Catfish Blues

(yet another more explicit Delta Blues version)

[see also "Rollin' Stone", "Still A Fool" & "Two Trains Runnin'"]

Words & Music by:

Nehemiah Curtis "Skip" James

Remember, a lot of the original Delta Blues masters made their living at house parties and roadside taverns

I would rather be a little old catfish,

So, I could swim way down in the sea.

A7/E E7

I would have somebody settin' out hooks for me.

Settin' out hooks for, hooks for...

Lord, I love that little women, better than I do myself.

And if she don't love me, she won't love nobody else,

Nobody else, nobody...

That's the reason I wanna be a catfish,

So I could swim deep down in the sea.

I would have many women setting out a line for me.

Setting out a line, a line for...

Baby, you can hitch me to your plow and I will plow just like a mule.

You can take me to your country and I won't hide no fool.

I wont be no, be no...

That's the reason I wanna be a little catfish,

So I could swim way down in the sea.

I would have somebody setting out a line for me.

Setting out a line, a line for...

Yes, and I want my little baby to let me care for her

Down in her little iron bed.

I wanna rub her little old belly until her nipples turn cherry red

Got to be red...

Yes, and I want to do my baby like a stud do a mare,

I wanna put my toe down in her groin an my head way up in the air.

In the air, in the...

That's the reason I wanna to be a catfish,

So I could swim way down in the sea.

Have somebody send out a line and hooks for me,

Hooks for me, hooks for...

Yes, and the baby I love she is just about six foot tall,

And she know just how I want my hatchet honed,

Hatchet honed, hatchet...