland and my favourite ballads are Irish songs of defiance, immigration and about the wild Irish characters but Paul Robeson singing old man river beats them all
And old danny boy❤❤❤❤. Totally agreee.❤❤❤
@@novastar2388 my fathers favourite song God rest him.
When I was 16, 52 years ago, my pal and I used to listen to this song, in awe of this wonderful voice. Two young working class white boys that have forever had this great man their hearts.
What a voice. No one could have delivered these words more powerfully or more beautifully. What a shame that the world wasn't ready for Paul Robeson yet.
The world was ready for him, but America wasn't. And even in 2023, America is not ready for him. That is why the teaching of Black history is being removed from schools and being replaced with an even more sanitized and white washed version of American history. That is why talk of freedom for white Ukrainians rings hollow to the years of many Black Americans. All lives do not matter in this country.
Amen.😎
I still get chills whenever I hear Paul Robeson singing this. Wow.. That voice.
+David Manhart I don't want to brag, but I can sing this too, but It was kinda hard at the start, but I tried it maybe 4 times, and now It's really easy for me :)
The thing is I just turned 14 y/o, about 2 weeks ago
Damjan Joveski
Very cool!
David Manhart :D
I LOVE OLD MAN RIVER! SIGN MG
David Manhart And that beautiful smile at the end...
Paul Robeson was a friend of the working man, he went to Wales and Scotland to support the Miners at the time. Thats even greater than his music. The man he was.
This is the Human Spirit! Feel it inside you!
Nobody has ever come close to the richness and emotion packed that Paul Roebson gives that song.
Hello, how are you doing today and the entire family and friends doing today I really enjoy oldies song with mom and dad...
I've never heard a song that did better job describing the struggles of the African American people.
Could be used to define the struggles of anyone. It fits in their history much too well.
Jdr Eldridge, The general themes of working hard/being tired, sure, but the song speaks specifically to being black in the Jim Crow South - and only people who have lived under similar states of extreme oppression could relate to that. For example:
- "don't look up and don't look down; you don't dare make the white folks frown" (speaks to the tightrope that blacks had to walk when interacting with any white person - right down to not looking them in the eye - in order to avoid being assaulted, jailed, or lynched/murdered).
- "let me go 'way from the white man boss" (the relationships between blacks and their white bosses typically had the same dynamics as relationships between slaves and slaveholders - even to the degree that many blacks were threatened with physical violence if they expressed a desire to leave and work elsewhere.)
- "tote that barge, lift that bale; you gets a little drunk, and you lands in jail" (even though they were essential to the Southern economy (as during slavery) because they provided cheap, hard labor that whites weren't willing to do for such low wages, blacks were never allowed to rest even outside of work. They were arrested and jailed for the most minute offenses. Many "offenses" weren't even legally considered "offenses" unless the person committing them was black; those were known as "black codes".)
So, while the song contains themes that we can all relate to on a very general level , it does a disservice to history and the people who actually endured all of these conditions to claim that this song can "define the struggles of anyone". That's just demonstrably false.
Have you scene the musical South Pacific that rogers wrote with Hammerstein? It's also about racism but it deals with racism towards Pacific Islanders
it's willy! hey man :)
WillyTheComposer just say black people. African American is such a dumb term. We don't say European American when referring to whites do we?
One of the greatest Americans in history!!
a really great singer......
An Indian music legend Dr. Bhupen Hazarika wrote a song which is based on this song. And it is one of the most inspiring songs for the people of Assam, India. Coming here to pay my tribute to these two amazing artists and leaders that gives inspiration to all of us in many ways. Tanx a lot and Rest in peace.
My tribute to both the legends and thanks for the great music, truly amazing.
Bhupen Hazarika Was not just the most inspiring musician of Assam but of India if not the whole world. I am a British Indian of Bengali heritage with roots in Assam and I was was immensely fortunate to have listened to Bhupen Hazarila live in my younger days.
The Bengali version of this great creation of the legend is '' Ganga amar ma padma amar ma.
@@arunchoudhury8284 The Bengali version is "O Gonga boicho keno?" /"Bistirno Dupare"
@@hauaywkos6638 I realised the mistake almost immediately, single malt whiskey is at least partly to blame. Thank you for the correction.
It feels like listening to the legend himself. The same powerful voice, same angst and passion in the lyrics. বিস্তীৰ্ণ পাৰৰে was a piece of the world. All of His songs are choruses of humanity.
Makes you cry. This is such a beautiful piece by such a talented man.
goodbye caroline
Not forgetting that it was written by Jerome Kern, one of America's/the world's best songwriters.
And not forgetting it was Hammerstein wrote the lyrics.
Gil Orms I've heard it sung by other singers, yet it doesn't carry the same weight; instead a cheap showtuney effect rises to the top. It's Robeson's voice and rendition that propels this song to legendary status.
Al Stevens I actually discovered this song thanks to Andrea Bocelli, but this version is also fantastic.
I had a Math teacher in Ireland back in the 1970's who did this each year at the Christmas concert. He was a De La Salle brother around 65, and did it so well, a wonderful baritone. Brings a tear to my eye.
A great man who stood for the solidarity of the poor of all races and nations. As someone coming from mining stock he'll always have my respect for how he stood with the miners of the U.K.
I love knowing that.
What a voice What a singer and what a song sung perfectly
This is my grandmothers favorite song she sings it all the time
Proud of this man, he was a rennaisance man. He did everything, and he did it damn well. Also, he came over to London and studied at UCL, UoL, SOAS and others! We have a memorial of him on blue british plaque not far from SOAS, just near T.S. Elliot's plaque.
THE BEST SINGER FOR THIS SONG.
Wow what a golden deep rich rich voice so powerful fabulous voice WOW WOW WOW ❤️❤️❤️❤️
2:25 “Let me go away from the Mississippi, let me go away from the white-man boss. Show me that stream called the River Jordan, that’s the only stream that I long to cross...”
So touching and sad.
I wish this was black culture now (minus the negatives associated with the time). Everyone had a better culture back then, this is something we have lost.
In 1970 I come to Japan from Brasil and ended up staying,I went to a club and there was this Japanese man shorter than me but with a strong voice and singing Old man river ,I loved each melody the song the way he sing although at that time didn’t speak English and didn’t understand the meaning,each time I went there I requested this song ,after some years I myself become a singer of Bossa nova and standard song ,but never had the courage to sing this beautiful song on stage ,well I am now almost 72 still in Japan with grandchildren and I am still eager of living ,little scared of dying ,
And this song bring me many memories 😁
Queria muito ver você cantar essa música em português
I chose Paul Robeson for a black history month project and I do not regret it :)
Stayed in Bristol in 1951 when I was only 7 y.o. and was dragged along to the local cinema to see "Showboat", and was bored stupid until Paul Robson came on singing "Old Man River". It was the first time I had cried at a piece of music and the start of my love affair with the blues
Bless your heart
Дорогой, Поль Робсон.
Как вас любили в СССР советские люди.
Спасибо вам за ваш великолепный голос, добрую улыбку, за любовь к простым людям.
В детстве я очень любила слушать песни в исполнении Поля Робсона, его неповторимый голос и сейчас завораживает такой бархатный и душевный до слёз, огромное спасибо за то, что сохранились записи
Beautiful song, sung by a beautiful man😊✨🇺🇸✨💙✨
Hello, how are you doing today and the entire family and friends doing today I really enjoy oldies song with mom and dad...
Man …this song gives me chills everytime I hear it…but that’s one thing about Paul Robeson…he put passion into everything he made
Over all a great performance. This version of Showboat was, IMHO, the best of all time.
Such amazing lyrics, telling the long and painful history of African Americans.
With just a few sentences, manages to evoke the pain and suffering and incredibly hard backbreaking work of millions.
@@gabrielaponte6403 is "African American" not politically correct now? Or do you just mean they're not all from Africa?
@@clintonleonard5187 no I just think its weird to call them African Americans because it doesn't contrast them with a African who moves to America these people have a separate culture and history , no doubt a very tough one but I think its more accurate and makes them identify as part of the American culture rather than this "other thing"
NotMadeInChinaFinds
And I bet you enjoy hearing about it too
shut up lol
Props to Oscar Hammerstein and his amazing lyrics. Couldn’t be sung any better by Paul R.!
Props to Edna Ferber for writing one heck of a novel.
@@JuliafloYes, but Hammerstein wrote Ol’ Man River in 1925, which was a year before Ferber’s novel was first published in 1926.
When we were young we love Paul Robeson .he had that special voice .my cousin loved going to cinema very often .he thought Paul Robeson had some wonderful voice 🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️Thank God for that man I still love to hear him sing ( old man River .may his dear soul rest in peace 🙏🙏🙏❤️
Hello, how are you doing today and the entire family and friends doing today I really enjoy oldies song with mom and dad...
Nobody can sing it like Paul Robert my hero
My childhood hero. My folks took me to see him do Othello. Victim of the evils of the McCarthy period.
Really. I have never met or talked to or encountered anybody who had seen Robeson's Othello.
How old are you now?
@@aryarathne2479 109 prolly lmao
McCarthy was right though. Didn't go far enough actually.
@@hixidom2274 face the wall
how do you listen to this with out tears swelling up? someone tell me please.
beatthecrowd001 No tear ducts?
beatthecrowd001 You don't.
beatthecrowd001 This and Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come."
beatthecrowd001 Awesome.
beatthecrowd001 ah ya old softy
Bhupan Hazarika 💙💙🙏🙏
🙏Listening 2022💚💚💚
Love from Northeast India🧗♂️
Woundeful voice....and as half a Welsh man I am glad that Mr Robeson and Welsh miners and choirs bonded.....they shared them same oppressors. This man was a true hero during a tough time for the black man.
*****
That fact that 'everyone' believed in slavery by no means makes it right. If you're going to take credit for the supposed 'good things' the English have done, you may as well take credit for the bad as well. Considering that the English have historically had higher levels of illiteracy than the Scots (in fact, the English are still lagging behind in literacy), I don't know where the fuck you get off saying that Celtic cultures were 'primitive'. I'm sure many people (Celtic, black, and English included) would rather live in 'primitive' conditions than live under someone else' boot. If the English were so advanced, they wouldn't have participated in the barbarism of slavery anyway.
TL:DR version
u wot m8?
***** no, not everyone believed in slavery, what a false statement. If that was the case then we'd still have slavery today.
***** The Irish had forms of writing before the English even existed. The Irish also had complex governmental systems.
Yet it was the English who felt they had the right to "civilise" the Irish by attempting to starve them all to death, ship them off as slaves to the colonies, steal their land, make their language and customs illegal and essentially ethnically cleanse an entire people.
I will give credit to the English where it's due. I live in Yorkshire and I fucking love it here but if you're going to spurt bollocks about the Celts being "primitive" then you know fuck all.
But if you're here to boast at how "superior" the English were...
Is it any coincidence that most of the best regiments in the British army since 1707 have either been Scottish, Irish or Welsh?
Or that the majority of the most important inventions were actually discovered by Scots.
Anthony Inger
This comment is rather poorly worded. I thus assume that you are English.
Antoine Heisensperg Thank you for the comment Antoine et al. I shall strive to be more carefull when writing my comments in the future. No I am not English. Born and raised in the Caribbean in a former British colony with white Caribbean father and Welsh mother. However, rather than spotting 'typos' and grammatical errors in comments made, maybe we should focus on the what is being said: Paul Robeson and the Welsh miners bonded...because he (and they) realised that class issues and elitism are the real culprits of most societies....racism is a by-product of this.
'I'm tired of living, but scared of dying.' Truer words have never been spoken.
Oscar, you genius.
I find myself listening to this over and over again. This is a masterpiece, robeson was a man underappreciated in his days but also, underappreciated today as well
a world that forgets a man like him yet hails a thing like trump is truly lost and in dire need of an overhaul.
Best of the best...thank you Mr. Robeson
I could listen to Paul Robeson forever.
Brilliant voice. I try and emulate it first thing in the morning whilst I fill the kettle with water.
Hard to imagine this is coming up to 100 years ago. I love this man.
I remember singing this as a small child... couldn't of been 5 when I learned it. My mom loved show music 💕
It's a beautiful song with a heavy message about oppression.
same
Geez, how deep does your voice have to be to even hit these notes? 😆
AJ H. I'm 15 and I can sing this lol
Deep as mine...
I was singing this at the age of 4, sounded exactly the same
Singed it at age of 0
AJ H. Not that much, just a natural baritone voice not even bass, just everybody are so used to high male voices on the radio that if a man goes under C3 its hits them with a surprise.
One of the rarest and yet, most influential voices of the Harlem Renaissance and even of spirituals in general... Revolutionary.
He has the most amazing deep voice ive ever heard
Who's listening this masterpiece in 2023 ❤
We are.
I liked it and realised it's 2024 😭
2024
2024 🙏
Still listening in 2024!
The immortal Paul Robeson!
His Voice will Always Live !
A great voice.
This will always be the official version for me!
It’s sensational. Was and always will be.
RIP Mr Robeson from Liverpool UK
Mr Paul Robeson and Dr Bhupen Hazarika are both very very talented
People who have no idea what Showboat is about....boycott and protest against Showboat. Saw it happen all the way back in the 90's; people marched against the Broadway revival. These people think in one dimension. They never open their ears to hear; they just don't want to see anything "old" set in post reconstruction south. This song showcases what Showboat was all about. The curtain came down on the first performance in 1927 and the audience was silent. No applause, no cheers. They stood up silently and walked out. The show was a hit...but they had no idea what to think. Their preconceived thinking had been challenged and they saw things in a new light. They saw color in a new light. A woman character they were led to believe was white, turns out to be bi racial. Now a whole new set of rules apply to Julie as she's thrown off the showboat by town officials. Nolie's tearful plea to Captain Andy echoed in theater goers ears: "Father, I love Julie, and Julie hasn't changed a bit to me!" The audience can echo her sympathy in their hearts ,but what they've been "taught " in their heads can't catch up yet. This was really REALLY daring of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein at the time. Old Man River told the plight of the southern Black man. Old Man River: "What does he care if the land ain't free?" Yet technically the land "was" free, at least according to the government...and yet not. Realize how early this show was =written and performed within the same generation that slavery was still legal! This entire show is phenomenal and at the time, it was unprecedented. Progress isn't built in one huge step- it is built small step by small step, and Showboat challenged racial prejudices in a way that no piece of entertainment had before. Showboat was one of those small steps...
Painfully saddening but captivating, the plight these people faced must never be forgotten
the gentle giant, the freedom fighter.
massive respect
Heard this man for the first time.
Love at first sight
What a song! Great voice for a century or so, and now.
Hello, how are you doing today and the entire family and friends doing today I really enjoy oldies song with mom and dad...
@@HenryGerfin fine. Love these old songs.
@@RebeccaBaker-og9yd yeah oldies is life I love listening to oldies with mom and grandma and Dad they all love oldies nice meeting you where are you from???
@@RebeccaBaker-og9yd how are you doing today and the entire family and friends nice meeting you beautiful lady where are you from please don't be offended I'm new here
Ol' man river
That ol' man river
He don't say nothing
But he must know something
Cause he just keeps rolling
He keeps rolling along
Rollin' along
He don't plant tators
He don't plant cotton
Them that plants 'em is soon forgotten
But ol' man river
He keeps rolling along
You and me
We sweat and strain
Body all aching
And wracked with pain
Tote that barge
Lift that bale
Get a little drunk
And you land in jail
I gets weary
Sick of trying
I'm tired of living
Feared of dying
But ol' man river
He's rolling along
This scene, in my humble opinion, is the best reason to watch the 1936 version of Show Boat directed by James Whale who also directed Frankenstein in 1931. 6'3" Paul Robson was a one-of-a-kind talent who only appeared in about a dozen films but was a sought after vocalist who performed all over the world. There was so much more to the man than a performer, though. He was a husband and a father and a social activist who championed the down-trodden masses. Altogether an extraordinary human being!
Paul Robeson is one of America's great heroes, and the fact he isn't a household name is a travesty
Janice Sims Agreed
TY
He also earned a scholarship to Rutgers University and was valedictorian! He was only the 3rd African American to attend Rutgers.
Someone has got to make a movie about this dude
Great song, great singer.😎
i can't get enough of this song