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Fishing Blues/ I'm a-Goin' Fishing
Traditional Blues Tune; Widely known
ARTIST: Taj Mahal
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.
FISHIN' BLUES- Taj Mahal; Adapted from traditional verses
VERSE: Bet you goin' fishin' all of the time.
Baby goin' fishin' too.
Bet your life that your sweet wife
Gonna catch more fish than you.
CHORUS: Many fish bite if you got good bait.
Here's a little tip that I'd like to relate:
Many fish bite if you got good bait.
I'm a-goin' fishin'.
Yes, I'm goin' fishin',
And my baby's goin' fishin' too.
VERSE: I went on down to my favorite fishin' hole.
Baby, grab me a pole and line.
Throw my pole on in, caught a nine-pound catfish.
Now I brought him home for suppertime, Provin' CHORUS:
VERSE: Baby brother 'bout to run me out of my mind,
Sayin', "Can't I go fishin' with you?"
I took him on down to the fishin' hole.
Now what do you think that he did do?
Pulled a great big fish out the bottom of the pond.
Now he laughed and jumped 'cause he was real gone.
Many fish bite...
VERSE: Put him in the pot, baby. Put him in the pan, honey.
Cook him till he's nice and brown.
Make a batch of buttermilk hoecakes, mama,
Then chew those things and chomp 'em on down,
Singing, CHORUS:
Repeat verse 1
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