Ol' Man River

A twilight sadness had him in its grip. He took up his ukulele, an instrument to which, as I have said, he was, greatly addicted, and played 'Ol' Man River' for awhile. But the melancholy still lingered.

[...]

Presently, he gave up the struggle and, moving moodily away, picked up his ukulele and played 'Ol' Man River' for awhile. He was just feeling his way cautiously through that rather tricky 'He don't say nuffin', He must know somefin'' bit, when the door opened once more and there stood George.

Mr Mulliner Speaking. 2 The Man Who Gave Up Smoking

I played five bars of 'Old Man River' with something of abandon.

Thank You, Jeeves. 1 Jeeves Gives Notice

'That sounds like a bit out of Old Man River.'

'You are familiar with Old Man River?'

'I am.'

'I sing it a good deal.'.

Quick Service. Chapter 15

'Well, you kissed the barman, if you remember, and then you and he sang "Old Man River" in close harmony.'

French Leave. Chapter 10.II

'It's about that song Old Man River', said the Small Bass.

'Ol' Man River', insisted the Light Lager. 'He says it's Old Man River, I say it's Ol' Man River. Who's right?'

'In my opinion', said Mr Mulliner, 'both of you. Mr Oscar Hammerstein, who wrote that best of all lyrics, preferred Ol', but I believe the two readings are considered equally correct. [...]'

[...] Apart from his ability to sing Old Man River, probably instinctive, he was not a very gifted young man.

[...] 'I understood you to say "He don't plant taters, he don't plant cotton". Who does not plant potatoes, and how have they and cotton crept into the conversation?'

'Oh, frightfully sorry. I'm singing Old Man River at the village concert tonight, and I must have been rehearsing unconsciously, as it were.'

[...] The only thing that could possibly be regarded as an entry on the credit side was that his spiritual anguish had put him in the rare shape for singing Old Man River at the village concert.

Too little attention has been given by our greatest minds to the subject of Old Man River–singing, though such a subject is of absorbing interest.

A Few Quick Ones. 6 Big Business

'I'm a sort of "Hey, you" or dogsbody like the chap in "Old Man River".'

'Lift that trunk?'

'Shift that bale. Exactly. [...]'

Ice in the Bedroom. Chapter 3

All he could do in the way of alleviating the agony that seared his soul was to play the accordion, always his solace in time of stress, [...] and was preparing to tackle Old Man River, when the door flew open [...].

Plum Pie. 8 A Good Cigar is a Smoke