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Fishing Blues/ I'm a-Goin' Fishing
Traditional Blues Tune; Widely known
ARTIST: Doc Watson
Richard Matteson: Fishing Blues http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX7PqetoZNQ Learn to Play Fishing Blues http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxRetVhGFhs
CATEGORY: Blues Jazz Bluegrass Songs;
DATE: Early 1900’s (1800s); 1928 recording, Henry "Ragtime Texas" Thomas
RECORDING INFO: The Fishing Blues - Thomas, Henry ("Ragtime Texas")
Dunson, Josh; & Ethel Raim (eds) / Anthology of American Folk Music, Oak, Sof (1973), p106
Bumble Bee Slim (Amos Eaton). Folk Music in America, Vol.11, Songs of Humor & Hilarity, Library of Congress LBC-11, LP (1978), trk# B.01 [1935/02/27] (Everybody's Fishing)
Holy Modal Rounders. Holy Modal Rounders, Fantasy 24711, CD/ (1972/1964), trk# 1.05
Horton, Walter. Fine Cuts, Blind Pig BP-006-78, LP (1978), trk# 1 (Everybody's Fishing)
Kweskin, Jim; & the Jug Band. See Reverse Side for Title, Vanguard VSD-79234, LP (1966), trk# 8
Mahal, Taj. Giant Step/De Old Folks at Home, Columbia CG 18, LP (197?), trk# 21
Perlman, Ken. Perlman, Ken (ed.) / Fingerstyle Guitar, Spectrum Books, Sof (1980), p107
Schoenberg, Eric (Ric). Puget Sound Guitar Workshop Album, Kicking Mule KM 128, LP (1977), trk# 19
Seeger, Mike. Mike Seeger, Vanguard VRS-9150, LP (1964), trk# A.05
Seeger, Mike. Traum, Happy / Traditional and Contemporary Guitar Finger-Picking Styles, Oak, Sof (1969), p13
Seeger, Mike. Traum, Happy / Traditional and Contemporary Guitar Finger-Picking Styles, Oak, Sof (1969), p15
Silber, Marc. Traum, Happy / Traditional and Contemporary Guitar Finger-Picking Styles, Oak, Sof (1969), p53
Thomas, Henry (Ragtime Texas Henry). Anthology of American Folk Music, Smithsonian/Folkways SFW 40090, CD( (1997), trk# 84 [1928/06/13]
Thomas, Henry (Ragtime Texas Henry). Texas Worried Blues, Yazoo 1080/1, LP (1989), trk# 18
Watson, Doc and Merle. Two Days in November, Poppy PP-LA210-G, LP (1974), trk# 3 (I'm Going Fishing)
OTHER NAMES: “I'm A-Goin' Fishing” “I'm Going Fishing”
SOURCES: Asch/Dunson/Raim, p. 106, "Fishing Blues" (1 text, 1 tune)
NOTES: The song is traced to Henry 'Ragtime Texas' Thomas under the title "Fishing Blues" (Vocalion 1249, 1928; on AAFM3). The song is not in blues form; Henry Thomas was more of an African-American "songster" than a blues singer, tracing his musical style back to pre-blues traditions, including playing a rack of quills.
Blues scholar and Thomas researcher Mack McCormick describes this as 'pure minstrel material, an antecedent of which was probably such songs as "Gumbo Chaff" popularised by theatre companies in the early 1830s'. The innocuous piece was elaborated and given a bawdy dimension by subsequent musicians – for example, McCormick refers to 'Going to Fishing' recorded by Fiddlin' Joe Martin and Willie Brown for the Library of Congress in Mississippi in 1941.
Subsequent records by Taj Mahal and Doc Watson have created new audiences for this fingerstyle guitar piece.
I'm Going Fishing/FISHIN' BLUES- Doc Watson Arranged from traditional verses
I'M GOING FISHING
(as sung by Doc Watson)
I walked down the hill about twelve a clock
I sat right down on a great big rock
I looked down the water and blessed my soul
I seen a great big catfish jumpin' that hole
Chorus: I'm a gonna fishin',
'Cause everybody's fishin'
And I'm a gonna fishin' too
You bet your life That your lovin' wife
Might catch more fish than you
Any fish will bite if you got good bait
And here's a little something That I'd like to relate
And when it's time to bite, Lord, the fish won't wait
I'm a gonna fishin 'cause everybody's fishing
And I'm a gonna fishing too
I went to the store and I took a look
Got a pole and some line and a triple hook
Then an old man smiled as he said to me
Son, catch a big catfish for me
(chorus)
I lean right back against on old big tree
Then a big old bass took a look at me
He took my bait when I throwed my line
When I got him to the bank, Lord, he sure looked fine
(chorus)
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