Louisiana Man

(album: The Delta Sweete - 1968)

At first Mom and Poppa called the little girl a lady
They raised her on the banks of a river bed

A house boat tied to a big tall tree
A home for my poppa and my momma and me

The clock strikes three Poppa jumps to his fee
Already Moma's cooking Poppa something to eat
At half past Poppa he's a ready to go, he jumps in
His pirogue headed down the bayou

He's got fishing line strung across the Louisiana River
Got to catch a big fish for us to eat
He's setting his traps catching anything he can
Gotta make a living he's a Louisiana man, gotta make
A living he's a Louisiana man

Muskrat hides hanging by the dozen
Even got a little bitty muskrat cousin
Got 'em out drying in the hot hot sun
Tomorrow Poppa's gone turn 'em into money

They call Moma Rita and my Daddy Jack
My little baby brother on the floor that's Mac
Rhett and Lynn are the family twins
Big brother Eddie's on the bayou fishing

On the river floats Poppa's great big boat
That's how me and Poppa get in to town
It takes every bit of a night and day to even reach
A place where the people stay

Oh I can hardly wait until tomorrow comes around
That's the day my Poppa takes the furs to town
Poppa done promised me that I could go
He'd even let me see a cowboy show

I saw the cowboys and Indians for the first time then
I told my Poppa "gotta go again" but Poppa says
"Hon we got lines to run
We'll have to come again
'Cause there's work to be done"

He's got fishing line strung across the Louisiana River
Got a catch a big fish for us to eat
He's setting his traps catching anything he can
Gotta make a living he's a Louisiana man
Gotta make a living he's a Louisiana man

Poppa done promised me that I could go
He'd even let me see the cowboy show

I saw the cowboys and indians for the first time then
I told my Poppa "Gotta go again" but Poppa said
"Hon, we got lines to run
We'll have to come again
'Cause there's work to be done"

He's got fishing line strung across the Louisiana River
Got a catch a big fish for us to eat
He's setting his traps catching anything he can
Gotta make a living he's a Louisiana man
Gotta make a living he's a Louisiana man