[ Don Rich ]

Well I'm fishin' in the middle of the Mississippi river

And the water's too muddy to drink

Big catfish bitin' on the little pole and my baby's waitin' on the bank



Well you tried to make a livin' on the Mississippi river it's a mighty hard life to live

But I'm gonna build a house for my pretty little baby

And I'm gonna build it on the hill

Well maybe if I'm lucky I'll catch a catfish and I'll sell 'em for a dollar bill

Then I'm gonna buy another board and a pocketful of nails

For my little house on the hill

Well I'm fishin' in the middle...

[ fiddle ]

My pappy told me there's sure gonna be a lotta hard times a comin' around

But I'd rather go a fishin' on the Mississippi river than livin' in a cold cold ground

Well I can't make whiskey like all the others oh my baby would set me free

I have to go runnin' down Mississippi river when the law come callin' on me

Well I'm fishin' in the middle...

Well I'm fishin' in the middle...