Best Version of Old Man River - William Warfield video free download

madamerotten

I like both Warfield's and Robeson's versions almost equally well. Both were magnificent vocalists.

Alokesh Bagchi

Superb.

stafforshire paul bushcraft

the white man was a slave well before the black man ever was

Hannibal EnemyofRome

Very nicely done!

Yale Sanders

Hammerstein and Jerome Kern wrote the song for Robeson for the original Show Boat 1927 but he was unable to perform it owing to commitments in Europe. But when the film was made (1936)Thank God we had him.

Gene Stone

Love this virgin

sagahammer

Very good but anybody deciding which is the best version should listen to Bruce Hubbard's version

BaltoHusky345

Very powerful song, with a very powerful singer. Thank you very much for uploading this.

Ducky Oneil

Great rendition of one of my favorite songs.for those of you who enjoy frank Sinatra,listen to his rendition,it was very good also al Jolson version.

G Philip C

Ole Man River ~ William Warfield

Carolyn Snow

THANK YOU for this. I had no idea that this version wasn't Paul Robeson and had been searching in vain.

Marta Luisa Rubio

Excelente!!!!

John D

I've loved this great song for over 60 years.

Donald Jenner

This version leaves out the far more poignant, far more devastating -- and far more generally true -- second verse:Colored folks work on de Mississippi,Colored folks work while de white folks play,Pullin' dose boats from de dawn to sunset,Gittin' no rest till de judgement day.or musical part.Don't look upAn' don't look down,You don' dast makeDe white boss frown.Bend your kneesAn'bow your head,An' pull date ropeUntil you' dead.)Let me go 'way from the Mississippi,Let me go 'way from de white man boss;Show me dat stream called de river Jordan,Dat's de ol' stream dat I long to cross.I seem to recall that this -- which is in the 1936 version of the film -- was omitted in the 1951 version. Sanitized, perhaps?...

Agnes Gray

I would like to say that this makes a very nice tribute to Paul Robeson. I had to read all of the note above to realize it was not a tribute. 

Unicorn

To be fair his version is more lyrical than Robeson's. Robeson's on the other hand is more dramatic than his.

wendy pooley

Sorry all fans of William Warfield his version of Ol' Man River is great but, it is Paul Robeson for me his rich Bass voice, William rich Baritone my late husband was an opera singer and had a bass voice and would annoyed when people would say Bass Baritone you are either Bass OR Baritone

chauncy817

Melvin Franklins deep bass version is the best

Mireille JD

Robeson's version is the best ever..

Donald Marhefka

Magnificent. But, I still like Robeson's version better. YouTube views are 2.7 million for Robeson and 533 thousand for Warfield. 

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