At first mom and papa called their little boy Ned

They raised him on the banks of the river bed

A houseboat tied to a big tall tree a home for my papa and my mama and me

The clock strikes three papa jumps to his feet

Already mama's cookin' papa something to eat

At half past papa he's ready to go he jumps in his piro headed down the bayou

He's got fishin' lines strung across the Louisiana River

Gotta catch a big fish for us to eat

He set the crops in the swamp catchin' everythin' he can

Gotta make a livin' he's a Louisiana man gotta make a livin' he's a Louisiana man

A muskart hides a hangin' by the dozen even got a lady make a muskart's cousin

Got 'em out dryin' in the hot hot sun tomorrow papa's gonna turn 'em into mon

[ fiddle - steel - fiddle ]

They call mama Rita and my daddy's Jack

A little baby brother on the floor that's Mac

Big brother Ed's on the bayou fishin' Fram and Malene are the family twins

On the river float papa's great big boat that's for my papa goes into town

He takes every bit of the night and day

Then even reach the place where the people stay

I can hardly wait until tomorrow comes around

That's the day my papa takes his fure to town

Papa promised me that I could go even let me see a cowboy show

I saw the cowboys and Indians for the first time then I told my papa gotta go again

Papa said hon we got the lines to run

We'll come back tomorrow cause the work to be done

He's got fishin' lines strung across...

Gotta make a livin' he's a Louisiana man gotta make a livin' he's a Louisiana man