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Talkin' Fishin' Blues 1

(Talkin' Fisherman)

Woody Guthrie © 1961 (renewed) Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc


May 1961
THE MINNESOTA TAPES (T-318)
THE MINNEAPOLIS PARTY TAPE

Minnesota Party tape 1961, Minneapolis MN - May 1961  

I went down to the fishing hole
I took along my fishin' pole
Somethin' grabbed my hook an' got my bait
Jerked me out in the middle of the lake
Some jump, got sunk, baptized on credit.

Fishin' down on the muddy bank
I felt a pull, give a big yank
I drug out old muddy boots
Ford radiator an' a Chevrolet coup'
Handed it in for the National Defence.

If you go fishin', i tell ya what to do
Go set down by the grassy dew
You get a piece of string, tie it on yo' pole
Throw it way out in the middle of the hole
Find a shady tree, set down, go to sleep
Nobody catches fish anyway
Just a legend. 

Sittin' in a boat with a bucket of beer
Hadn't caught nothin' but i didn't much care
I guess I was pretty well satisfied
Had my little woman right by my side
Takin' it easy
Worm been gone off the hook for just about an hour
I was busy.

Jumped in the river and went down deep
A hundred pound catfish lying there asleep
Well I jumped on his back and rode him all aroun'
Saddled him up and I come to town
Dogs a-barkin', kids a-squallin', women a-cryin'
Cops got a-comin', me a-runnin'.

Waited out in a sandy bar
Caught myself a big alligator gar
Drugged him home across my back
Tail musta been draggin' a mile an' a half
Just flippin' n' floppin'
Sold him for a quarter
Short craps, got in jail
Never will catch any of 'em alligators for more.

One night back I took me a notion
Go out fishin' in the middle of the ocean
Throwed me a line, I got me a shark
I didn't bring him home till way past dark
He's a man-eater, tough customer
This one wasn't quite tough enough.

Back one night had me a dream
I was fishin' in a whiskey stream
Baited my hook with apple-jack
Threw out a drink, drug a gallon back
Done pretty good, till the creek run dry
I give the fish back to the finance company. 
    

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Talkin' Fishin' Blues 2


6 May 1961
I WAS SO MUCH YOUNGER THEN Vol. 4
    [Columbia Discovered] (T-676)

Indian Neck Folk Festival, Branford CT - 6 May 1961  

I went down to the fishin' hole
I took along my fishin' pole
Somethin' grabbed my hook an' got my bait
Jerked me out in the middle of the lake
Some jump, got sunk, i was baptized on credit.

Fishin' down on the muddy bank
Felt a pull, i give a big yank
I hold out a pair of muddy boots
Ford radiator an' a Chevrolet coup
Handed it in for the National Defence.

Sittin' in a boat with a bucket of beer
Hadn't caught nothin' but i didn't much care
I guess I was pretty well satisfied
I had my little woman right by my side
Takin' it easy
Worm been gone off the hook just about an hour
An' i was busy.

If you go fishin', i tell ya what to do
Go set down by the grassy dew
You get a piece of string, tie it on yo' pole
Throw it out into the hole
Find a shady tree, set down, go to sleep
Forget about it. 

Jumped in the river and went down deep
A hundred pound catfish lying there asleep
I jumped on his back and rode him all aroun'
Saddled him up and then I come to town.
Women a-cryin', dogs a-barkin', little kids a-squallin'
Fathers comin', policemen comin', me a-runnin'.

Waited out in a sandy bar
Caught myself a big alligator gar
Drugged him home across my back
Tail was draggin' a mile an' a half
Flippin' 'n' floppin'
Sold it for a quarter
Got drunk, got in jail
I'll never catch any alligator.

One night it took me a notion
Go out fishin' in the middle of the ocean
Throwed me a line, I got me a shark
I didn't bring him home till way past dark
He's a man-eater, tough customer
This one quite not tough enough.

One night i had me a dream
I was fishin' in a whiskey stream
Baited my hook with apple-jack
Threw out a drink, drug a gallon back
Done pretty good, till the creek run dry
I give the fish back to the finance company. 
    

Recording dates & record list

May 1961 1 THE MINNESOTA TAPES (bootleg)
THE MINNEAPOLIS PARTY TAPE
6 May 1961 2 I WAS SO MUCH YOUNGER THEN Vol. 4 [Columbia Discovered] (bootleg)